In your opinion, do such events as the GIIN Impact Forum solve the issue of croector networking – when not only investors communicate with each other, but there is an opportunity for direct immediate communication between investors and social entrepreneurs capable of applying social technologies?
Definitely! Having been a part of an industry body catering to 1/5th of the global population, for almost 10 years, one has realized the immense importance, need and demand for such convenings, globally!
Such platforms allow impact leaders and their organizations with a common goal of ‘profit with purpose’ to come together and address challenges that are unresolved, educate themselves, address issues around accessing authentic data, share respective national and world governments’ policies and finally solve problems together.
Let me give an example of another recent summit that enabled the entire impact spectrum to communicate, organized by the Ministry of Cooperatives and SMEs of Indonesia with the support of the ASEAN Secretariat of the United Nations ESCAP and the OECD, in Bali. While India is not a part of the ASEAN nations, IIC was invited to represent the country at the forum. I spoke on inclusive businesses enabling knowledge exchange with the ASEAN nations and building a stronger inclusive world. The summit also organized targeted rapid networking sessions specially curated for the social entrepreneurs.
If you illustrate it as a spectrum, you will have the investors at one end, and social entrepreneurs on the other. To bridge the gap, such cross-sector networking is essential, enabling more opportunities.
IIC has lined up many such platforms for 2024. (1) In April, we are bringing the India Room to Singapore, replicating our GIIN effort. Agenda will be to forge Singaporean LP-to-Indian GP relationship and showcase India impact investing narrative. (2) In May, we are inviting Nordic funds to India for a 2-city roadshow through which we hope to enable a stronger bond with the Nordic countries and in the process build stronger impact investing opportunities. (3) In September, IIC will be hosting India’s largest impact investing platform, our flagship conference called Prabhav’24, which is our 5th edition of the convening. Last year we were joined by close to 800 delegates from nearly 25 countries, 180 speakers and 40 hours of extremely relevant content. We are trying to make it bigger and better this year. (4) In October, IIC will yet again be representing the India Room at the GIIN forum in Amsterdam.