BOARDROOM
Blue Earth provides $16mn boost to Indian smallholder farmers
Swiss impact investor Blue Earth Capital has announced a $16mn loan to Samunnati, an Indian agriculture financier which supports small-holder farmers and provides climate-smart reskilling. Smallholders account for 86% of India’s farmers and remain some of the country’s poorest people. Working with thousands of farming collectives and agricultural enterprises across India’s 28 states, Samunnati provides crucial financing, advisory services and market linkages. The organisation is focused on fighting for fair pricing for agricultural products, whilst ensuring that farmers are proactively working towards the green transition.
BII signs £14mn deal to support Tanzanian renewable energy platform
British International Investment (BII) will provide an initial fund of £14mn to Rift Valley Energy, a Tanzanian renewable energy platform, with provision for this to rise to £20mn. Only 37% of the Tanzanian population currently has access to electricity, and the Rift Valley site – which has wind, solar and hydropower capabilities – aims to provide power to around 170,000 people every year, connecting 4,000 businesses and households to the grid for the first time. A key focus is the provision of energy to local industries, including tea, veneer, water and timber. The growth in energy generation could lead to an estimated 1,800 jobs.
California pension fund allocates $25bn to green investments
CalPERS, the pension fund for Californian public sector workers, has pledged $25bn in investments in green private markets over the next six years. This is part of the $53bn CalPERS committed last November to expanding its ‘low carbon portfolio’. The investments will focus mainly on sustainable real estate and infrastructure in Europe and Asia. Despite this pledge, CalPERS has come under fire for investing in oil and gas assets worth $15bn, in combination with fellow pension fund Calstrs.
Conduit Young Innovator Award finalist raises £1.5mn for career platform for under-represented groups
Niya, a careers platform connecting businesses with under-represented talent – including refugees and the homeless – has raised a £1.5mn pre-seed round from angel investors. Niya was co-founded by Conduit member and Young Innovator Award finalist Holly Simmons, and provides a talent pipeline for over 200 corporates, including Microsoft. It also provides re-skilling and mentorship opportunities for users, with over 10,000 hours of training resources available on the platform. Niya is now looking to expand its services into access to finance, housing and visas, and its geographical reach to span Europe.
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