Innovative Finance / Other

TPC (Tsao Pao Chee) and Economics of Mutuality Foundation, as anchor funders, together with NO.17 Foundation, SecondMuse Capital and Mutual Value Labs as co-architects, announced a new East-West Place-Based Ecosystem Model for nature restoration, shared prosperity and well-being.

By Natalia Arjomand, Senior Director, SecondMuse Capital & David Ball, Head of Well-being, SecondMuse Brain capital, the prevention and promotion of brain health and brain skills, is gaining real momentum as an investment priority. A recent McKinsey Health Institute and World Economic Forum report puts the potential at $6.2 trillion in cumulative GDP gain by 2050. The evidence is compelling, but compelling evidence alone has never been enough to build a market. What's missing

In Indonesia, startups are turning plastic waste into paving blocks and building tech that boosts income for waste collectors. Yet, MSMEs driving circular innovation remain locked out of capital. Through our Future Economy Lab, we worked with Duitin, PlusTik, and Rezycology to explore what inclusive finance must look like—flexible, patient, and tied to impact. The innovation exists. What’s missing are financial systems built for their reality.

When creditworthiness is code for privilege, character-based lending offers a quiet rebellion. From Native CDFIs asking “who are their people?” to group lending in Bangladesh, finance rooted in trust, accountability, and relationship is rewriting the rules. It’s not about abandoning rigour but redefining risk—proving that when trust performs, communities thrive.

A systems lens connects capital, communities, policies, and the planet. It reminds us that finance is one factor that can shape not just outcomes, but the conditions that produce them.

This piece explores three financial mechanisms—impact bonds, green jobs outcome funds, and impact-linked loans—that align capital with youth employment outcomes. These tools shift risk, reward results, and move capital closer to people. We’ve also begun designing other products to support the full learning-to-earning journey.

At Istanbul Innovation Days 2025, Natalia Arjomand of SecondMuse Capital joined a global panel to reflect on how institutions must adapt in a world shaped by complexity. Drawing from our Future Economy Lab work, she shared why real innovation requires shifting power, resourcing learning, and centring care. This post captures key takeaways for funders, policymakers, and ecosystem builders reimagining public institutions.

The Future Economy Lab™ is SecondMuse Capital’s collaborative process for designing financial products that align with both community needs and investor goals. In this blog, Natalia Arjomand shares how FEL™ began, what makes it unique, and why flexibility and trust are key. Plus, reflections for funders and changemakers on redefining how we shape capital.

Canada’s impact investing market is growing, but who’s being left out? We unpack key insights from SVX’s 2025 report and what they mean for equity and action.