Impact Investing

The NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing fosters a community in which the next generation of investors is encouraged to invest focusing on market return rates with empathy, inspiration, and creativity.
History + Overview

The NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing is the leading Next Gen Impact Investing network bringing together Next Gen philanthropists, Impact Investors and social entrepreneurs. Investors, social entrepreneurs, researchers, advisers, and philanthropists come together to accelerate Impact Investing globally through education and expansive investment opportunities. Philanthropically minded NEXUS Members passionate about Impact Investing are introduced to a network that provides them with the resources and knowledge to maximize their social impact. We aim to inspire, educate, empower, and collaborate through the broad spectrum of developing topics and trends in Impact Investing. These include, but are not limited to the environment, gender lens investing, human rights, financial inclusion, education, real assets and bottom of the pyramid.

 

Mission

We foster a community in which the next generation of investors is encouraged to invest focusing on market return rates with empathy, inspiration, and creativity.

OUR AMBASSADORS

Tharald Nustad

Tharald Nustad

Co-Chair of NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing

Tharald Nustad is a tech entrepreneur and investor focusing on impact business. He is the founder of Nordic Impact, a company that incubates and invests in impact tech startups and impact funds. Tharald has been part of starting Katapult Future Fest, an event focusing on technology and impact investing, and Katapult Accelerator, a leading accelerator for impact tech startups. He is engaged in building the impact investing ecosystem in the Nordics. Tharald works with Ashoka helping social entrepreneurs, and is an active member of Toniic. He also leads Mallin, a family office focusing on Impact real estate developments.

Steph Cordes Stephenson

Steph Cordes Stephenson

Co-Chair of NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing
Steph Cordes Stephenson is Vice Chair of the Cordes Foundation, working to advance the Foundation’s ethical fashion and sustainable supply chain initiatives. Prior to joining the Foundation, Steph held positions at Conde Nast and luxury fashion brands Alberta Ferretti and Maiyet. She serves on the Board of Directors for Indego Africa, an innovative social enterprise that lifts artisans and their families out of poverty, and the Advisory Board for Soko, a Kenyan-based ethical fashion brand. Steph is an active member of the Milken Institute Young Leaders Circle and the NEXUS Impact Investing Steering Committee and Ethical Fashion Lab.
Julia Paino

Julia Paino

Co-Chair of NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing

Julia Paino is an investor and entrepreneur focused on supporting solutions that promote a more sustainable and equitable food system. Julia is currently a Founding Partner at Trofi Holdings and a Strategic Advisor to Desert Bloom Foods. Previously, Julia co-founded Branch Venture Group, a Boston-based syndicate that provides capital to early-stage companies in the food, beverage, and agtech space. Prior to co-founding Branch Venture Group, Julia joined as a Founding Venture Partner at NextGen Ventures, the first network- driven venture firm investing in innovative technology solutions. In addition to her work in venture capital, Julia founded Swoffle, a nationwide organic food company where she now serves on the board of directors. Through various philanthropic partnerships at Swoffle, the company provides over 8k healthy meals per month to those in need.

Julia has also been a part of several philanthropic initiatives including MIT Solve, Feeding America, MIT Enterprise Forum, and the Northeast Clean Energy Council. In addition to her philanthropic experience, Julia has been a mentor and judge for MassChallenge, CleanTech Open, and MIT. Julia has also been a featured speaker at The Federal Reserve Bank, Harvard University, Nexus Global Summit at the United Nations, among others

Josh Tanenbaum

Josh Tanenbaum

Co-Chair of NEXUS Working Group on Impact Investing
Steph Josh has been investing in early stage companies since 2014 upon exiting his early stage social enterprise, LOCAL VIBES, where he first discovered the concept of scalable social DNA. The company was a tech-enhanced artist scouting, development, and cause marketing platform that supported quality emerging live bands. Post-the exit from LOCAL VIBES, Josh joined Korn Ferry’s Global Asset Management & Alternatives Practice, where he participated in the founding of the Impact Investing practice and Transactions & Transformations (M&A) solution in addition to supporting searches and team lift outs of Asset Management CEOs and senior investors. Josh transitioned to investment banking at Citi in its Financial Institutions Group, supporting Mergers & Acquisitions of Asset Managers, Insurance firms, and Marketplace Lenders. Josh then launched Clearstone’s decentralized venture fund in an effort to redress inequality for low and middle income communities.

Josh is a Board Trustee and Investment Committee Chair of the Polonsky Foundation, a Young World Fellow of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award and a member of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business’s Erb Institute External Advisory Board. Josh previously judged the President Clinton-backed Hult Prize and was a Environmental Finance & Impact Investing Fellow at Partners Group Impact Investing. He has received the FiNext Award as a “Leader of Excellence in Financial Services” and The Forward’s “Take the Lead Award” for Transformational Impact Investing.

Josh holds an MBA from Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management and a dual-BA in Politics & International Studies and Sociology from University of Melbourne, Australia.

Resources for Impact Investing

Our comprehensive research & reports page is a collection of the most recent reports on Impact Investing organized by sector/asset class as well as specific areas of interests: NEXUS Impact Investing research & reports.

Thought Leaders in the Impact Investing Space

NEXUS is fortunate to have had these thought leaders and many others join NEXUS for conversations and salons

  • Bridges Ventures
  • Fran Seegull,  Impact Investing Alliance
  • Trillium Asset Management
  • Calvert Impact Capital
  • JP Morgan 
  • Ibrahim Alhusseini
  • HST Solar
  • The Prime Coalition 
  • Sonen Capital
  • Josh Cohen, Citylight Capital
  • Bamboo Finance
  • John Goldstein, Imprint 
  • Veris Wealth Partners

 

Speaker Series

Bi-weeky speakers series via phone call with investors, founders and CEOs of Impact Investing funds, fund of funds, social enterprises, incubators and market participants take place every two weeks. 

Delegations & Discounts

Discounts to various Impact Investing conferences and speaking opportunities are awarded to interested members. Exclusive delegations to some of the world’s top investment conferences are also organized. 

Impact Investing Trainings

An additional full day of training IMPINV 101 and 201 is available for each NEXUS Summit (global and regional) in collaborations with Impact Investing professionals and Universities including Harvard as well as presentations of innovative Impact Investing companies and social entrepreneurs.

Members Only Salons

NEXUS Impact Investing Salons are organized in intimate settings worldwide on a monthly basis as well during the largest Impact Investing conferences (NEXUS, Milken, SOCAP, CGI, EVPA, FLI etc.) 

Field Trips & High Level Meetings

Member only field trips are organized quarterly to meet with social entrepreneurs and leading impact investors and investment funds on the ground in both emerging and developed markets

How to Get Involved

Our online community serves as an open-ended forum for Members of the NEXUS network seeking to exchange ideas, share events or information, and join forces.

Upcoming Events:

To see what Impact Investing Salons, Delegations and other events are upcoming, visit our Event’s Page. Please note, that you must be a member to access the full event calendar. Not a member? Membership is based on your acceptance and attendance to a multi-day event. Apply here for our next upcoming Summit.

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