Matthew Bishop and Michael Green have recently written an excellent article for the Innovations Journal titled "The Capital Curve for a Better World". The article is part of a volume prepared for the Tech4Society hosted in Hyderabad, India and offers compelling insights on social entrepreneurship and technology from leaders in the field (view the table of contents or full publication). Bishop and Green are also the authors of the recently-penned Philanthrocapitalist Manifesto, which proposes a number of 'radical' policy changes for the UK.

I recommend reading the entire article, as it spans important issues and opportunities around financing social innovation. There are several examples that illustrate the essential building blocks of a social capital market, and how they have - or can - be implemented successfully. A key theme is linking finance to the right kind of organization structure at the right time - and that this requires a more sophisticated understanding of social impact and metrics. On a related note, intermediary organizations can and should play a vital role in connecting demand and supply for social investment, but there is more work needed to build the right incentives and funding to establish and sustain these intermediaries.

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One of the signs that there’s more activity around social finance in the last few months is that there are more jobs available in this line of work.

Three great organizations – the MasterCard Foundation, the Community Power Fund, and the Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation at UBC – are all hiring for a number of exciting positions.

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Investment in renewable energy continues to make the headlines across the world, and recently even more so in Ontario. Al Gore has called the Green Energy Act "the single best green energy [program] on the North American continent. A recently-announced $7 billion deal with Samsung to manufacture and deploy renewable energy technologies is a clear sign of government commitment to building a renewable energy sector. How can private sector finance take advanatge of these developments?

This Friday January 29th, the Green Energy Act Finance Forum will present financial sector attendees with information about the investment opportunities presented by the new Ontario Green Energy Act, and methods of participation in the market. Attendees will learn about the risks and rewards of investment in Ontario's FIT market from experienced international renewable energy financiers including Dexia, Deutsche Asset Management, Ernst & Young UK, and others.

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Jed has been a proponent of what he calls blended value for years.  It is looking at the return on investments as a blend of financial returns and social and/or environmental impact. 

It’s not having three bottom lines.  And it's less like a soup and more like a salad in which you can still taste the individual ingredients.

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Hear Jed Emerson speak at the MaRS centre in Toronto as part of the "Lived It" series. Jed describes his journey from a social worker to discovering the challenges of capital formation and structures in the nonprofit sector. Jed also describes the evolution of social capital markets, and the role of blended value investments within mainstream finance.

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