ESG and Sustainability
The rise of ESG factors in investment decision making will have a dramatic impact on returns and opportunities in the 21st century. A recent survey by LGT Capital Partners and Mercer showed that 57% of respondents believe that incorporating ESG standards into investment decisions will raise returns. Just 9% argued they reduce returns on investment.
Top Story
LIVIN Farms, an industrial technology provider in the alternative protein industry, has developed HIVE PRO, a fully automated process that allows waste management companies and large scale food producers to convert organic waste and by-products into revenue earning proteins, fats, and fertilisers using insect larvae. The company raised a EUR 6 Million Series A round led by venture investor Peter Luersse.
Get Daily Updates
Subscribe to DailyAlts Today to get Alternative Investment news, insight, and commentary delivered straight to your inbox every day.
More Stories on ESG and Sustainability
Venture Capital/ESG: Plant-Based Meat Startup Planted Lands CHF 70M (US$72M) Series B Round
Planted, the Swiss startup making vegan meat from plant proteins, announced its $72 million Series B round to fund the launch of its new whole-cut line of products including chicken breast, increase production capacity and expand internationally.
Artificial Intelligence: Rockefeller Foundation Partners With Atlas AI And e-GUIDE To Boost Economic Development In Africa
The Rockefeller Foundation will leverage machine learning technology and satellite data in a new $ 5.5 million collaboration with e-GUIDE and Atlas AI to boost economic development and build climate resilient infrastructure across sub- Saharan Africa. An innovative digital platform will make available valuable insight into agriculture, energy, and transportation sector development conditions, initially in Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda. The information (“dynamic situational awareness of local conditions”) will enable policymakers to prioritise infrastructure development, promote economic opportunities, and mitigate community vulnerabilities in these sectors.
Alternative Investments/ESG: TD Asset Management Debuts Carbon Credit ESG ETF
The new ETF from TD Asset Management offers access to the global carbon credit marketplace. The TD Global Carbon Credit Index ETF (TCBN) launched by TD Asset Management offers investors the opportunity to participate in the returns from investments in global ‘cap-and-trade’ carbon emission credits, as measured by the Solactive Global Carbon Credit CAD Hedged…
Alternative Investments/ESG: NBA Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo Partners With Calamos On Sustainable ETF
NBA superstar and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, also known as the “Greek Freak,” has partnered with Illinois-based Calamos Advisors on a stock ETF that has a sustainable edge. Titled the Calamos Antetokounmpo Sustainable Equities Fund, the new ETF will invest only in firms that comply with ESG standards determined internally.
Artificial Intelligence: AI To Help Assess Damage To The Great Barrier Reef
Artificial intelligence will help to determine the health of more than 300 reefs from more than 52,000 photographs taken by “citizen scientists” recruited by the conservation group Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkellers and recreational divers joined in a movement to capture a snapshot of the health of the Great Barrier Reef. These citizen scientists were then requested to help identify in the pictures problem areas of the Reef such as bleaching that needed restoration effort.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Mirae Asset Debuts Green Bond ETF In Hong Kong
The Global X Bloomberg MSCI Asia Ex Japan Green Bond ETF, launched by Mirae Asset Global Investments, provides investors an opportunity to invest in investment grade, USD denominated green bonds from issuers located in Asia, but excluding Japan. The fund commenced trading on the Hong Kong Exchange on Friday. The fund has the distinction of being the world’s first ETF to provide access to green bonds of the Asia (Ex Japan) region. It is also Mirae’s first fixed income ETF.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Inspire Advances The Biblically Responsible Investing (BRI) Movement With New ETF
Inspire Investing, which is the world’s largest provider of biblically responsible ETFs, has launched the Inspire Fidelis Multi-Factor ETF, a faith-based fund comprised of 100 high-quality, biblically aligned companies seeking growth and momentum purchased at a reasonable price.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Strive, Which Scooped $250M On The DRLL Anti-ESG ETF, To Launch Four New ETFs
Strive Asset Management, which is backed by investors including Peter Thiel and Bill Ackman, has filed for four new ETFs on Tuesday. The firm has likely been encouraged by the success of its flagship US Energy ETF (NYSEARCA: DRLL) which has exceeded $238 million in assets under management and over $320 million in traded volume in its first two full weeks of launch.
Artificial Intelligence: Capitol Records Dumps AI Rapper FN Meka, Apologizes To Black Community
Famed record label Capitol Records, which signed AI-generated, virtual rapper artist FN Meka earlier this month, has walked away from the contract citing unintended and overlooked racial overtones and the AI character’s “gross stereotypes” of the Black community.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Vanguard Files For Global Environmental Opportunities Stock Fund
Vanguard has revealed its plans to launch the Vanguard Global Environmental Opportunities Stock Fund, to be actively managed by Ninety One, an experienced active investment manager with a proven track record in environmental, decarbonization, and global investing. Founded in 1991, Ninety One manages approximately $160 billion globally.
Artificial Intelligence: Shrimps On Tap From The Shrimpbox – An AI-Powered, Temperature Controlled Cargo Container
The Shrimpbox is described as an intelligent, automated shrimp farm that is disconnected from the oceans, and located close to the consumer. It enables the production of shrimp without the ill effects of traditional shrimp farming – which pollutes oceans, destroys habitats and contributes to overfishing.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Morgan Stanley To Debut In ETFs With Four ESG Equity Funds
Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), which coined the term “exchange traded fund” in the 1990s, is making a comeback into the $6.9 trillion ETF market with four socially conscious and sustainable funds under the Calvert label that will invest in US and international stocks. Though late to the party in terms of both ETFs and ESG, Morgan Stanley will bring to bear its $1.4 trillion AUM and marketing muscle on a market that recently saw the advent of the Capital Group and Neuberger Berman.
Artificial Intelligence: Israeli Startups ASTERRA, Albo Climate Use Satellites And AI To Hunt For Lithium And Carbon
Satellite sensors are delivering valuable data to Israeli startups for analysis with AI to obtain insights on the extent of absorption of carbon on land, as well as locate valuable deposits of lithium that would otherwise be difficult to find and damaging to the environment.
Venture Capital: E.ON To Be Anchor Investor In Its Venture Arm’s Climate Tech Fund
Future Energy Ventures, the venture arm of Germany head-quartered electric utility E.ON SE (ETR: EOAN), has established a new, independent Luxembourg-domiciled venture capital fund, Future Energy Ventures Fund I SCA SICAV-RAIF. The new fund aims to become Europe’s leading venture capital investor focused on the energy transition and will invest Series A and B investments in ventures that aim to transform the traditional energy value chain towards net zero.
Alternative Investments/ESG: HSBC Launches First-Of-Its-Kind Biodiversity Screened ETF
HSBC Asset Management has launched the HSBC World ESG Biodiversity Screened Equity UCITS ETF (HBDV) on the London Stock Exchange with a total expense ratio (TER) of 0.35%. The ETF is labelled Article 8 under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR).
Alternative Investments/AI: Direxion Launches A Leveraged Electric And Autonomous Vehicle ETF
The Direxion ETF provides 200% exposure to the electric and autonomous vehicles industry. ETF issuer Direxion announced the launch of the Direxion Daily Electric and Autonomous Vehicles Bull 2X Shares ETF (EVAV) that benchmarks 200% of the daily performance of the Indxx US Electric and Autonomous Vehicles Index. Accordingly, it invests in 25 U.S.-listed companies…
Alternative Investments/ESG: An “Anti-ESG” ETF, Backed By Thiel And Ackmann, To Gun For Fossil Investing
Strive Asset Management announced the launch of the Strive US Energy ETF (NYSE: $DRLL) which seeks to take advantage of a likely bull run in US energy stocks from an unfolding demand-supply imbalance in the global energy markets. Taking an anti-ESG stance, the ETF will mandate U.S. energy companies to reject shortsighted political agendas and to focus on long-term profitability, including through increased investment in oil and gas production.
Alternative Investments/Digital/ESG: SoFi Launches Web3 And Smart Energy ETFs
SoFi Invest, the investing and trading arm of SoFi Technologies, announced the launch of two new ETFs, SoFi Web 32 (NASDAQ: TWEB) and SoFi Smart Energy (NYSE: ENRG) that provide exposure to two of the world’s fastest-growing industries.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Chimera Capital Launches Shariah Turkish Equity ETF
The Chimera S&P Turkey Shariah ETF seeks to invest in the most liquid Shariah-complaint stocks listed on the Borsa Istanbul. Launched by Chimera Capital, an Abu-Dhabi-based investment management firm and subsidiary of Chimera Investment, the ETF tracks the performance of the S&P Turkey Shariah Liquid 35/20 Capped Index (Bloomberg: SPTSLCAP), provided by S&P Dow Jones Indices.
Venture Capital: L’ATTITUDE Ventures Raises $100M To Back Latino Startups
L’ATTITUDE Ventures closed its first institutional fund raising on Wednesday, raising over $100 million with an anchor investment from Wall Street titan JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) and initial investments from Trujillo Group and Bank of America (NYSE: BAC).
Alternative Investments/ESG: New ESG Gold ETF From Sprott To List August 2
Sprott Asset Management LP, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sprott Inc. (NYSE: SII), today announced the launch of the Sprott ESG Gold ETF (NYSEARCA: SESG) that will begin trading on the NYSE ARCA with effect from August 2, 2022. The new ETF will invest solely in gold (“Sprott ESG Approved Gold”) that satisfies the ESG and provenance standards developed by Sprott. (Financial Post)
Artificial Intelligence: Protecting Tigers In India
India’s majestic tigers are vulnerable to poachers, injury, accidents and illness, and faced with the threat of a shrinking habitat as humans muscle into their territories. India’s National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has been using AI for helping in the mammoth task of protecting these magnificent animals, but is now looking to take the role of the technology to a new level.
Venture Capital: Enko, Which Uses AI To Discover Crop Protection Molecules, Raises $70M
Enko announced its $70 million Series C funding round led by agrochem company Nufarm with participation by Anterra Capital, Taher Gozal, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Eight Roads Ventures, Finistere Ventures, Novalis LifeSciences, Germin8 Ventures, TO Ventures Food, Endeavor8, Alumni Ventures Group and Rabo Food & Agri Innovation Fund.
Venture Capital: Fifth Wall VC Raises $500M To Decarbonize Real Estate
Venture capital firm Fifth Wall has raised $500 million for its inaugural Climate Fund that seeks to help decarbonize global real estate through investments in software, hardware, renewable energy, energy storage, smart buildings, and carbon sequestration technologies. Investors included American Homes 4 Rent, BBVA, British Land, Camden Property Trust, CBRE, Cosan, The Durst Organization, Equity Residential, Hilton, Host Hotels & Resorts, Hudson Pacific Properties, Invitation Homes, Ivanhoé Cambridge, Kimco Realty Corporation, Lineage Ventures, MGM Resorts, NZ Super Fund, Osgoode Properties, and UDR, among others.