Last week at the GIIN Impact Forum 2025 in Berlin, I was encouraged and energized by the momentum building across our field. As I reflect on all I saw and heard, I have a few key takeaways that will continue shaping our work at NESsT:
Blended financial solutions are becoming reality
It was heartening to see asset owners moving from theory to practice—mobilizing philanthropic, concessionary, and market-rate capital together to accelerate impact opportunities. The willingness to design and deploy financial products across this full spectrum is a real step forward for inclusive, sustainable growth.
Collaborating for food and agriculture transformation
During the session “Complementary Capital Solutions for Food and Agriculture” led by Catherine Burns of The Nature Conservancy, Rebecca Mincy of Acumen, Philippe Crete of Fondaction, and Michael van den Berg of the Common Fund for Commodities, we highlighted how aligning diverse capital providers—philanthropic, catalytic, and commercial—can transform food supply chains and drive long-term sustainability. In the discussion, the group shared concern for the over-politicization of certain crops and tariffs, which can discourage investors from backing smallholder farmers.
Catalytic capital from family offices and finding bipartisan common ground
A great session with Jim Sorenson and Katie Macc of Sorenson Impact reminded us that despite political differences, there is broad shared commitment to solving the world’s biggest challenges. Collaboration, not polarization, remains the cornerstone of impact. I’m continually inspired by the growing role of family offices in providing catalytic, risk-tolerant capital to impact funds.
Opportunities in Brazil
Ricardo Ramos led a powerful discussion on Brazil’s growing importance in addressing both climate change and social inequality. Brazil is the 9th largest economy yet ranks 89th on the UN Human Development Index, highlighting a critical opportunity for impact investors to help close that gap. NESsT remains deeply committed to advancing inclusive and climate-resilient enterprises in Brazil, particularly through our Amazonia Initiative, Lirio Fund, and Racial Equity Initiative.
Responsible and inclusive AI
AI holds incredible promise for improving how we assess, deliver, and scale impact, but it was emphasized that these tools must be developed responsibly and include voices from underserved populations that are often left out of the data and model-building processes. Inclusion has to be embedded from the start.
Measuring impact with purpose
Finally, I appreciated the pragmatic approach to impact measurement: stop debating attribution endlessly (“did your dollar cause that outcome?”) and instead focus on supporting proven positive outcomes and tracking a few actionable metrics that truly guide decisions.
I’m grateful to the GIIN for convening such an engaged global community. Let’s keep building bridges between capital types, sectors, and regions to make lasting, systemic impact. 🌍