Blended Finance for Impact: Unlocking Capital to Scale Social and Climate Solutions
Blended finance is transforming the way we fund social impact, climate resilience, and essential services like clean water, healthcare, and clean energy. By strategically combining public, private, and philanthropic capital, blended finance can unlock new resources, de-risk investments, and create sustainable funding pipelines for high-impact projects. But how can we optimize these models to drive systemic change?
This discussion will explore how blended finance can be leveraged to change investor behavior, lower transaction costs, and more accurately price resilience-building initiatives. We will examine real-world case studies, including how Mukuru Clean Stoves leverages carbon financing, how blended finance can scale safe water solutions, and the role of results-based financing in clean energy and health impact projects. Participants will discuss innovative models for structuring investments, the future of concessional capital, and how strategic philanthropy is evolving as an asset class.
Key Questions:
How can blended finance be used more effectively to incentivize commercial investors and funders to support high-impact projects?
What strategies can lower transaction and due diligence costs to make investment in adaptation and resilience-building more accessible?
How can blended finance drive greater social outcomes in water access, healthcare, clean energy, and beyond?
What lessons can be drawn from successful public-private partnerships and concessional investment models?
How do we ensure that financial reporting and impact measurement are transparent, accessible, and aligned with long-term resilience goals?
This session will bring together diverse perspectives on how blended finance can be a catalyst for systemic change, ensuring that investment flows where it’s needed most while driving meaningful social and environmental impact.
Session Co-Leaders:
Annie Thériault – Managing Partner at Cross-Border Impact Ventures, investing in health technology companies that drive impact for women and children across North America, Europe, and emerging markets.
Ludovic Claude – Founder & CEO of Aquaful, leveraging 15 years in sustainable finance to provide safe, affordable water to urban communities in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Minhaj Chowdhury – CEO and Co-Founder, public health entrepreneur, and Fulbright Fellow, pioneering clean water solutions in Bangladesh and recognized as a Forbes 30 Under 30 and Ashoka Fellow.
Batya Blankers – CEO & Co-Founder of Chancen International Rwanda, scaling innovative financing models for education across Africa.
Tom Hoyle – Adviser, grantmaker, and social investor focused on blended finance solutions for sustainable livelihoods and nature-based enterprises.
Wes Meier – Co-Founder & CEO of Cova, a nonprofit social enterprise bringing safe water access to 1.5 million people in Central America through a market-based model.