Impact Investing Ecosystem
Aotearoa New Zealand’s unique impact investing network is made up of investors, businesses, governments, service providers, foundations and trusts, and other organisations.
This ecosystem is the foundation to the impact investing landscape, providing a platform to create positive social, environmental, and cultural impact, alongside financial return.
Explore the Ecosystem:
NZ market $8 billion
Global market $1 trillion+
13 NZ impact funds
Recent Deals
Date
Name
Size
Details
14 Mar 2024
ANDFOODS - Icehouse
$2.7m
ANDFOODS is on a mission to improve the food system. They do this by producing high quality, nutritious, and functional dairy alternatives. Better yet, they make them available to other companies to use in their own products.
6 Feb 2024
(undisclosed)
NovoLabs is a visionary water treatment start-up with a mission to transform the way we disinfect wastewater, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
17 Dec 2023
$1.5m
Soul Capital have led Critical.'s $1.5m seed investment round.
Critical. are building both the products and the technology platform to transform plastic waste into beautiful, low carbon and endlessly recyclable materials to empower the next generation of buildings that would make our mokopuna proud.
25 Sept 2023
$1.5m
Motion Capital has led $1.5m of investment into Christchurch-based Aspiring Materials.
Aspiring Materials develops carbon capture and abatement materials from commonly found volcanic rocks, which have the potential significantly reduce emissions in industrial processes such as concrete manufacturing.
29 Aug 2023
(undisclosed)
Purpose Capital Impact Fund has become a major shareholder in Cool Group Limited with a 37.50% shareholding.
Cool Group’s solutions use refrigerant that has significantly lower Global Warming Potential than legacy systems (up to 3,920 GWP vs 466 GWP). They also use much less refrigerant (7kg vs an average of 30kgs). In combination, the company estimates that replacing one legacy system with a Coolsense system instantly removes 90 Tonnes net CO2 equivalent from the average farm.
14 Aug 2023
The Pure Food Co - ACC Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Impact Fund
(undisclosed)
Access to good nutrition is essential to live a healthy life and minimise the risks of falls and illness as we grow older.
ACC’s Investment Fund has invested in The Pure Food Co, the New Zealand developer of nutritional foods and beverages for older people that is now taking its products to the world.
4 Aug 2023
$4m
Agritech firm Hot Lime Labs, which is disrupting the way CO2 is captured, has raised $4 million in an over-subscribed funding round that valued it at $20 million. Investors included Flying Kiwi Angels, Climate VC Fund, Icehouse Ventures, and others.
2 Jun 2023
$1m
Impact investor Soul Capital has committed another $1 million into carbon footprint management fintech company Cogo, which will go towards its push into North America.
19 Oct 2022
$10m
Lodestone will have established five sites across the upper North Island which will generate enough renewable energy to power the likes of Hamilton (NZs fourth largest city). Lodestone is also pioneering agri-voltaics in New Zealand, which is the process of elevating the solar panels enough that the land beneath can continue to be used for agriculture or horticulture.
10 Oct 2022
Brightlight Group - Te Puna Hapori Series II Social Housing Bond
$37m
This $37 million bond issuance will be utilised to fund a diversified portfolio of six New Zealand community housing projects across Northland, South Auckland and Canterbury.
30 Sept 2022
Nymbl - ACC Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Impact Fund
$3.5m
Falls are the most common cause of injury in Aotearoa, making up 39 per cent of all claims.
In 2022, around 172,000 people aged 65 and over had a fall-related ACC claim – that’s 22 per cent of that age group. It’s a big problem, so ACC are doing something about it.
Introducing Nymbl – a free, fun and easy-to-use app that is fully funded by ACC. Nymbl is designed to help people 50 and older stay on their feet, combining simple body movements with brain games to challenge both the brain and body.
31 Aug 2022
$8.8m
Lower cost finance issued as debt to the registered Charitable Community Housing Provider CORT in support of their social housing programme in the Auckland region. He kāinga pai mō ngā tangata hiahia whare. Good homes for people that need them.
1 May 2022
CarbonCrop - Climate VC Fund
$1.9m
Investors: WNT Ventures Fund 3, Impact Enterprise Fund, K1W1, and Icehouse Ventures Climate Fund. CarbonCrop makes carbon credits more accessible to landholders and aim to increase native forestry in New Zealand, increasing the carbon sequestered from our atmosphere in the process.
1 Mar 2022
$13.7m
Generate KiwiSaver Scheme made a $13.7m impact investment. The deal structured by Brightlight Group and aims to deliver social impact, alongside fixed interest returns and payments from long-term leases. Te Puna Hapori, is a Trust Waikato and Brighlight partnership, meaning 'wellspring of life for communities', read more.
Impact Funds
Impact Funds
Description
Impact Priorities
Investments
Stage
Target IRR
Status
Target Size
Seeking expressions of interest in initiatives that reduce carbon emissions. These initiatives also need to provide strong risk-adjusted financial returns.
Carbon Emissions
Leaft Foods, Lodestone Energy
Strong risk-adjusted financial returns
Open
$100m
We’re seeking established companies that are looking for funding to grow within New Zealand. Our investment size for each company can be anywhere from $2.5 million to $15 million.
Health, safety, wellbeing
Growth
Robotics Plus, Groov
Superior risk-adjusted returns
Open
$50m
Aims to future-proof New Zealand’s farmlands by applying large scale regenerative farming techniques to environmentally degraded and financially distressed dairy farmlands.
Regenerative farming
Early-stage, growth
Undisclosed
12-15%
Beginning phase
Undisclosed
Through targeted investment and actions, we're accelerating the development of tools and technology to help New Zealand farmers reduce biogenic methane and nitrous oxide emissions from ruminant animals.
We’re scanning the world for solutions and we’re strategically deploying venture capital and catalyst funds to drive affordable and effective solutions for pasture-based farming.
Carbon Emissions
Early stage, growth
Open
The fund is looking to invest across Australasia and the Pacific into early-stage ventures generating market returns and with potential for out-sized and mitigation of climate risk and/or its impact.
Mitigation of climate risk and/or its impact
Early stage, growth
20%+
Open
$50m
Provide low-cost finance to New Zealand’s Community Housing Providers to build new, safe and affordable homes for Kiwis.
Housing, health, wellbeing, social
Early stage, growth
Priced to current interest rate market with a margin above the corresponding swap rate
Open
$500m
Investments focus on expansion opportunities in fast growing sectors such as sustainable food production, agriculture technology, healthcare, clean energy, and education.
Multi-sector: Social or Environmental
Early stage, Growth
15%+
Closed
$9m
Investing in kiwi technology companies that help the world decarbonise.
Carbon emissions
Early stage, growth
Portfolio
Not disclosed
Open
Undisclosed
A Fund that purchases existing homes throughout New Zealand and leases these properties to the government for the accommodation of vulnerable children and young people and their caregivers.
Housing of NZ's most vulnerable children and youth.
8%+
Raising
$70m
A follow on fund to the Impact Enterprise Fund. Investments focus on expansion opportunities in fast growing sectors such as sustainable food production, agriculture technology, healthcare, clean energy, and education.
Multi-sector: Social or Environmental
Early stage, Growth
15%+
Raising capital
$30-$60m
An equity fund called Positive Property (managed by Positive Capital) that co-owns new social housing supply in partnership with registered charitable community housing providers.
Housing, health, wellbeing, social.
Early stage, growth
Target pre-tax cash return of 4.5% or above
Open
$500m
Purpose Capital is a private equity stage fund whose mission is to drive social and environmental change and demonstrate a new way to make money work.
Affordable housing, social inequality, climate change, environmental degradation.
Growth, asset-backed
Risk adjusted returns
Accepting EOI for co-investment and fund 2
$36m (AUM)
Soul Capital invests in enterprises and projects whose purpose is to tackle societal or environmental problems head on with innovation and scalable business models.
Multi-sector: Social or Environmental
Early stage, growth
Varies
Awhi Fund: Fully Deployed
Te Pae ki te Rangi Fund: Investing, open to investor interest
$75m
The Te Puna Hapori (meaning "spring of wellbeing") Community Infrastructure Strategy aims to deliver safe, warm and healthy communities for individuals and families to build a home, be educated, grow and flourish.
Community Infrastructure
Social protection, education and health infrastructure
3-4%
Raising capital
Building a system to create new value for climate action. Through new impact assets, markets and network infrastructure we can allow the true value of regenerative action to be recognised and traded. We are on a mission to unleash impact investment to the frontline with urgency, and at scale.
Climate action, environment regeneration
Early stage, growth
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
Open
Undisclosed
Trusts and Foundations
Trusts and Foundations
Description
Impact Priorities
Programmes
Community trust focused on community welfare in the Bay of Plenty area of New Zealand. The trust manages over $250m of investment capital with 10% of this capital targeted for impact investments and impact loans and the proceeds from all investments directed to community grants, impact loans and impact investments.
Kaitiakitanga, Community wellbeing, Tū Maori Mai
Healthy, Secure and Affordable Housing
Guardian of community endowment of over $258 million. We help a wide range of groups and people here in the south every year by distributing millions of dollars in grants, scholarships and community loans.
Health, Wellbeing and Active Lifestyles; Community and Economic Development; Education; Arts, Heritage and Culture
Provides grants and support to community organisations operating in the Gisborne Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Tararua, Manawatu, Horowhenua and Wairarapa districts.
Children and young people; Māori; Families affected by disadvantage; Older people.
Provides funding and support to initiatives large and small to respond to their communities now and for generations to come. In doing so, we support community-based initiatives in Tāmaki Makaurau and Te Tai Tokerau.
Increased Equity, Social Inclusion, Regenerative Environment, Community Support
We are focused on making the Waikato the most generous region on the planet. A better Waikato for everyone, forever.
Arts & Culture, Children & Youth, Economic Vitality, Education, Environment, Health, Recreation & Sport
Strong Communities.
Community-owned charitable trust that provides grants to assist community projects that make a positive contribution to Otago communities.
Empowered communities; Improved health and wellbeing; Increased access to opportunities; Thriving children and young people.
Supporting a wide range of not-for-profit organisations and groups from across the Rotorua community.
Vibrancy, Health, Environment, Education, Community
South Island’s largest philanthropic funder. Each year we grant around $20 million to invest in community organisations in Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson and the Chatham Islands.
Learn, Support, Connect, Participate, Sustain
Private philanthropic family foundation working throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. We are helping to build a stronger, sustainable nation so that family, communities and our environment thrive now and in the future.
Family, Community, Environment
To support our communities to build a thriving, inclusive and equitable Taranaki.
Environment, Opportunities, Child and Youth Wellbeing, Māori Aspiration
Dedicated to investing in a wide range of energy projects, spanning across Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Kawerau, and Kaingaroa Village.
Community Leadership, Community Pride, Sustainable Energy, Work-ready Rangatahi, Employed Locals
Aims to achieve transformational change for people, families, communities and places where the need is greatest.
Arts and culture, Education, History, Social services, Sports and recreation, Youth, The environment
Provider of community funding to Hamilton City & Waikato District.
Thriving Communities, Healthy Environment, Equitable Outcomes and Māori Aspirations.
Asset and Investment Managers
Asset and Investment Managers
Description
Impact Priorities
We exist to transform lives through purposeful investing. We provide scalable investment solutions to help our value-led investors achieve our shared goal of a more socially and environmentally just world.
Cure Kids Ventures (CKV) is New Zealand’s predominant seed and early stage healthcare investment fund that invests in New Zealand’s emerging healthcare companies which can positively impact the health of children.
Cure Kids Ventures (CKV) is owned by Cure Kids Foundation, New Zealand’s largest private funder of child health research. Since 2008, CKV has invested in a portfolio of companies with products and services covering medical devices, medications, diagnostics, health information and healthcare delivery systems.
Offers a world-class team of advisers right here in New Zealand, delivering innovative financial services and investment opportunities, supported by award-winning local and global research.
First KiwiSaver Scheme to make an impact investment into social housing with a $15m investment in Salvation Army community bonds.
Through our digital platform, world-class investment funds and quality financial resources, Kiwis now have an effective way to grow their savings over the long-term.
The Guardians has a long-standing commitment to Responsible Investment. We believe environmental, social and governance considerations, including climate change, are fundamental to long-term risk and return.
New Zealand Green Investment Finance is a green investment bank established with the purpose of accelerating investment to enable Aotearoa New Zealand’s low carbon future.
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
With a broad and flexible mandate, their investments take many forms, from debt to equity, with the ability to take risk positions that help attract co-investors.
Read about their investments here: https://nzgif.co.nz/investing/our-investments/
Not only do we invest ethically, excluding sectors that do harm, but we actively invest in companies doing good.
Advisory and service providers
Advisory and service providers
Description
Impact Priorities
Programmes
Ākina is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading impact development consultancy.
Our specialists have backgrounds in sustainable finance, social finance, funds, charitable structuring, corporate governance, iwi and government.
Through targeted packages of pro-bono (financial and business advisory) support, the accelerator connects Deloitte professionals to collaborate with game-changing enterprises that fulfill our purpose, by helping you achieve yours.
We partner with for-purpose organisations to design solutions that secure financial resources that enables them to deliver greater impact.
Home to the innovators, the dreamers, and the entrepreneurs who are creating tangible solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
Impact Ventures is a founding member and partner in the Impact Enterprise Fund, New Zealand’s first impact investing fund. Provides impact investing and corporate finance advisory services.
Provide legal services aimed at getting to the heart of what matters to our valued clients.
NZ Resources
New Zealand Resources and Initiatives
Description
Impact Priorities
Our purpose is to accelerate progress towards a sustainable, equitable and inclusive financial system in Aotearoa.
We instigate and participate in collaborations across three focus areas: Galvanising leadership;
Changing norms, rules and standards; Building capability.
We are a charity that promotes ethical investment and empower all New Zealanders to be responsible for how they invest their savings.
The Responsible Investment Association Australasia (RIAA) champions responsible investing and a sustainable financial system in Australia and New Zealand. RIAA is dedicated to ensuring capital is aligned with achieving a healthy society, environment and economy.
A network that enables system change in the areas of climate, waste and nature.
In October 2021, the Financial Sector (Climate-related Disclosures and Other Matters) Amendment Bill was passed and received Royal Assent. As a result, the XRB now has a mandate to issue climate standards as part of a climate-related disclosures framework, and guidance on non-financial matters.
Indigenous
Indigenous
Description
Impact Priorities
Indigenous ethical investing, Te Kōwhiringa Tapu is the process. We apply ancestral Māori knowledge to determine
a set of key principles to guide and drive investment behaviours and decisions.
Indigenous investing, regeneration
Impact investment fund seeking to deliver on three focus areas (increased equity, social inclusion, regenerative environments) in Tamaki Makaurau and Te Taitokerau.
Increased Equity/Hāpai te ōritetanga, Social Inclusion/Whakauru mai, Regenerative Environments/Whakahou taiao
We collaborate closely with investors, funders, local and indigenous communities to design systemic investment programmes and projects.
Tikangi-led, Climate Innovation, Housing
Government
Government Agency
Description
Size
Programmes
Supports problem-solving and innovation in New Zealand’s food and fibre sector by co-investing in initiatives that make a positive and lasting difference.
~ $40m per year
Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures Fund
Supports projects that will minimise plastic waste and its harm on the environment.
$50M over 4 years
Plastics Innovation Fund
Seeks to strengthen Pacific resilience through mid-size investments that generate inclusive employment and sustainable development.
$50M
InvestPacific
Education
Education
Company/Organisation
Programme
Description
Cost
The CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing offers you both practical application and technical knowledge in the fast-growing field of ESG investing — an opportunity to both accelerate progress and demonstrate purpose.
$1,050
In the course, you’ll learn to improve decision-making for positive impact on people and planet in line with the SDG Impact Standards and the Operating Principles for Impact Management
Free
With two flexible learning routes to choose from – online self-paced via the GRI Academy (route A) or blended and instructor-led (route B) –GRI Professional Certification program provides a unique opportunity to gain expertise and global recognition in sustainability reporting with the GRI Standards.
$1,050 - 2,050
A treasure trove of free how-to resources for impact-led organisations including; impact investment, measurement and models; social procurement; social lean canvas; social enterprise business models.
Free
The FSA Credential is designed for professionals who benefit from understanding the link between financially material sustainability information and a company’s ability to drive enterprise value.
Two Part test
Part one $730
Part two $1,050
Global
Global Organisation/Intiative
Description
GIIN focuses on reducing barriers to impact investment so more investors can allocate capital to fund solutions to the world's most intractable challenges. GIIN does this by building critical infrastructure and developing activities, education, and research that help accelerate the development of a coherent impact investing industry.
The Global Reporting Initiative is an international independent standards organisation that helps businesses, governments and other organisations understand and communicate their impacts on issues such as climate change, human rights and corruption.
A registered UK charity since November 2017, The Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) currently has 35 member countries. Chaired by Sir Ronald Cohen, the GSG brings together leaders from finance, business and philanthropy to solve some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges. GSG is an independent organisation catalysing impact investment and entrepreneurship to benefit people and the planet.
The IMP has brought together a range of different organisations to build and further global consensus on how to measure, assess and report impacts on people and the environment.
The mission of the Impact-Weighted Accounts Project is to drive the creation of financial accounts that reflect a company’s financial, social, and environmental performance. Its ambition is to create accounting statements that transparently capture external impacts in a way that drives investor and managerial decision making.
SASB Standards guide the disclosure of financially material sustainability information by companies to their investors. Available for 77 industries, the Standards identify the subset of environmental, social, and governance issues most relevant to financial performance in each industry.
The Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures provides information to investors about what companies are doing to mitigate the risks of climate change, as well as be transparent about the way in which they are governed
The Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures will develop recommendations that organisations can follow when disclosing information about the exposure of their companies to natural hazards.
Toniic is a global community of asset owners seeking deeper positive net impact across the spectrum of capital
The United Nations Global Compact is a non-binding United Nations pact to encourage businesses and firms worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies, and to report on their implementation
The Value Reporting Foundation is a global nonprofit organisation that offers a comprehensive suite of resources designed to help businesses and investors develop a shared understanding of enterprise value—how it is created, preserved or eroded over time. The resources— including the Integrated Thinking Principles, the Integrated Reporting Framework and SASB Standards—can be used alone or in combination, depending on business needs.