Blended Finance That Works: From Capital to Real Deals

​Event Description

Blended finance is often seen as a powerful tool to unlock capital for social and environmental impact. Yet in practice, the challenge is rarely the availability of capital, but the lack of viable, investable opportunities that align with both impact goals and financial expectations.

This discussion focuses on the realities behind blended finance. Why does deal flow remain such a persistent challenge? What role do NGOs, community networks, and local ecosystems play in originating and shaping investment opportunities, and why are they so often overlooked or under-resourced?

We will explore how to design blended capital structures that actually work for early-stage and grassroots enterprises, from combining grants, debt, and equity to building risk-sharing mechanisms that reflect real-world conditions. The session will also examine how catalytic capital can support sectors like climate, food systems, and mental health, and how partnerships between philanthropy, investors, and practitioners can be strengthened.

Grounded in real examples, this conversation will move beyond theory to focus on practical models, trade-offs, and lessons learned, and what it takes to connect capital to meaningful impact on the ground.

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​Speakers

• ​Adanna Chukwuma is Associate Vice President at CARE USA, leading economic growth and private sector engagement to expand access to capital for women entrepreneurs.

• ​Charles Kwenin is Investment Manager at Olive Holdings, supporting resilient food systems and value creation in West Africa.

• ​Corentin Larue is Managing Director of Fundamental Ventures, building impact ventures addressing poverty and climate resilience in Latin America.

• ​Laurie Lane-Zucker is Founder & President of Impact Entrepreneur, building global networks for systems-driven social and environmental innovation.

• ​Saara Thakur is Strategic Partnerships Manager at Parenting for Lifelong Health.

• ​Vinay Jaju is Founding Director of EarthON Foundation, advancing sustainable and climate-focused enterprises and ecosystems.

• ​Wendy Taylor is President & CEO of the William Davidson Institute, leveraging market-based solutions to address global challenges.

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Discussion Questions
Why does investable deal flow remain a bottleneck in blended finance, and how can it be addressed?
How can NGOs and community networks be better recognized and supported as origination partners?
What blended capital structures work best for early-stage and grassroots enterprises?
How can different actors, from philanthropy to investors to governments, collaborate to make blended finance more effective?