Impact Database: new platform brings clarity to Europe’s impact investment market

Sustainability is a trending topic investors start paying more and more attention to, according to a new study by Mazars. The internet project Impact Database has set up a platform to help investors choose companies, and assist companies with building up an international network of funding agencies. The project, which was started by BMW and has been picked up by the University of Zurich, is an attempt to transparently show all major sustainability sponsors in Europe.

Impact data informs about stakeholders

According to Impact Database, most sustainability investment ecosystems in Europe are very fragmented and work on a local level, not internationally.

“For most investors in Europe, impact investing is still a peripheral strategy, but it is gaining in importance. The impact investing markets in Europe are heavily influenced by local history and socio-political structures. In particular, the structure of the local social and financial systems, which determine the mix of private and public capital, play an important role. The markets for impact investing are therefore very different from country to country. The lack of reliable statistics on the impact investing market in Europe is a known weakness,” share the team of Impact Database.

The Impact Database website features a map of Europe. By using different categories and filters, users can spot different supporters of sustainable companies such as sustainable banks, business angels interested in environmental protection, and foundations promoting climate-friendliness. This enables users to find important stakeholders. At the moment the project is still in its beta phase. The platform invites projects across Europe to join and mark their place on the Impact Database map as well.