From vision to reality: Embedding impact.

GIF’s Investment Director, Xiu Jing Seow recently attended a SolarX APAC event in Sri Lanka. The ISA SolarX Accelerator is a year-long program aimed at accelerating early-stage solar enterprises across the APAC region. Xiu Jing delivered a presentation about embedding impact into investment strategies as part of the Capital Catalyst Masterclass series. 

Here are some key takeaways from the masterclass:

• Start early - Understanding the start-up’s theory of change from the beginning helps in measuring, assessing and monitoring one’s impact.
• Alignment between investors and start-ups - By identifying the right impact metrics, investors and start-ups can align from the beginning of the partnership.
• Improving livelihoods with climate resilience innovations is possible - Portfolio examples such as S4S, Agros Solar, and Komunidad were shared to show the positive social impact of our investments.

During the trip, GIF met with the different ecosystem players and also visited two key spaces which have hosted start-ups and technological innovations in Sri Lanka - Hatch and TRACE.  

GIF's investments across Asia showcased by Xiu Jing demonstrate a wide range of innovations to address some of the most significant regional challenges. Investments include S4S Technologies, whose innovative dryer uses solar conduction to preserve smallholder farm produce in India, Breakthrough who have reached 500,000 adolescent boys and girls across 6,000 schools in India to shift gender attitudes, aspirations and behaviours, and Agros whose solar-powered irrigation pump has led to substantial savings on fuel costs, making irrigation more affordable for smallholder farmers.