SOCAP is coming to Chicago!
We're delighted by the buzzy news that our hometown will play host to SOCAP26, October 12-14. This year's impact investing mega-conference will be the first time in its 18 year history to be held outside San Francisco. And it'll stay here for next year's 2027 iteration too.
No surprise, we think Chicago is the perfect choice for the world's largest impact investing gathering. Impact Engine has been convening the Chicago impact investing community for the past 10 years, hosting annual showcase events and sharing our findings of this growing community via a Midwest impact investing landscape report (PDF). We are excited to welcome changemakers from more than 50 countries.
Early Bird tickets are now available at a discounted registration rate. We'll see you there.
The Stanford University Graduate School of Business recently featured a case study on our CEO Jessica Droste Yagan's pursuit of sustainable investing at Impact Engine. They write, "Droste Yagan wondered whether a more comprehensive measure of market rate existed—one that allowed for more accurate comparability across impact and mainstream investments, for increased capital flows to impact investments, and toward a more sustainable capitalist system." Read the full case study (Stanford authentication required).
Our friends at The Vistria Group, a fund investment of ours, recently contributed an article detailing how they approach the subject of quality to ImpactAlpha. "Across our portfolio," they write, "we evaluate the quality of our portfolio companies’ products or services through a combination of operational KPIs, customer feedback and internal benchmarking, allowing us to evaluate not just how many people are reached, but how well they are served."
Read Vistria's 2025 Impact Report (PDF) for a deep dive into impact measurement and reporting.
Kin, the gap-filling insurtech provider, expanded its offerings to include auto insurance for the first time. To debut this new service, the company chose underserved markets in two states, Florida and Texas, each of which feature distinct challenges. Florida drivers contend with some of the highest car insurance rates in the country, whereas Texas drivers face a variety of environmental risks. Existing Kin customers in those states can save up to 20% by bundling their policies.
PadSplit, the co-living marketplace, announced new access to an additional four major markets: Portland, Seattle, Sacramento, and Nashville. That brings the total number of major metros up to 35, encompassing 29,000 rooms listed. PadSplit's model skips traditional credit score checks and long term leases, allowing residents to move in quickly in as little as 48 hours.
WorkIt Health, the addiction recovery telehealth platform, continues to increase access to its opioid treatment program. Their online coaching and meds-by-mail model is especially valuable in rural areas where clinics can be hours away. The company, backed by newly-published peer-reviewed research, boasts better than average retention rates and also provides an alternative to those who might otherwise avoid treatment in person due to stigmas around addiction.