{"id":54613,"date":"2026-04-14T15:24:44","date_gmt":"2026-04-14T20:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/definityfoundation.org\/?p=54613"},"modified":"2026-04-20T15:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T20:30:10","slug":"systemic-investment-buzzword-or-breakthrough","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/definityfoundation.org\/fr\/systemic-investment-buzzword-or-breakthrough\/","title":{"rendered":"Blog: Systemic Investment: Buzzword or Breakthrough?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Wayne Miranda<\/p>\n

If you have recently felt a buzz around \u00ab\u00a0systemic investment\u00a0\u00bb, you have sensed right. Initiatives like <\/span>TransCap Initiative<\/a>, Financial Ecosystems for Systemic Transformation (FEST<\/strong><\/a>), Together We Invest for Systems Transformation (TWIST<\/strong><\/a>) are gaining traction globally, while events such as the Systemic Investment Discovery Day and <\/span>Impact United Academy<\/a>\u2019s webinar series build momentum here at home in Canada.<\/p>\n

Interest and curiosity is growing. But you are in good company if you are asking questions like: \u00ab\u00a0What is systemic investment all about?<\/strong>\u00a0\u00bb and \u00ab\u00a0How is it any different?<\/strong>\u00ab\u00a0<\/p>\n

We have made progress with impact investment and blended finance as approaches to direct money towards positive social, environmental, and cultural change. Now, another term enters the conversation. <\/span>This post will aim to clearly explain \u00ab\u00a0systemic investment\u00a0\u00bb, trace its evolution and place in a spectrum of approaches, and discuss why it matters and why it represents the next logical step for how we advance towards our collective wellbeing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The word \u201cinvestment\u201d offers a starting point, but it may be counterintuitive. Systemic investment is not just another way of using finance for good\u2014it moves beyond finance alone. Consider that there is a spectrum of approaches, each expanding the scope from the last.<\/p>\n

Responsible and sustainable investing<\/strong> <\/span>focuses on avoiding investments that harm people and the planet. <\/span>Impact investing<\/strong> <\/span>goes further to intentionally invest for positive social and environmental change.<\/p>\n

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Example of an impact investment: <\/span><\/p>\n

Active Impact invests in early-stage technology companies that meaningfully support the sustainability of our planet. Some example companies include prefabricated net-zero carbon home manufacturing, smart irrigation technology that optimizes agricultural water usage, and lightning prevention technology for wildfire management.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The limits of impact investing are becoming increasingly clear: it often relies on just one type of financing. This leads to<\/span> <\/span>blended finance<\/strong>, which combines multiple types of finance such as non-repayable grants alongside repayable loans and equity financing.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Example of blended finance: <\/span><\/p>\n

Afro-Caribbean Business Network (ACBN) Microloan Fund provides support services helping Black entrepreneurs build their community enterprises. The enterprises that complete the ACBN program and demonstrate an interest and ability to use investment then access microloans to grow their businesses. The entrepreneurs have a greater chance of success when they access grant-funded business development services blended with repayable loans.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Blended finance in turn reveals another limit: typically only financial actors are involved. The response is \u00ab\u00a0social movement investing\u00a0\u00bb, where communities lead and shape the financing solutions.<\/p>\n

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Example: Community-Driven Outcomes Contracts by Raven Indigenous Outcomes Fund (RIOF). RIOF partners with Indigenous communities and investors to respond to community priorities like housing, clean energy, health, and jobs. The RIOF financing tools enable public and private investors to meaningfully support proven solutions in partnership with Indigenous communities.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The approach of social movement investing also has its limit, often constrained by the capabilities and capacities of the community.<\/p>\n

Where to next?<\/h3>\n

Each approach, each step in this spectrum, has widened the scope: from doing less harm, to seeking positive outcomes for society, to employing a range of financing, to including more voices. The natural evolution is to continue increasing the scope of what is considered towards systems transformation.<\/p>\n

And that leads to <\/span>systemic investing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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That definition is compact, yet it captures the core concept and offers common language to practice this approach together. Here is what is means:<\/p>\n