The eighth annual SoCap (Social Capital Markets) conference recently took place in beautiful San Francisco, California, drawing a huge crowd of impact investors, foundations, social entrepreneurs and visionaries who gathered to discuss ways of increasing the flow of capital towards social good. The conference rooms were jam-packed and the shoreline was alive with meetings of people looking to create change.
In an effort to keep our finger on the pulse of impact investing, IDP Foundation attended the conference, which proved to be on target with our focus as we strive to become 100% mission-aligned. We learned from a diverse group of investors, social entrepreneurs, and managers, as well as from budding entrepreneurs who shared their innovative ideas, while inspiring us along the way.
The growing demand for impact investment options was evident throughout the event, as attendees explored ways to invest their assets and align them with their values. Some discussions focused on achieving high impact without giving up returns, while others focused on giving up return potential in lieu of high social impact. Regardless of the direction, investors were demanding social and environmental impact, and looking at their investments with more than just a financial lens.
While impact investing was the primary focus, we were also looking to discover opportunities for partnerships with ventures that use business solutions to solve education issues – particularly in the developing world – while we continue to identify sustainable solutions to incorporate learning enhancements into the IDP Rising Schools Program.
Overall, the conference was exhilarating and inspired us to take much of what we learned and apply it to the work and efforts of the IDP Foundation.
Click here to learn more about SoCap and join the conversation on Twitter at #SoCap15.