Impact Investing Market Predicted to Grow to $500 Billion by 2014
August 3, 2011
SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The fourth annual Social Capital Markets Conference (SOCAP11) will be held September 6-9 at San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center. Hundreds of global innovators including investors, foundations, institutions and social entrepreneurs representing 75 countries are expected to gather in San Francisco to address the impact investing market – an emerging asset class that provides financial gains for investors with a social and environmental benefit.
The Global Impact Investing Network’s data last year estimated current impact investments at $50 billion but expect it to increase to $500 billion, or 1% of all managed assets, by 2014. Keeping pace with the market growth, SOCAP conferences have scaled more than 200% in three years. In the Bay Area, SOCAP has grown from 600 to 1,400 people, with 20,000 following online, and 8,000 community members active in social media channels. More than 50 social entrepreneurs will attend on scholarships. In addition, the best entrepreneurs from the best accelerator programs, including the Unreasonable Institute, Echoing Green and Slow Money will be pitching their companies to impact investors.
“SOCAP is bringing together a global community of change makers who are forming partnerships and funding innovative solutions that are built to achieve positive social change and yield profits,” stated Kevin Jones, SOCAP Founder. “We are passionate in supporting social entrepreneurs creating beneficial change in the world by providing access to institutions, investors and foundations that want to be their partners in this endeavor. We are dedicated to advocating this movement to the broad investing community by showcasing how they can choose to integrate money and meaning and make both a significant and valuable change for their portfolio and the people and planet around them.”
Helping investors identify solid investable opportunities has been made easier with the June launch of the ImpactAssets 50, the first publicly published list of private debt and equity impact investment fund managers including leaders from microfinance, community development, fair trade, and other strategies. The IA50 represents $8.9 billion of capital invested across multiple asset classes, geographies, and impact areas.
Ron Cordes, Co-Chairman of $21 billion asset management firm Genworth Financial Wealth Management and ImpactAssets board member remarked, “We’ve seen a dramatic increase in impact investment products and created the IA50 to address and simplify this rapidly evolving marketplace that is bridging the gap between philanthropy and traditional investment. SOCAP is instrumental in accelerating the sector’s growth and will help drive further dollars into the space by hosting and nurturing a worldwide community that aspires to educate, collaborate and partner in businesses that can solve the world’s social and environmental problems.”
