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On the third day of the ANDE South Asia Convening 2024, a distinguished panel of experts came together to discuss “Impact Investment Instruments: Way Forward and Demonstrated Examples.” Moderated by Bijon Islam, Co-founder and CEO of LightCastle Partners, the session featured insights from Corinne Henchoz Pignani (Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh), Simmi Sareen (Unitus Capital), Chandula Abeywickrema (National Advisory Board for Impact Investing Sri Lanka), Ashutosh Tiwari (SAFAL Partners) and Corinne Henchoz Pignani (Embassy of Switzerland in Bangladesh).
This engaging dialogue delved into actionable strategies for advancing impact investment ecosystems across South Asia, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and innovative approaches to drive sustainable growth.
Key Themes and Insights from the Session
The panel opened with reflections on the importance of impact investing in addressing critical social and economic challenges. Bijon Islam emphasized the need to tackle the “missing middle,” where enterprises too large for microfinance yet too small for traditional funding often fall through the cracks.
Arastoo Khan, Member Secretary of the National Advisory Board for Impact Investing in Bangladesh, shared his perspective, saying, “South Asia’s growing focus on impact investing demonstrates a collective commitment to fostering inclusive growth. Regional collaboration is the key to overcoming systemic challenges.”
Challenges in Scaling Impact Investments
Simmi Sareen highlighted the need to prioritize viable projects when introducing new instruments. She noted, “Early successes create a pathway for scaling riskier, high-impact ventures. Picking the right entrepreneurs and projects is crucial for ecosystem development.”
Chandula Abeywickrema shed light on regulatory barriers, pointing out that “Regulators must innovate to support seamless entry and exit for investors, transitioning from traditional lending models to more dynamic equity-based approaches.”
Ashutosh Tiwari added a perspective from Nepal, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and capacity building for both entrepreneurs and investors. He stated, “Angel investments require close collaboration and education to mitigate risks and unlock potential.”
Insights on Ecosystem Development and Gender Lens Investing
Corinne Henchoz Pignani shared Switzerland’s journey in supporting impact readiness in Bangladesh, highlighting, “In the past four years, we’ve reached over 150,000 low-income beneficiaries and financed 15 scalable enterprises. Gender lens investing and impact monitoring remain critical to our future strategy.”
Future Forward: Opportunities and Pathways
The session concluded with actionable pathways to strengthen the ecosystem:
Bijon Islam summarized the discussion, stating, “Impact investing is not just about capital; it’s about creating meaningful, scalable solutions. Aligning the right instruments, policies, and partnerships is critical to unlocking the region’s potential.”
About the ANDE South Asia Convening
The ANDE South Asia Convening serves as a platform for fostering collaboration and innovation among stakeholders in the small and growing business (SGB) ecosystem. This year’s convening emphasized building resilience and scalability within impact ecosystems, with a focus on actionable solutions and cross-regional learnings. By bringing together experts, investors, and ecosystem builders, the convening aims to catalyze systemic change and drive inclusive growth across South Asia.
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