Impact companies often face different questions from investors, customers, and accelerators. Here are the platforms, initiatives, and capital sources that can help you strengthen your strategy and unlock new growth.
Impact companies often face different questions from investors, customers, and accelerators. Here are the platforms, initiatives, and capital sources that can help you strengthen your strategy and unlock new growth.
Looking to structure your impact strategy, improve your measurement approach, or align with global norms? These resources help.
Useful guides and platforms:
| Resource | Description | Why Useful | Categories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Bricks to Fast-Track Climate Tech | Guide for navigating the funding and scaling journey. | Helps early-stage founders structure their growth path. | Framework |
| BCorp | Certification for performance, accountability, and transparency. | Provides credibility and benchmarks for sustainability practices. | Certification, Impact VC |
| Building and Scaling Climate Hardware: A Playbook by Planet A | A playbook for climate hardware startups. | Offers actionable insights for scaling hardware solutions. | Climate Hardware, Framework, Growth Stage |
| The Gold Standard | Provides impact validation and aligns startups with global goals. | Certification for SDG alignment. | Impact Measurement |
| Founder Impact Playbook (Impact VC) | Comprehensive playbook for scaling impact. | Practical guide for integrating impact into business strategy. | Founder Support, Impact VC, Training |
| GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) | Standards for sustainability reporting. | Essential for early-stage reporting and transparency. | Sustainability Reporting, Framework |
| Impact Beacon | Platform to articulate and evaluate impact. | Helps founders simplify impact measurement and communication. | Impact Measurement, Founder Support |
| Impact Forecasting Framework (Planet A Ventures) | Framework to forecast climate impact potential. | Aids early-stage companies in measuring long-term impact. | Impact Forecasting, Investors |
| Impact Management Frontiers | Provides frameworks for managing impact. | Helps companies refine their impact management strategies. | Impact Management, Framework |
| Impact Multiple of Money (Rise Fund) | Methodology to assess investment impact. | Assists companies in quantifying potential social and financial returns. | Impact VC, Investment Methodology |
| IRIS+ (GIIN, Global Impact Investing Network) | System for integrating impact factors into investment decisions. | Streamlines impact measurement for investors and startups alike. | Impact Measurement, Framework, Reporting |
| Northstar | Helps companies find suitable investors. | Connects impact startups with the right funding sources. | Investor Matching, Fundraising |
| Social Sector Network | Provides training and impact measurement for social entrepreneurs. | Supports entrepreneurs with tools to measure and scale their social impact. | Training, Impact Measurement |
| TechZero | Network for tech companies reducing emissions. | Helps tech startups take actionable steps toward climate goals. | Net Zero, Tech Community |
| The Impact BMC | A visual framework to refine business models. | Helps early-stage companies create impactful and sustainable business models. | Framework, Impact Business Model |
| The Impact Score (UVC Partners) | Scoring system for evaluating sustainability risk. | Allows startups to evaluate their alignment with the SDGs. | Impact VC, Impact Measurement |
| The Science Based Targets Initiative | Helps companies set science-based emission reduction targets. | Provides a clear pathway to align with global climate goals. | Net Zero, Framework, Impact Measurement |
While not exhaustive, these open-source databases give you visibility into VCs with active impact mandates. Perfect for prospecting and pitch prep.
Coming soon: Antler’s internal impact VC network
Impact companies may be eligible for grants or innovation prizes from governments, corporates, NGOs, and philanthropies. These can fund pilot projects, research, or expansion.