Start to Impact Invest and Make Your Money Matter

7 Impact investing platforms to help you get started

It is not always easy to figure out what you, as an individual can do to have a positive impact on people and planet. Should you quit your corporate job, start your own impact business and only travel by train from now on? Probably yes :)

But something a bit less radical you can start doing today is to make the decision to be thoughtful about how you make your money matter. A new wave of B2C impact investing products helps individuals to start investing in impact with small amounts.

Check out these socially responsible and impact-oriented investment platforms to help you invest to make a difference in the world:

Grünfin

Grünfin was founded by two mothers, who noticed how difficult it was for those with limited investment knowledge and access to large amounts of capital to build a sustainable and value-based investment portfolio. Grünfin’s mission is to make sustainable investments easy and accessible for as many people as possible.

Why Grünfin?

Grünfin allows customers to invest in their own future or their children’s while having a positive impact on the world through sustainable investment choices. They offer customers the choice to choose between an environmental, equality or health-themed investment portfolio.

Grünfin in a nutshell

• Choose your monthly contribution: Select the amount you’d like to invest each month and pick the time horizon for your investment.
• Choose your sustainability focus: Select the issues you care about most to focus your investments. Grünfin will pick the funds with the most impact.
• Choose your risk level: Take a quick test to assess the level of risk you’re comfortable with. Grünfin will suggest a portfolio with suitable sustainable investments.
• Start investing: Did you know your money can have a tenfold impact on your carbon footprint compared to any other consumer choice?

Picadon

What if you could turn your rental deposits into a greener future? Meet Picadon, this early-stage startup fights climate change with money a lot of people have — their rental deposits. They define a new class of do-good financial products that turn passive money into a good cause.

Why Picadon?

Picadon’s purpose is to take rental deposits and unlock their potential to protect another deposit, we were all given — planet Earth. They believe that we all share a responsibility to act upon and fight climate change, which is why they are on a journey to help every person with a rental deposit to take action. Not only do they protect deposits while making the planet a better place to live for the next generation, they also bring a new way of thinking to the whole rental experience. The landlord-tenant relationship hasn’t changed for centuries, which is why at Picadon they have set out to bring new levels of transparency and interaction to the market, which is more suitable for our day and age.

Picadon in a nutshell

• Did you ever wonder what happens with your rental deposits while you are still renting? Picadon makes your deposit work for you.
• They offer low-risk returns by protecting your deposit via investments in innovative low-risk sustainable investment products that will pay you a yearly dividend.
• Picadon is designed to be your entry point into do-good investments. Starting in renewable energy, a stable and growing asset, providing proven and simple to understand return.
• By investing sustainably, you take responsible action in the fight against climate change. Picadon provides you with a clear and easy-to-understand view into the sustainable impact.

Circa5000

CIRCA5000, previously known as Tickr, is an app that allows U.K. consumers to make financial investments based on their impact on society and the environment. Do you want to be part of the future of investments? Then pre-register for their crowdfunding campaign.

Why Circa5000?

Circa 5000 is an impact investing app that allows you to invest in the causes you believe in. Their aim is to prove that you can make money and have a positive impact at the same time. From as little as £10 you can invest in portfolios designed with the future in mind and align your investments to your values with their pre-built People, Planet and People & Planet themes. They’re on a mission to make Impact Investing the default option for investors.

Circa5000 in a nutshell

• Simplicity is at the core of Circa5000’s product. With Circa5000 you can start investing in minutes. They take care of the hard work so you can build your portfolio fast.
• Grow your money and build wealth for the long term while the platform cuts out the noise.
• Create a better future for society as a whole. Circa5000 makes sure that every investment you make keeps the planet and people at its center.

Seeds Renewables

Seeds Renewables use a round-up feature which rounds up the user’s credit card transactions to the nearest eu and automatically invests the spare change in a renewable energy project of the user’s choice, helping to fight against the climate crisis.

Why Seeds?

Seeds is on a mission to make every transaction an investment in climate action. Their vision is to build the people’s financial network for climate action. They want to ensure that everyone can make a difference, for the planet and for their wallets. Empowering anyone to start investing with as little as $0.01 helps distribute the benefits of the energy transition in an equitable way.

Seeds in a nutshell

• Plant Your Seed. Choose the renewable energy project you want to invest in, according to profitability, location or environmental impact.
• Water Your Investments. With the round up you can invest easily and automatically. You can also choose to make recurring or one time investments.
• Collect Your Benefits. Periodically receive the repayments from your investments. Measure and reduce your environmental impact.

Finuprise

Finuprise empowers individuals to make an impact through their investments. They are on a mission to democratize investing so everyone can have a say. Whether it’s veganism, gender equality or climate change, they want to put back the power in individual’s hands to do this.

Why Finuprise?

The app was created to match users’ values with the impact they desire. Companies are grouped according to 8 impact playlists such as Low Carbon Emissions, Racial Equality, or Plant-Based Diet. A wide variety of impact playlists enables each user to choose companies with the positive impact they prioritize.

Finuprise in a nutshell

• Simplify choosing the right investments by using values as guiding principles.
• Each listed company has a Unique Company Impact Profile evaluated against 12 impact metrics.
• Finuprise offers continuously updated information displayed in the news section of each company profile.
• Add a given company to your personal watchlist with just one click. After this, every time you open the Finuprise app, your watchlist and selected companies will appear on your dashboard.

Ellevest

Ellevest is a robo-advisory service for women by women, but it welcomes clients of all expressions and gender identities as well. The platform’s Impact Portfolios invest in three specific areas: companies that offer loans for community services, companies with female leadership, and firms with good standards for ethical practices and sustainability.

Why Ellevest?

​​Ellevest is a financial company built by women, for women. They’re on a mission to get more money in the hands of women+. The investing industry was built by men, for men which means its supposedly ‘gender neutral’ tools were failing women. Ellevest’s investment algorithm factors in important realities for women, such as pay gaps, career breaks and longer average lifespans. Ellevest meets you where you are.

Ellevest in a nutshell

• Share a few details about your money, life and career and create an investment plan just right for you.
• Ellevest will recommend a low-cost, diversified investment portfolio and invest your money to help you reach your money goals.
• There’s no minimum deposit to start investing, simply link your bank account and start investing
• If your investments get too far away from their targets, Ellevest will bring them back in line for you while doing their best to minimize the taxes.

Clim8 Invest

The Clim8 Invest platform provides a simple way to invest into a targeted portfolio of publicly listed companies that are already making an impact in tackling climate change. Sectors covered by Clim8 include clean energy, clean technology, sustainable food, smart mobility and recycling.

Why Clim8 invest?

With the Clim8 Invest app you can put your savings to work for growth and positive climate impact, from just £25. Open or transfer your ISA and help invest for the planet. Your savings can have up to x21 more impact on tackling climate change than flying less, eating a plant-based diet or switching your energy supplier . With the Clim8 Invest app you can keep track of your investment performance and climate impact in CO2 and kWh.

Clim8 Invest in a nutshell

• In-house investment and sustainability team. With on average 25 years’ experience, members of Clim8’s investment team come from top financial institutions. Their methodology is driven by deep research and data-centricity to achieve financial and environmental goals.
• Clim8’s investment team is continually analysing the market to identify the leading sustainability focused shares and funds. The portfolios are carefully crafted and constantly reviewed.
• Clim8 only invests in clean energy, clean technology, smart mobility, clean water, sustainable food and recycling. The portfolios are mapped to the UN Paris Climate Agreement.
• Tailored to your risk profile. Choose the risk profile most suited to you by selecting from one of three curated options: cautious, balanced or adventurous.

At the end of the day, the proof is in the pudding. And we are delighted to see that investors of all types and backgrounds are getting a taste for impact investing. Each of us can cause a ripple that transforms the traditional investment scene. The time has come to start investing in the change we want to see in the world. Are you ready to make some waves?