Can the Nordics become an epicenter for global impact business?
Richard Georg Engström, the initiator to The One Initiative and the Nordic Impact Business Summit in June in Copenhagen, has a mission. He wants to find the first nordic impact unicorn.
Richard Georg Engström, the initiator to The One Initiative and the Nordic Impact Business Summit in June in Copenhagen, has a mission. He wants to find the first Nordic impact unicorn.
He believes, that it is possible to use the forces of the market as a powerful driver towards a sustainable future – and he is eager to have it happen. That’s why he aims to identify, analyze and mature the most promising solutions of tomorrow and connect them with one percent of the capital of today.
For two years, he and his team, have developed a database including over 1,000 Nordic impact companies.
Solving the UN global goals is not about the money
“We have assessed and benchmarked them on criteria’s as innovation, scalability and positive impact on the world. This spring we select 50 of the most promising Nordic impact companies and match them with global capital and market opportunities during our first summit in Copenhagen. I truly believe that some of them have so great solutions, so if they really make it all the way, they could be one of the world’s first impact unicorns, and change our future to the better,” says Richard Georg Engström, the initiator to The One Initiative and the Nordic Impact Business Summit in Copenhagen 20 June 2019, where Bootstrapping.dk is joining as media partner.
The road to one percent
According to figures from United Nations, the world only need one percent of the total investment capital in the world to meet the 2030 agenda. If that’s true, you might think that we have the money needed. So what is this really all about? What is the core challenge to solve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals?
“Solving the UN global goals is not about the money. We have much, much more than needed. It’s all about supporting the right solutions and how we assess them both on their impact scalability and their commercial viability”, says Richard Georg Engström.
A Nordic epicenter
His mission is to make the Nordics become an epicenter for global impact business and investments. But what is actually the uniqueness and business opportunities of our region? We asked Alan Laubsch. He’s a leading American impact angel investor, with many years of experience in sustainable financing in the US and south east Asia. We asked why he will participate in the Nordic Impact Business Summit to continue focusing his personal investments and engagement in the Nordic ecosystem?
“I feel a very special energy in the Nordics. Powered by purpose, with big ideas and heart. Nordic entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with on a global scale. Creative thinking, design and collaboration come naturally. Perhaps a result of a great educational system. I feel blessed to have already built some of my deepest relationships in the Nordics,“ says Alan Laubsch.
PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY
The One Initiative have launched a survey to analyze the Nordic market of impact investment. It will be the needed data, overview and insights to understand what impact solutions are the most promising with the eyes of investors.
All kind of investors in the Nordic – from business angels and family offices all the way up the supply chain to VC’s and institutional funds – can participate in the first Nordic survey on impact investing.
The aim is to get the first quantitative and qualitative analysis ever on how Nordic investors approach impact investments.
The ‘Impact Report – Nordic Investors’ will be presented to the world 20 June 2019 during the Nordic Impact Business Summit.
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