We're excited to share that for the fourth year in a row we have been selected for inclusion in the Impact Assets 50, a list of leading firms with demonstrated commitment to impact investing!
Why We Invested
Even before the pandemic, 1 in 3 students that started college in the US did not end up finishing their degree. As colleges and universities face decreasing enrollment, they are experiencing more financial pressure that is pushing them towards more cost-effective advising and a more student-centric approach.
Stellic is an integrated planning and advising platform for college students to plan their courses to align with their degree requirements and career aspirations.
Events
Everyone at Impact Engine is counting down the days to the Chicago Impact Investing Showcase.
This Tuesday April 5 at noon Chicago time we'll kick things off with a virtual session exploring the role of government treasuries in impact investing, including their unique constraints and opportunities, as they allocate capital to benefit the public. We'll hear from four great special guests on a panel moderated by Impact Engine CEO Jessica Droste Yagan:
Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Treasurer, City of Chicago
Bryan Echols, Director of Impact Investments, Illinois State Treasurer's Office
Michael Frerichs, Treasurer, State of Illinois
Brad McConnell, CEO, Allies for Community Business
We encourage you to RSVP to Session #1 now!
Throughout April we'll present three additional virtual events, each at noon on Tuesdays, organized around the following themes:
April 12: Individuals as Impact Investors - RSVP Now
April 19: Foundations as Impact Investors - RSVP Now
April 26: Private Funds as impact investors - RSVP Now
What We’re Reading
New York Times: ‘OK Doomer’ and the Climate Advocates Who Say It’s Not Too Late
Jessica Droste Yagan, Impact Engine CEO, writes: "I loved seeing the leadership of young people in this article, and couldn't agree more that 'presenting the climate crisis as too massive or intractable can cause people to go numb and check out.' This applies not only to climate-related challenges but to all of our big social and environmental challenges. It's easy to feel small and insignificant. But it's also easy to see how if everyone feels small and insignificant and doesn't act, nothing will change. If every single person takes their own steps to improve within their own sphere, it will add up to meaningful change!"
Portfolio News
Afresh was chosen for the CB Insights Retail Tech 100, a list of the most promising and innovative B2B retail technology startups in the world. This year's cohort was winnowed from a pool of over 7,000 companies.
CancerIQ closed a $14 million Series B financing round led by the Merck Global Health Innovation Fund. "This latest round of funding will help CancerIQ reach more patients and connect to more innovations that promise to transform cancer from a deadly disease to a manageable condition," says Feyi Olopade Ayodele, co-founder and CEO of CancerIQ.
FutureFuel was given the Best Personal Finance Platform award by FinTech Breakthrough. Laurel Taylor, CEO of the student loan debt Fintech platform, told her team "This is especially meaningful as we have built our platform as an embedded finance solution, nested within your native experience, enriching the financial health of the participants and users you serve."
Kenya-based E-commerce platform SokoWatch rebranded to Wasoko as it closed a $125 million Series B round. After recent expansions, the company now also serves retailers in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Ivory Coast and Senegal, moving toward a pan-African supply solution. The new name translates to "people of the market."
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