Impact Snapshot
March 2024
In this Impact Snapshot, read about EHF Fellows in action creating economic, environmental and social impact, plus recent recognitions and awards they’ve received during March 2024.
Fellows in action 🎬
Dipanwita Das and Richard Graves's Sorcero has been recognised as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the Small and Mighty category, highlighting its groundbreaking work in revolutionising patient care through biomedical AI technology.
Reinforcing the platform’s impact on reshaping the healthcare landscape, Sorcero accelerates data-driven decision-making in healthcare, provides accessible summaries of complex medical research, and advances patient treatments.
Dipanwita recently showcased Sorcero at the EHF Impact Springboard session, ‘Transformative Ventures with Global Impact’, emphasising the platform’s innovative approach of leveraging AI technology to democratise medical information and drive advancements in patient care.
Matthew Jackson and Harmaan Madon, co-founders of Alimentary Systems, are poised to pilot their bioenergy project in Nelson Tasman, which aims to significantly reduce Aotearoa NZ’s national emissions.
The project, known as the Bioenergy Resource Recovery Plant (BRRP), will utilise patented technology to convert organic waste and wastewater sludge into methane gas and synthetic fertiliser, thereby eliminating waste, emissions, and reducing costs.
The pilot project is hoped to be commissioned on Bell Island, adjacent to a wastewater treatment plant, aimed at validating the technology's effectiveness in a local context.
If successfully implemented nationwide, the technology could potentially decrease Aotearoa NZ's total emissions by 5%, while also providing financial benefits and reducing reliance on imported fertilisers.
Satya Kumar, Vishal Chaddha, Siddharth Sthalekar and Andrew Hewitt are collaborating to address urgent climate challenges in the Asia-Pacific Islands region.
Partnering with Sidd’s Web3 project for social coordination, Neighbourhoods, the Fellows have developed the Climate Impact Fund for Asia Pacific Islands (CLIMAP), to help address challenges through innovative finance models. The fund aims to overcome obstacles hindering climate finance by investing in community-based climate mitigation, adaptation, regenerative agriculture, and ocean conservation projects.
The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between global capital and local communities through Neighbourhoods' data-driven approach, while ensuring data sovereignty and community ownership throughout the process.
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The fund was also the topic of the ‘Emerging Models: Regenerative & Blended Finance’ session during the Impact Springboard, where Satya, Vishal Chaddha, and Sidd explained the purpose of the fund to support communitarian projects in the region, and test new purpose-driven finance models and instruments.
Justin Milano, founder of Abroad, is working with NZ’s innovation ecosystem, including Angel Association New Zealand, Callaghan Innovation, and NZ Growth Capital Partners to bring back the Abroad Wellbeing programme for the fourth consecutive year, beginning in May.
The three-month programme targets Aotearoa NZ’s emerging founders and investors, aiming to enhance leadership skills and improve wellbeing through growth mindset, burnout prevention, intrinsic motivation, and team alignment.
Petr Lom and Corinne van Egeraat premiered their new documentary "I Am the River, the River Is Me" at the 'Movies That Matter' film festival.
The film follows Māori iwi (tribe) leader Ned Tapa as he leads a group down the Whanganui River in Aotearoa NZ, which holds the distinction of being the first river in the world to be recognised as a legal person.
The film highlights the significance of the river's legal recognition and its role in sparking the global 'rights of nature' movement. It also emphasises the interconnectedness of humanity with the environment, and the urgent need to protect the planet for future generations.
"I Am the River, the River Is Me" conveys the transformative power of nature and the importance of recognising the intrinsic value of natural ecosystems, encouraging viewers to reconsider their relationship with the environment and advocate for the protection of our planet.
The film has also been announced as one of the first 10 Films in the Doc Edge Festival 2024, founded by Alex Lee and Dan Shanan, which runs from 19 June to 31 July.
Fellow-led Kia Kotahi Ako, founded by Joanne McEachen, with Sarah Grant as CEO, is driving impactful transformations in education and environmental solutions from Aotearoa NZ.
Coordinating the Aotearoa NZ pilot of the global ‘We Share Solar’ STEM programme, Kia Kotahi Ako engages students in climate action through project-based solar education.
Recently, they conducted workshops with Taranaki students to reimagine the solar suitcase kit to better align with the needs of Aotearoa and Te Āo Māori (Māori world view).
They also hosted an event with Hal Aronson, the original solar suitcase kit designer, alongside industry leaders, emphasising community-driven approaches to alternative energy education and workforce development.
Established in 2021, Kia Kotahi Ako is an alliance of EHF Fellows, activating education initiatives with a focus on sustainability and nurturing future leaders in renewable energy. Other Fellows involved include: Barry Neal, Jeff Schlichting, Tim Derrick, Chuck Chai, Satya Kumar, Nikora Ngaropo, Erin Jackson, Bex De Prospo, Mike Bracco, Rajesh Kurup, Matthew Shribman, Rangimarie Parata Takurua, and Rich Bodo.
Lily Stender and Scott Miller's Tolaga Evergreen Fund, aimed at supporting indigenous entrepreneurship, has introduced its second cohort of seven Māori entrepreneurs, expanding its network to ten.
The fund has allocated NZ$146,000 for initial asset financing, with these businesses achieving a combined annual revenue rate over NZ$2.5m, showing strong growth.
Sasha Lockley, founder of Money Sweetspot, brought her expertise as a fintech entrepreneur to the panel discussion, ‘Women in FinTech paving the way’, at the FinTechNZ Hui Taumata event.
Her participation highlights the importance for gender diversity in the industry, addressing topics such as financial education and the female founder funding gap.
By sharing her insights and experiences, Sasha is supporting collaboration and advancements in the fintech sector in Aotearoa NZ.
Lovina McMurchy, COO at Kry10 Limited, delivered a keynote titled ‘SaaS in 2024 and Beyond: Insights from a Kiwi working in the US’ at the Southern SaaS conference in Aotearoa NZ.
She provided commentary on how Aotearoa NZ companies can leverage their ‘unfair advantage’ to enter the global market. She also explored the future outlook for aspiring SaaS founders, considering the trends in the US and their impact on the SaaS industry in Aotearoa NZ.
By highlighting the growth of the tech sector in NZ and the significance of technology as the country's second-largest export, Lovina's keynote talk served to empower Kiwi SaaS companies to capitalise on their strengths and compete effectively on the global stage.
A theme that Lovina also touched upon as one of the panellists in the ‘Transformative Ventures with Global Impact’ session at last month’s Impact Springboard.
Steven Moe, a partner at Parry Field Lawyers, and the founder of Seeds Podcast, has released a legal opinion on impact investing in Aotearoa NZ, as well as a recording of his conversation with one of NZ’s leading economists, Shamubeel Eaqub.
In the recording, Steven and Shambueel discuss the growth and implications of impact investing for businesses and charities, particularly focusing on whether entities managing significant funds have a legal duty to invest for social or environmental impact.
By sharing this information, Steven is increasing understanding and reshaping of investment practices in Aotearoa NZ, to help achieve greater alignment of financial objectives with social and environmental goals.
Natalie Reitman-White is raising awareness and facilitating discussions around Perpetual Purpose Trusts (PPTs) and their role in responsible entrepreneurship.
Natalie featured on an episode of the ‘Future of XYZ’ interview series, speaking about alternative ownership models that prioritise long-term mission alignment and purposeful commitments.
In doing so, Natalie advocates for a shift towards more responsible forms of capitalism, where companies consider factors beyond just profit-making and shareholder value. She encourages businesses to safeguard their values and ensure that their social and environmental commitments endure over time.
James Nikitine, founder of Blue Cradle Foundation, has been actively involved in international efforts to advance ocean conservation and diplomacy.
James’ recent participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) provided an opportunity to engage with senior officials in the US to explore blue economy challenges and solutions, contributing to mutual understanding between the US and Aotearoa NZ.
James also facilitated the ‘BlueTalks’ panel discussion, organised by the French Embassy in Aotearoa NZ, which convened senior ocean experts. The event highlighted the importance of collaborative discussions in preparation for the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference in France.
James' involvement in these significant events supports mutual understanding of the pressing challenges within global ocean conservation efforts.
Chidinma Chukwuemeka, co-founder of The Footwear Academy, was acknowledged by The Women International as an ‘unstoppable woman’ for her mission to empower Nigeria's youth through shoemaking. Trained in Italy, she returned to Nigeria to revolutionise the local shoe industry, training over 140 individuals and winning awards such as the Her-Network Start-Up Woman of the Year 2019. Chidinma's impact extends globally, with The Footwear Academy winning competitions and receiving grants, while her advocacy for youth and women empowerment further highlightsher commitment to positive change.
Chidinma also offered advice in this article to startups and founders about securing grant funding, emphasising elements like product uniqueness, market understanding, fund usage plans, and achievable goals. In doing so, Chidinma is helping to equip new entrepreneurs with the tools to increase their chances of securing funding, ultimately helping them to scale their businesses.
Erin Jackson showcased Ettie-Kits and Project Gender at the Ministry of Awesome's 'Fund Female Founders' investment showcase, in an effort to draw more attention to the hurdles women face when scaling their businesses.
Her participation highlighted the importance of investing in women's initiatives, furthering the cause of gender equality in entrepreneurship.
Atin Batra has taken on a significant role as Director in ECMC Group's Education Impact Fund, marking a milestone in his career as a venture capitalist. ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed.
Through this new position, Atin aims to drive meaningful societal change by investing in education technology startups, demonstrating a commitment to empowering underserved learners and shaping the workforce of the future.
*Images have been provided by Fellows or sourced from the Internet. EHF does not claim to own the images.