Better Finance

What Better Finance does

Better Finance is a Geneva-headquartered boutique advisory firm founded circa 2009 by Tenke Zoltani, specializing in sustainable finance, impact investing, and ESG strategy. The firm serves institutional investors, development finance institutions, family offices, foundations, corporates, and impact-focused start-ups across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa. Service lines comprise four interconnected offerings: Impact Advisory (originating, designing, implementing, and managing financial solutions across asset classes); Partnerships and Capital (supporting entrepreneurs and fund managers in accessing family offices and mission-aligned investors); Enhanced Due Diligence (transaction-level ESG and impact diligence beyond tick-box exercises); and Structuring (designing dual-return funds, donor-advised funds, results-based financing portfolios, and impact bonds).

The firm has no proprietary technology platform; its intellectual property sits in structuring know-how, deal origination, and a network of specialists. Notable structuring work includes the Rhino Bond (the world's first wildlife conservation bond, issued by the World Bank in March 2021), the Fiji Blue Bond and sovereign green sukuks, and ongoing Senior Advisor support to UNDP on $30bn of thematic bond issuances. In January 2025 the firm extended its IP into a scalable education product, The Glassbox, an online course teaching entrepreneurs how to access family office capital.

Revenue derives from professional services advisory fees on bespoke engagements, with pricing undisclosed and engagement intentionally selective. The firm operates with 1-10 employees, is privately held with no external institutional investment, and markets primarily through thought leadership, Financial Times publications, industry conference presence (WMO, Point Zero Forum, SIIA Summit, Building Bridges), and academic teaching at the Graduate Institute in Geneva.

Name

Better Finance

Legal name

Better Finance

Website

https://betterfinance.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Better Finance is a Geneva-based boutique advisory firm that originates, designs, and implements sustainable finance and impact investing solutions for institutional investors, family offices, UN agencies, and corporates across Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Finance Advisory

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Finance & Capital Advisory (BPAHADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Capital Raising Advisory (Equity & Equity-Linked) (FSAEAGAC), Debt Advisory & Financing Advisory (FSAEAGAD), Comprehensive Financial Planning (FSAEAAAA)

Keywords

• Impact investing advisory
• Sustainable finance consulting
• ESG strategy services
• Blended finance structuring
• Thematic bond advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees: Better Finance operates as an independent advisory firm providing consulting services to institutional investors, development actors, and mission-aligned businesses. They do not manage capital but work closely with asset managers, DFIs, and philanthropic investors to design and support capital deployment strategies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Better Finance is a boutique advisory firm that originates, designs, implements, and manages financial solutions through impact, ESG, and mission-driven investing. The firm provides bespoke advisory services covering direct investments, fund structures, blended finance, enhanced ESG due diligence, and the structuring of innovative financial instruments such as dual-return funds, donor-advised funds, results-based financing portfolios, and impact bonds, drawing on a network of specialists across asset classes.

Product overview

Better Finance is a boutique advisory firm that offers a portfolio of interconnected service offerings: Impact Advisory (originating, designing, implementing and managing financial solutions), Partnerships and Capital (supporting entrepreneurs and funds with accessing family offices and investors), Enhanced Due Diligence (ESG and impact due diligence services), and Structuring (creating dual-return funds, DAFs, results-based financing, impact bonds). The firm also developed The Glassbox, an online educational course launched in January 2025 that teaches entrepreneurs how to access family office capital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Glassbox: An online course launched in January 2025 to help entrepreneurs learn how to access family office capital. Founded by Tenke Zoltani and Naava Mashiah.

Products and services

• Impact Advisory End-to-end advisory working with clients to originate, design, implement, and manage financial solutions through impact and mission-driven investing across direct investments, fund structures, and blended finance. Targeted at institutional investors, family offices, DFIs, foundations, corporates, and start-ups seeking impact and financial performance.
• Partnerships and Capital Advisory and support for entrepreneurs, asset managers, first-time funds, and established vehicles to overcome hurdles unique to their business, including accessing family offices, mastering investor pitches with impact requirements, and forging long-term partnerships for innovation and collaboration.
• Enhanced Due Diligence Transaction support through enhanced ESG and impact due diligence that goes beyond tick-box exercises, taking into account material factors that will influence the long-term success of the company, such as local conflicts, the just transition, resource access, and leaving no one behind.
• Structuring Structuring of solutions driven by disparate risk-return requirements through dual-return funds, donor-advised funds, results-based financing portfolios, impact bonds, and other diverse structures suited to pressing challenges from conservation to fragile contexts.
• The Glassbox An online course for entrepreneurs to learn how to access family office capital, teaching how to navigate and build relationships with family offices. Founded by Tenke Zoltani and Naava Mashiah and launched in January 2025.

Quantifiable outcome

• $30 billion in sovereign thematic bond issuances supported through UNDP advisory role
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• ZSL (Zoological Society of London)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance collaborated with ZSL on the structuring of the Rhinoceros Bond, a wildlife conservation bond issued by the World Bank. Tenke Zoltani was the first financial advisor on the initiative and brought other counterparties on board including Conservation Capital, Conservation Alpha, and Credit Suisse.
• UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani serves as Senior Advisor to UNDP, leading the institution's work on thematic debt and supporting sovereign thematic bond issuances totaling $30 billion. Better Finance supports UNDP through advisory roles on sustainable bond frameworks.
• Conservation CapitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Better Finance on the Rhino Bond initiative, bringing conservation finance expertise to the structuring of the world's first wildlife conservation bond.
• Conservation AlphasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on the Rhino Bond structure, contributing analytical capabilities to the world's first wildlife conservation bond.
• Credit SuissesupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCredit Suisse served as distribution partner for the Rhino Bond, providing distribution capabilities for the innovative wildlife conservation financial instrument.
• World BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Bank issued the Rhino Bond structured by Better Finance and partners ZSL, representing the world's first wildlife conservation bond for black rhinoceros populations.
• TLG CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTLG Capital appointed Tenke Zoltani as their Outsourced Chief Impact Officer. Better Finance provides ongoing impact strategy and ESG integration services across the investment portfolio.
• RiverRock European Capital PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance has worked with RiverRock for many years on their impact journey, from ESG integration to impact value creation including biodiversity. Tenke Zoltani also served as Senior Impact and ESG Advisor to RiverRock.
• Green Digital Finance AlliancesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani contributed to the Green Digital Finance Alliance discussion paper 'Digital Impact Bond: Where Finance Meets Tech for Impact' launched at Building Bridges 2025.
• Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani participated in the launch of ORRAA at the UN Secretary General's Climate Summit. The Alliance pioneers finance and insurance products for coastal resilience.
• Sustainable Finance GenevasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani was elected to the Executive Committee of Sustainable Finance Geneva, an association of investment professionals focused on responsible investment solutions.
• Graduate Institute GenevasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance teaches modules of the SDG Investing Course at the Graduate Institute in Geneva as part of the Master's Programme in International Strategy and Leadership.
• Swiss Impact Investment Association (SIIA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani delivered keynote at SIIA Summit to open the Female Founder's Forum, discussing gender lens investing in environment and sustainability.
• The Klosters ForumsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance participates in The Klosters Forum, a platform focusing on environmental challenges including ocean plastic reduction and sustainability solutions.
• WWFsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerTenke Zoltani contributed to the Nature Positive Roadmap developed by WWF, launched to address impacts of nature loss on the global economy.
• G20supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance joined global experts calling on G20 to address impacts of nature loss on the global economy as part of Nature Positive initiative.
• Finance for Biodiversity InitiativesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBetter Finance worked with Finance for Biodiversity and MAVA Foundation on landmark research on sovereign debt restructuring that accounts for nature and biodiversity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pollination: Global boutique advisory firm specializing in sustainable finance, climate transition, and nature-based solutions. Closely comparable to Better Finance in its boutique scale, mission-driven positioning, and focus on structuring innovative climate and impact finance instruments for corporates, financiers, and governments.
• Climate Advisers: Specialist advisory firm focused on climate finance, sustainable development, and policy advising for governments, multilaterals, and investors. Comparable to Better Finance in its mission orientation, multilateral client base, and structuring work on innovative climate finance instruments.
• South Pole Group: Climate solutions and advisory firm providing sustainability strategy, carbon credit, and climate finance advisory services globally. Comparable to Better Finance in its advisory-led sustainable finance offering and global institutional client base, though South Pole has larger scale and broader product mix.

Broad incumbents

• Anthesis Group: Global sustainability advisory and solutions firm serving corporates and financial institutions on ESG strategy, climate, and impact. Comparable to Better Finance in the impact/ESG advisory space but with significantly broader service offering and larger headcount.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): Largest pure-play sustainability and environmental consultancy, advising corporates and financial institutions on ESG, climate, and nature strategy. Overlaps with Better Finance in sustainable finance advisory and ESG due diligence, but at much greater scale and with broader technical capabilities.
• Carbon Trust: Climate and sustainability advisory organization working with governments, corporates, and financial institutions on climate strategy, green finance, and impact measurement. Comparable in sustainable finance advisory mission though with a much broader product portfolio and institutional footprint.

Emerging players

• EcoAct: Climate advisory and solutions firm (now part of Schneider Electric) specializing in carbon strategy, climate finance, and ESG advisory. Comparable niche to Better Finance in sustainability advisory, though more focused on carbon markets than frontier impact sectors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Better Finance