How we approach impact investing in uncertain times
Last year the S&P 500 ended 19% down, its worst result since 2008. U.S. bond funds also experienced some of their worst performances ever. But while others focus only on preserving dry powder, we believe the future demands that we continue addressing our most urgent social and environmental issues. And history shows us that intentionally taking risks during these times can produce outsized financial gains.
Why software is rocket fuel for the clean energy transition
With the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, an unprecedented amount of government funding is about to accelerate the climate economy. We believe software can play three major roles in the clean energy transition. It’s not just a smart business opportunity to capitalize on what could be a $1.7T climate tech market in five years – it’s critical in the fight to avoid a climate disaster.
Twentyeight Health, affordable women's health
There are significant barriers to accessing healthcare for low-income women and specifically for women of color. While there are at least 72M women of reproductive age in the United States, 45% of 18-29 year olds do not have a primary care physician. Twentyeight Health is a women's health platform focused on increasing access to reproductive and sexual health care for underserved communities.
Plum, the talent assessment platform, announced an additional $6 million in funding led by Pearson Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of global education company Pearson. In addition to attracting new investors, several early investors returned for a follow up investment, including Impact Engine.
ReUp Education, the higher education empowerment company, partnered with Chicago State University to help 111 stopout student return to classes. “We expected that majority with students weren’t interested at restarting their education, but we were quite surprised at how quickly and excited learners were to have their alma mater reach back out to them through the work of ReUp,” says Bill Sliwa, Interim VP of Enrollment Management at CSU.
SameSky Health, the tech-enabled wellness guide, launched a new Diabetes Care Pathway with Tufts Health Plan, a Point32Health company. The initiative will reach patients through their cell phones to help them manage their health and navigate care opportunities ranging from blood pressure control and kidney screenings to retinal eye exams.
Therma, the cooling intelligence platform combating food and energy waste, announced $19 million in Series A funding. Their technology is now being deployed by over a thousand customers ranging from McDonald's, to Domino's Pizza, to Marriott Hotels to save money on utility bills, shift electrical use to off-peak hours, and optimize operation of refrigeration and HVAC equipment.
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