Impact Investing Institute

What Impact Investing Institute does

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent non-profit organisation established in 2019 and headquartered in London, structured as a company limited by guarantee registered in England (company number 12071750). It is governed by a board of senior figures from financial services, social investment, and the voluntary sector, supported by a 27-member Advisory Council and a Lead Expert network providing pro bono assistance alongside a small core paid team of approximately 19 staff. Its stated mission is to grow and strengthen the impact investing market in the UK and internationally by raising awareness, building investor expertise, and advocating for policy and regulatory reform that unlocks private finance for public good.

The Institute's intellectual output is organised around three core resources: an open-access Learning Hub (named by Forbes as a go-to resource for impact investing), a Publications library of research reports, frameworks, and practical guides, and a Case Studies evidence base spanning asset classes and geographies. It has produced the UK's only authoritative market sizing research — £58 billion in 2020 and £76.8 billion in 2023 — alongside proprietary frameworks such as the Impact Investing Principles for Pensions, the Just Transition Criteria, and guides for wealth managers, foundations, family offices, and place-based investors. There is no underlying technology platform; all outputs are static intellectual property distributed through the website and events.

The Institute is funded through a mix of institutional grants from the City of London Corporation, the UK Department for Business and Trade, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and financial services firms including Columbia Threadneedle Investments, HSBC Asset Management, and M&G Investments. Significant pro-bono support comes from leading law firms (Bates Wells, BDB Pitmans, BCLP, Freshfields, Skadden, Travers Smith, Sackers) and communications firms (Fleishman Hillard, Kreab, Montfort International), supplemented by Accenture's professional services support. The Institute does not sell products or services commercially; all resources are provided free of charge. Its primary stakeholders are institutional investors (pension funds, asset managers, foundations, family offices), policymakers and regulators, and the broader impact investing ecosystem. It played a central role in shaping the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group (SIIAG) report and the establishment of the £500 million Better Futures Fund and the November 2025 Office for the Impact Economy.

Name

Impact Investing Institute

Legal name

The Impact Investing Institute

Website

https://impactinvest.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent UK non-profit that grows the impact investing market through authoritative market sizing research, open-access educational resources, and policy advocacy, serving pension funds, asset managers, foundations, family offices, and policymakers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Impact Investing Research & Advocacy

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Impact Investing (Intentional, Measurable Social/Environmental Outcomes) (FSAAALAC), Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG), Impact Investment & Social Finance Programs (BPADAOAJ), Impact / ESG Venture Capital (FSANAAAG)

Keywords

• Impact investing
• Sustainable finance
• Policy advocacy
• Market research
• Investor education

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Institutional funding and grants: The Institute operates as an independent non-profit organisation funded by core supporters including government bodies (City of London, Department for Business and Trade), foundations (Esmée Fairbairn Foundation), and financial services firms. Funding supports the establishment of the Institute and its ongoing work programme.
2. Financial supporter contributions: Financial services industry firms (Columbia Threadneedle, HSBC Asset Management, M&G Investments) provide financial support to the Institute's work.
3. Pro-bono support: Organisations provide secondees, public relations advice, co-operation on specific projects and publications, legal advice, and content production facilities at no cost to the Institute.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent non-profit that produces research, policy advocacy, and educational programmes to grow and strengthen the impact investing market in the UK. Its core activities are convening institutional investors, asset owners, policymakers, and regulators; publishing market research and policy reports; and contributing to standards and definitions for impact investing. It does not deploy capital, manage investment products, or sell software; its outputs are thought leadership, convening, and policy influence rather than fee-paying products.

Product overview

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent non-profit organization offering an integrated suite of educational, research, and advisory resources focused on growing and strengthening the impact investing market in the UK and internationally. The core offerings include: the Learning Hub (an open-source educational platform for building impact investing knowledge and skills), Publications (research reports, guides, and consultation responses), and Case Studies (an evidence base of impact investments across asset classes and geographies). Supporting resources include a Glossary of impact investing terms, Impact Investing Principles for Pensions (a framework for pension scheme trustees), guidance on endowment investing, the Just Transition Criteria (a framework for climate-aligned capital), and the Resilience Conversation (a campaign on impact investing and portfolio resilience). The organization also runs specific initiatives including Housing for a Good Start, Market Sizing research, the Place Coalition network, the Social Impact Investment Advisory Group (SIIAG), Child Lens Investing, and programmes focused on Scotland's impact investing ecosystem. These offerings are provided as free resources to investment practitioners and the public, not as commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Impact Investing Research and Market Reports Research publications and market reports that provide data, analysis, and policy recommendations on the UK impact investing market, intended for institutional investors, asset owners, policymakers, and regulators.
• Policy Advocacy and Convening Programme A convening and policy engagement programme that brings together institutional investors, asset owners, government, and regulators to develop shared definitions, standards, and policy positions for impact investing in the UK.
• Educational and Awareness Events on Impact Investing Educational events, briefings, and stakeholder engagement activities aimed at building awareness and capability around impact investing among institutional investors, asset owners, policymakers, and the broader market.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of impact investors meet or exceed their financial return targets (Global Impact Investing Network / Impact Investing Institute)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Ufi VocTech TrustminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Partnership announced to unlock capital for skills and growth. The collaboration shows how foundations can invest with purpose, supporting the intersection of vocational technology and impact investing.
• Small Giants AcademyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 June 2025The Institute partnered with Small Giants Academy to co-deliver 'Journey to Impact: Wealth & Legacy' in the UK, an event focused on mobilising wealth for impact. Taking place 18-19 June 2026 in London.
• Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023In partnership with the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Institute runs the 'Accelerating Scotland's impact investing ecosystem' project. The series focuses on opportunities to unlock capital and build infrastructure to channel more capital into impactful projects aligned with SNIB's key missions: Net Zero, Innovation, and Place. Joint event series covered Transition Finance in September 2025 with over 50 investors and industry leaders.
• Asset TVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAsset TV partnered with the Institute to produce the Resilience Conversation video series, featuring expert interviews with investment professionals from WTW and Aon on impact investing and portfolio resilience.
• Social Impact Investment Advisory Group (SIIAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institute played a central role in shaping the SIIAG's report 'Mobilising the impact economy as partners in national renewal', providing practical support to working groups and drafting the final report. SIIAG was established by HM Treasury and DCMS and contributed to creating the £500 million Better Futures Fund.
• AccentureminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing professional services advice to the Institute.
• Bates Wells LLPminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• BDB Pitmans LLPminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• BCLP (Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner)minorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLPminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLPminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• Travers Smith LLPminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• SackersminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing legal advice to the Institute.
• Fleishman HillardminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing public relations advice to the Institute.
• KreabminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing public relations advice to the Institute.
• Montfort InternationalminorOthersPro-bono supporter providing communications advice to the Institute.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN): GIIN is the leading global network dedicated to increasing the scale and effectiveness of impact investing, producing market research (similar to the Institute's market sizing work), educational content and industry standards. It is the most direct global comparable to the Impact Investing Institute's mission, convening role and research-driven approach, though at significantly larger global scale.
• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): PRI is a UN-supported international network of investors committed to incorporating ESG and responsible investment principles. While broader in scope than the Institute (ESG vs. impact), PRI's framework development, signatory network, and policy advocacy are directly comparable to the Institute's Impact Investing Principles for Pensions and convening model.
• OECD Impact Investing Hub: The OECD's work on impact investing and sustainable finance includes policy frameworks, international standards and global convening comparable to the Institute's policy advocacy and research outputs. As a multilateral body, it operates at significantly greater scale but covers similar thematic territory.

Direct peers

• UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF): UKSIF is the UK membership body for sustainable and responsible investment and finance, representing asset managers, asset owners, advisers and service providers. Like the Impact Investing Institute, it advocates for policy reform, publishes research and convenes stakeholders to grow sustainable and impact investment in the UK.
• Big Society Capital: Big Society Capital is the UK's largest social investor, a financial institution established to grow the social investment market. It shares the Institute's mission of building the UK impact investing market, works closely with government and foundations, and channels capital into social enterprises — making it a direct operational peer.
• Social Investment Business (SIB): Social Investment Business is a UK social enterprise providing finance and support to charities and social enterprises, with deep ties to UK government (DCMS) and foundations. Its CEO sits on the Institute's board, illustrating the close operational overlap in growing the UK social investment market.
• Bridges Fund Management: Bridges is a UK-based impact-focused private equity and venture capital firm. While operating as an actual impact investor (whereas the Institute is an advocate), Bridges shares the Institute's mission of demonstrating that impact investing can deliver competitive returns alongside measurable social/environmental outcomes.

Emerging players

• Impact Management Platform (Impact Frontiers): Impact Frontiers is a global initiative building norms and standards for impact measurement and management. It is comparable to the Institute's Just Transition Criteria work, both focused on developing frameworks for investors to operationalise impact, though Impact Frontiers operates at the global standards-setting level.

Regional players

• European Venture Philanthropy and Social Investment Association (EVPA): EVPA is the Europe-wide membership association for venture philanthropy and social investment. Comparable to the Institute in mission (growing impact capital deployment) and activities (training, research, convening), but with a pan-European remit rather than UK-focused.
• Access - the Foundation for Social Investment: Access is a UK foundation supporting the growth of social investment by providing grants, research and capacity-building to charities and social enterprises. Comparable to the Institute in its UK focus on social investment ecosystem development and foundation-backed funding model, though more focused on the demand (charity) side than the Institute's investor-focused remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWy7-dMBnrwwSCZVVL1uVYA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/impact-investing-institute
• Xx.com/ImpactInvInst

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Impact Investing Institute