Social finance: the money's there but the entrepreneurs are not

A lack of transformative ideas and returns makes the social finance landscape challenging. Investors should look beyond the commercial finance model and listen to social entrepreneurs. Mark Cheng makes a compelling case.

The disparity between what investors expect in terms of returns and what is needed to create social entrepreneurs who can deliver these returns (or at least get close to them) is increasingly recognised as an issue not addressed by current models. Mark provides ideas as to how to bridge this gap - VPF 100% supports the concept that sometimes it's grants that create investment opportunities.

Philanthropy: Why You Should Demand a ROI

Philanthropy is at its best when it is founded on entrepreneurial zest--think of social challenges as an opportunity to create large, profitable enterprises.

Philanthropy is not about giving money but about solving problems. While well-meaning, the idea of writing a check and calling it "philanthropy" is extremely short-sighted and unfortunately, extremely pervasive.

Instead, philanthropist should think like an entrepreneur and think of social challenges as an opportunity to create large enterprises. It’s really easy to create a $1 billion company--you just have to solve a $10 billion problem. Most of these large $10 to $100 billion problems happen to be social problems. That’s why I think that some of the largest opportunity exist for an entrepreneur in solving humanity’s grand challenges.

Article arguing that we need to think BIG...

Social Investment - license to lose?

One might expect there to be only the slightest similarity between venture capital and social investment; perhaps the fact that money changes hands or that a return is expected. Surely that is where the similarities end?  Based on our experience, no it isn’t. We believe there could be a parallel to be drawn between grant-funding and investment in the development of fast-growth, high-potential organisations in the social and private sectors. Eh! – how so?

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Ernesto Sirolli: Want to help someone? Shut up and listen!

The person who can do it all doesn't exist - Ernestor Sirolli on how communities and individuals can encourage entrepeneurs if you just get out of their way.

Risk & Failure

Interesting article on risk and the appetite for it (or not) in the Harvard Business Review. Sir Ronald Cohen argues that the social or impact investing is where the VC market was 35 years ago and

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