Launch of PRISM – A Performance and Reporting Tool for Venture / Impact Funds

The landscape of impact investing is becoming increasingly complex: mainstream funders, donors and philanthropists enter the sector as impact investors, but apply different criteria, thus blurring the lines of conventional Venture Capital. In an effort to increase market transparency, GIZ and Small Industries Development Bank of India, under the Responsible Enterprise Finance Programme, are supporting self-regulation through a performance and reporting framework. This has been developed in cooperation with Intellecap - an organisation that provides innovative business solutions to help build and scale profitable, sustainable enterprises dedicated to social and environmental change. The tool has been tested with five impact funds already, including Aavishkaar, Omnivore, and Unitus Capital. GIZ and International Finance Corporation have signed an MoU to scale the rating tool beyond India’s borders. It is aligned with GIINs GIIRS and IRIS frameworks, existing frameworks developed in the US. See more in the short video below.

To further increase market transparency and help markets to develop and attract more capital, a baseline study was needed, covering the Indian Impact Investing Story. GIZ in a partnership with impact investors, has supported this study. The report has been launched at Sankalp Forum (a platform that enables social enterprises to find investors and mentors).