MaRS

Social Venture Exchange: Investing in a better world

A new initiative has just moved into the building under the SiG@MaRS banner: the Social Venture Exchange (SVX), which hopes to drive good investments for a better world.

Over the next few years, we’ll develop and pilot an exchange that will assess and attract sustainable financing for ventures with a social mission, from enterprising non-profits to social purpose businesses.  We want to drive financial capital towards improved social and environmental outcomes.  In short, we are trying to attract more money to drive a more just society.

Sir Ronald Cohen talks about social finance

In a recent article in the Telegraph, Sir Ronald Cohen, the “father of private equity” in the UK and founder of Apax Partners, is quoted as saying “An important part of the capitalist system is having a powerful social sector to address social issues.”

Those of us interested in social finance in Canada have long looked to the UK in general, and the work of Sir Ronald Cohen in particular, for advice and direction. Sir Ronald (as he is affectionately called) recently addressed student at Harvard Business School telling the students about the next big thing in the business world – social finance.

Lucy Bernholz, author of Philanthropy2173

So says Lucy Bernholz, author of Philanthropy2173. This popular blog was named the best blog in its category by Fast Company and if you’re like me, you have the blog updating automatically on your iGoogle page. Understanding the changing world of philanthropy and the nature of giving is a quest for many foundations and charitable organizations. The need to understand is only amplified by the increasing demand on people’s generosity.

Referred to often as the “global threat set,” climate change, drought, food shortage, population growth and aging will draw on human and financial resources with increasing intensity. Keeping pace with this threat set is vital. Lucy Bernholz is at the vanguard of these changing times.

Post-Skoll: Flying safely past Eyjafjallajökull ash

I have a new favourite noise: the sweet sound of planes overhead. After 12 memorable days in the UK, it was delectable to finally touch down in TO, flying safely by the falling ash from Eyjafjallajökull.

While my journey involved meetings with several social finance organizations and attending the Skoll World Forum on social entrepreneurship, many unexpected events reaped great rewards. Where else but in the shadow of the ash cloud could you partake in Tedx Volcano and ad hoc meetings across London organized by stranded social innovators? In all cases, fascinating people and rich learning was threaded throughout.

One of the hottest topics at Skoll was social finance.

Antony Bugg-Levine on impact investing

“The question isn’t how do we give better?  It’s how do we solve social problems better?”  (Antony Bugg-Levine)

Over the course of two days at MaRS (April 6-7) Antony Bugg-Levine, Managing Director of the Rockefeller Foundation and leading visionary behind the impact investing movement, imparted his vast knowledge on many impact investing related subjects to over 200 people interested in the field. Though native South African, Antony has close family ties to Canada and showed he is a kindred spirit, demonstrating a keen understanding of our Canadian context.