How three investors are measuring their impact on climate resilience
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2w ago
Measuring climate resilience is difficult. For mitigation, estimating greenhouse gas emissions is somewhat straightforward, but for adaptation, impacts are varied and complex. Often the impact thesis is to “build resilience,” where the definition of resilience varies by context, sector, and target population. The post How three investors are measuring their impact on climate resilience appeared first on Acumen ..read more
Visit website
Acumen welcomes Alexandra Gordon as new Chief Marketing and Communications Officer
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2w ago
New CMO joins Acumen to drive forward mission of changing the way the world tackles poverty NEW YORK – Acumen, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to tackling poverty and driving social change, is delighted to announce the appointment of Alexandra Gordon as its new Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.  Prior to joining Acumen, Gordon served as President and Partner at Matter Unlimited, an award-winning social impact consultancy operating at the intersection of culture, capital, and cause. Under Gordon’s leadership, Matter Unlimited achieved notable recognition, including Emm ..read more
Visit website
Planting the seeds of impact: the investment potential of African agriculture in ten charts
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2w ago
The key to unlocking solutions to our most pressing social and economic problems lies hidden in plain sight: investing in African agriculture. Yet, this critical sector is underfunded and overlooked, despite holding the power to lift millions out of poverty and feed a growing global population. By the World Bank’s estimates, boosting agriculture’s output is two to four times more effective in raising incomes among the poorest compared to other sectors. It is one of the most powerful tools to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity, and feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050. It just n ..read more
Visit website
$1 million for change: meet the 2023 Acumen Angels awardees
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2w ago
Learn how Acumen Angels early-stage capital awards are scaling solutions to poverty from blueprint to breakthrough This piece was originally published by Acumen Academy on February 23, 2024. Acumen Angels awards early-stage capital to support social innovators within our alumni community as they launch and scale ventures that address issues of poverty around the world. The program supports entrepreneurs whose organizations are at the blueprint and early validation stage, providing the critical funding they need to develop ideas and refine their business models.  Following insights from Ac ..read more
Visit website
AquaRech is Digitizing Aquaculture on Lake Victoria
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
1M ago
Dave Okech remembers the rich life around Lake Victoria. Born and raised on its shores, he witnessed its flourishing biodiversity and the generations who thrived on its seemingly unlimited supply of fresh fish. But by the mid-90s, overfishing, invasive species, and pollution had cast a shadow. “When my community around Victoria was harvesting fish, life was great,” Okech says via Zoom from the lake’s edge. “But when it was empty with fish, it led to serious poverty and terrible life around the lake.” Aquaculture – the practice of raising aquatic organisms such as fish and shellfish in controll ..read more
Visit website
Ampersand is leading the e-mobility revolution across Africa
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2M ago
Call them boda bodas, piki pikis, or motos. Motorbike taxis are an increasingly popular mode of transportation in East Africa. And for good reason. They are an affordable, convenient, and zippy form of travel in the region’s bustling meccas.  For the last 50 years, the mass of motorized bikes has played a key role in the region’s social and economic life, providing rides to work, emergency services, courier deliveries, and other entrepreneurial activities, leaving their mark as symbols of independence and progress. In Kenya, boda bodas are estimated to create income generating opportuniti ..read more
Visit website
Top Organizations Unlock New Investments to Support the World’s Most Vulnerable
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2M ago
Acumen has joined the World Economic Forum Humanitarian and Resilience Investing (HRI) Initiative alongside others to collectively advance impact investing in frontier markets, particularly to support the most vulnerable communities. Together there is an opportunity to unleash over $15 billion in commercial and catalytic capital to scale sustainable impact. The post Top Organizations Unlock New Investments to Support the World’s Most Vulnerable appeared first on Acumen ..read more
Visit website
Building A Solar Power Ecosystem In 16 Sub-Saharan African Countries
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2M ago
How to give households in the poorest and toughest-to-reach countries in sub-Saharan Africa access to electricity? How to do that, while also building a sustainable and thriving solar power industry in those markets? The post Building A Solar Power Ecosystem In 16 Sub-Saharan African Countries appeared first on Acumen ..read more
Visit website
Social Innovation’s Toll: Experimenting with Vulnerable Communities
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
2M ago
Content Warning: This post contains mention of suicide. If you need support, please seek assistance through available resources.   Social innovators – inclusive of investors like Acumen and the entrepreneurs we fund – walk a fine line. We invest in early-stage companies to address problems of poverty, but to do that our investees must work closely with vulnerable people. Every day we grapple with tough questions as we work to build a world based on dignity: Are we creating bold and innovative solutions to solve problems of poverty? Or are we actually exposing the defenseless to more ..read more
Visit website
Climbing Mountains to Build a World Based on Dignity with Winter Van Alstine
Acumen Blog
by Jared Proudfoot
3M ago
One day after her 40th birthday, on July 27, 2023, Winter Van Alstine conquered the Everesting Challenge on Aspen Mountain in Colorado. The feat required hiking the mountain, bottom to top, nine times without sleep. It took Winter 21 hours and 30 minutes, and through her efforts, she was able to raise a total of $10,000 for Acumen.  What inspired you to take on this challenge of Everesting? It started with my 40th birthday approaching. I was trying to think of something I could do to give back to the world. I wanted to do something positive and challenge myself. Everesting came to mind as ..read more
Visit website

Follow Acumen Blog on FeedSpot

Continue with Google
Continue with Apple
OR