MDIF was in Turin from 22-24 November for the European Venture Philanthropy Association’s Annual Conference, where more than 1,000 members of the global impact investing community came together to discuss the latest trends, models and challenges surrounding impact investing.
MDIF ran two sessions focused on Pluralis, our investment solution for independent media in European countries where the ownership – and thus independence – of news and information companies is at risk of capture by governments and their allies. In “Turning Risky Deals into Financially Viable Investments”, MDIF Chief Strategy Officer Patrice Schneider took the group through how the solution-orientated structure of Pluralis has led to it being a viable investment vehicle for media that underpin democracy, and discussed the important role of patient philanthropic capital.
In the workshop “Pluralis Confidential: Behind the scenes of the fund”, MDIF Chief Investment Officer Joanna Rozycka-Iwan delved into the blended capital logic, giving the audience the chance to explore the unique structure of Pluralis and discuss its advantages and challenges. Participants included banking and corporate foundations, private equity funds, impact investors, family offices and high net worth individuals, and representatives from European Institutions.
The two days provided an opportunity to examine some of the most pressing issues facing impact investing, such as the use of data in impact measurement and reporting, democratizing access to impact finance and the role of impact governance.