We are pleased to share the news that Impact Engine has once again been selected as an ImpactAssets 50 Fund Manager. This designation comes with special Emeritus Manager status, signifying our long term commitment to the field of impact investing. In fact, we've now been included in their register of top fund managers for 8 years running! Browse the full fund listing here.
IE VP Ander Iruretagoyena (pictured, center) recently visited the Harris Impact Investing Career Series where he joined a panel discussion for students. He writes, "It was a pleasure to engage with the Harris School community and bridge the gap between classroom theory and the real-world technical nuances of impact investing. I especially enjoyed sharing my 'pivot' story alongside such esteemed colleagues. I’m energized by the students’ thoughtful engagement and hope our discussion on mission-aligned returns across asset classes helps inspire the next generation of impact leaders."
Ander was joined by Builders Vision Chief Investment Officer Noelle Laing (who also serves on our Advisory Board), as well as Scott Wozencraft from Builders Vision and Sampurna Khasnabis from Nia Impact Capital.
IE Partner Tasha Seitz writes: "I’ve had the privilege of serving as a coach for SVP Chicago’s Fast Pitch event this year, working alongside an incredible group of nonprofit leaders. During these challenging times, it’s been inspiring and energizing to be around these leaders who are doing so much important, impactful work in our Chicago community! The Fast Pitch event will be held the evening of April 15th, and tickets are on sale now (with both in person and virtual options). Hope to see you there!"
Afresh, the AI-powered food waste fighter, expanded its grocery store offering beyond perishable produce to include shelf stable products for the first time. This means its supermarket clients will now be able to use the Afresh software solution to keep tabs on everything from cereal to seafood, resulting in smarter replenishment planning, less waste, and ultimately unlocking higher profit margins through increased efficiency. “We’ve got department-specific intelligence and work, but all under one hood that covers the entire store,” says CEO and co-founder Matt Schwartz.
Candidly, the student debt pay-down platform, announced the sale of its CollegeFinance.com lender marketplace to NerdWallet. The subsidiary divestiture comes after the launch of Candidly's AI suite last fall. "We give employers and financial institutions a faster path to unlocking their data and distribution advantages, accelerating both speed-to-market and speed-to-value," says Candidly founder and CEO Laurel Taylor, "while simultaneously fueling our mission to help hardworking Americans move from debt to wealth."
ReUp Education, the college re-enrollment experts, was profiled by NPR in a report on how stopped-out college students are brought back into the fold to finally achieve graduation, thanks to the startup's partnerships with 150 colleges in 33 states. One learner in her late 20s who was assisted by ReUp told NPR, "The No. 1 thing I really struggled with throughout the last 10 years was actually finding somebody who really supported and cared about my education."