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.
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Revaia, Europe’s largest female-founded venture capital firm, has successfully raised €150 million ($160 million) for its second fund, Revaia Growth II. The funding was secured from sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and institutional investors across Europe, with support from existing partners like Bpifrance and new backers such as mutual insurer Carac and the European Investment Fund.
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More Stories on ESG and Sustainability
Alternative Investments/ESG: Vanguard Launches ESG Corporate Bonds ETF
Vanguard’s Fixed Income Group, which manages more than $1.7 trillion in assets under management (AUM) across the globe, now has an ESG corporate bond ETF under its wings. The Vanguard ESG Global Corporate Bond UCITS ETF (V3GD) is launched on the London Stock Exchange and Deutsche Boerse with an ongoing charges figure (OCF) of 0.15%.
Alternative Investments/ESG: The Solar Energy UCITS ETF Focuses On The Global Solar Industry
The Solar Energy UCITS ETF (LON: TANN) will be launched on the HANetf platform and list on the LSE in June. Solar is now the cheapest source of energy in many large economies and is, therefore, the fastest-growing source of new energy capacity. Investments in capacity could aggregate $4.2 trillion by 2050. This ETF will provide “pure-play” exposure to this huge opportunity.
Venture Capital: Back Market, Which Refurbishes Devices, Nabs $335M
Back Market, a French startup that exhorts customers to “Screw New,” sells used but fully functional consumer electronic devices on its platform. Buyers get lower prices and help save the environment from electronic waste. The startup raised $335 million in a Series D round that valued it at $3.2 billion.
Alternative Investments/ESG: An ETF That Aligns With LGBTQ Diversity And Inclusion, Along With ESG
Loyalty Preference Index, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of LGBTQ Loyalty Holdings, Inc., announced Tuesday the launch of the LGBTQ + ESG100 ETF (NASDAQ: LGBT). The ETF provides investors with exposure to equity securities of companies that have demonstrated a commitment to LGBTQ diversity and inclusion, along with ESG compliance, as part of their corporate social responsibility fundamental mandate.
Alternative Investments/ESG: New ETF From Credit Suisse For ESG Exposure To German Stocks
Credit Suisse Asset Management has launched the which tracks the DAX 50 ESG Index. The ETF offers exposure to the 50 largest German equities that are high on ESG performance. Trading on the Deutsche Boerse and SIX Swiss Exchange, the new ETF charges a total expense ratio of 0.12%.
Venture Capital: Amazon And Fidelity Among Investors Backing BETA’s Electric Vertical Aircraft With $368M
BETA Technologies, which has secured multiple partnerships and order commitments for its EVAs, announced today its close of a Series A round of $368 million led by Fidelity. Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund also participated, as did other new and existing investors. The round valued BETA at $1.4 billion, classifying it in the rarefied class of “unicorn” startups that boast of a valuation of $1 billion or more. Our brother
Alternative Investments/ESG: Wealthsimple Launches An ETF For Shariah-Compliant Stocks
The first ETF from Wealthsimple has launched on the Neo Exchange, Canada. The Wealthsimple Shariah World Equity Index ETF (NEO: WSHR) commenced trading on the exchange on May 12, 2021. The ETF provides investors exposure to a diversified index of Shariah-compliant stocks. Shariah-compliant funds are a type of socially responsible investment which conforms to the requirements of Shariah law and the principles of the Islamic religion.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Raisin’s ETF Configurator Allows Investors ‘Do-It-Yourself’ ESG
The pan-European savings marketplace Raisin launched its Raisin Invest ETF platform in Germany in 2018. Raisin Invest has since become one of the market’s biggest robo advisers and now boasts of AUM of €950 million. On Wednesday, Raisin announced the launch of a new hybrid-robo “ETF Configurator” for Raisin Invest, and simultaneously, a new ESG pre-set portfolio within the Configurator that offers more than 30 sustainable equity and bond ETFs to choose from.
Venture Capital: Making VC More Inclusive – Google To Invest $40M In Black-Led Startups
Jeremiah Gordon is General Counsel at CapitalG, Alphabet’s (NASDAQ: GOOGL) independent growth fund which has $3 billion under management. He also leads an Alphabet-wide team focused on investing in Black-led VC funds, startups, and organizations supporting Black entrepreneurs. In a blog published Thursday, Gordon revealed that Google will invest an additional $40 million in Black-led startups and investment firms by the end of the year.
Digital Assets: Musk To Bitcoin – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Elon Musk has suddenly got religion on bitcoin. He announced in a tweet on Wednesday that Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) will no longer sell its cars for bitcoin due to the leading cryptocurrency’s carbon footprint and consequently adverse effect on the environment.
Alternative Investments/Digital: Ninepoint’s Bitcoin ETF To Offset Carbon Footprint Of Bitcoin Holdings
Bitcoin has been getting a lot of flak recently for the impact that its mining has on the environment. As verification computations get more complex, bitcoin mining rigs consume more and more energy for generating mining rewards. This process becomes a vicious circle when bitcoin prices are on a rally because it becomes more profitable to mine and sell the cryptocurrency. ETFs and other funds holding bitcoin are becoming increasingly concerned about the carbon footprint inherent in their holdings.
Artificial Intelligence: AI Can Cut Buildings’ Energy Consumption By 20-25%
Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems account for 45% of all energy consumed in commercial buildings. Tragically, as much as 30% of this is usually wasted. BrainBox AI, which is based in Montreal, Canada, uses artificial intelligence to learn a building’s energy “equations” and then to control them for maximizing energy savings without compromising on residents’ comfort.
Alternative Investments/ESG: In A World First, Evolve Offers Investments In Major Indices Sans Carbon Footprints
Evolve Funds Group has filed the final prospectus for its launch of the world’s first ETFs that bring carbon neutrality to traditional indices. The Evolve CleanBeta series of ETFs will flag off with the Evolve S&P/TSX 60 CleanBeta Fund (SIXT) and the Evolve S&P 500 CleanBeta Fund (FIVE).
Alternative Investments/AI: A New ‘Fund Of Thematic Funds’ From LGIM
The Legal & General Global Thematic Fund, a new launch from Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM), addresses UK investors and their demand for access to multiple themes. The innovation-focused fund is a bouquet of eight themes in the areas of technology, energy and resources, and changing demographics.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Canada’s Purpose Investments Unveils Growth-Oriented Climate ETF
Purpose Investments Inc announced Tuesday the launch of the Purpose Global Climate Opportunities Fund, a growth-focused, actively-managed climate ETF that will invest in companies benefiting from the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon neutrality.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Amundi’s Climate Paris Aligned ETF Range Gets Fixed Income Fund
French asset manager Amundi has expanded the range of its Paris-aligned climate ETFs. The Amundi iCPR Euro Corp Climate Paris Aligned PAB – Ucits ETF DR will invest in investment-grade euro corporate bonds.
Alternative Investments/ESG: The First “Green Building” ETF From Invesco Will List Today
Invesco has launched a first-of-its-kind ETF focused on companies that have a “green” slant to their operations in the buildings sector – which accounts for a whopping 38% of global carbon emissions according to the UN Environment Program.
Alternative Investments/ESG: Global X Launches AQWA – A Clean Water ETF
Global X has launched the Global X Clean Water ETF (NASDAQ: AQWA). The new ETF adds to Global X’s Thematic Growth family of 27 ETFs with AUM of more than $16 billion. Thematic Growth ETFs target companies across the globe driving long-term, paradigm-shifting themes.
Alternative Investments/ESG: BlackRock’s New ESG ETF Rakes In A Record $1.25B On Launch
The BlackRock US Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTU), which began trading on Thursday, won the crown for being the largest ETF launch ever, drawing investments of $1.25 billion from institutional investors. BlackRock also launched the BlackRock World ex U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF (LCTD) alongside the US ETF. This ETF attracted $475 million in investments.
Alternative Investments/ESG: New Hydrogen ETF From Direxion
As investors accord increasing importance to ESG and clean energy in their portfolios, hydrogen is now making its way onto the center-stage of fuels that are renewable, zero-emission, and a store of energy. The Direxion Hydrogen ETF (HJEN) will give investors exposure to companies powering the clean hydrogen economy.
Alternative Investments/ESG: BlackRock Adds Two ESG Fixed Income ETFs
BlackRock has launched two new ETFs as an extension of its sustainability-focused fixed income ETFs range. The iShares € Green Bond Ucits ETF offers exposure to investment-grade green bonds, while the iShares Global Govt Bond Climate Ucits ETF offers investors exposure to government bonds while incorporating climate risk.
Venture Capital: LIVEKINDLY Collective Raises $335M, Becomes A Top-Funded Plant-Based Food Company
LIVEKINDLY Collective, which is a portfolio of plant-based food brands plus a media platform, and is run by senior executives from the global food industry, announced on Monday its raise of $335 million led by The Rise Fund, the global impact investing platform managed by TPG.
Digital Assets: Dirty, Dirty Bitcoin
According to Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who was speaking on the Unconfirmed podcast on March 26, bitcoin mined outside the U.S. primarily uses “dirty energy.” “A part of the problem with Bitcoin is 90% of it is not done in the United States.” He said. “90% of it is done in countries that have dirty energy. So that’s the reason why it’s considered to be a dirty activity.”
Alternative Investments/ESG: Fidelity Launches ETFs For Sustainable Corporate Bonds
Fidelity International has launched its first fixed income ETFs, and the two new funds come with the added benefit of a sustainable skew. The Fidelity Sustainable Global Corporate Bond Multifactor and Fidelity Sustainable USD EM Bond UCITS ETFs offer a “systematic active strategy” to investors while utilizing the firm’s proprietary analyst research.