Singapore-based impact investment marketplace Co-Axis recently announced that it has attracted approximately SGD 1.25 million (USD 925,000 or KRW 1.26 billion) in catalytic capital to support the development of climate change response and health promotion solutions in the Asian region.
Co-Axis is a platform that connects various investors, including family offices, corporations, and foundations, with early-stage businesses and blended finance projects aimed at achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). This investment includes SGD 250,000 over two years from the Richardson Family, and SGD 1 million contributed jointly with Temasek Trust's Catalytic Capital for Climate and Health (C3H), the philanthropic arm of Singapore's sovereign wealth fund Temasek, to support interconnected solutions in the climate and health sectors.
Ryan Tan of C3H emphasized, "By leveraging a collaborative ecosystem with Co-Axis, we can accelerate the deployment of capital where it matters most and amplify impact."
Impact investing refers to investments that pursue both financial returns and positive social and environmental impact. The impact investment market has been growing rapidly worldwide, driven by increasing interest in sustainable growth following climate change and pandemics. In particular, the Asian region is severely affected by climate change, and health issues are becoming significant social challenges due to population aging and urbanization, creating an urgent need for innovative solutions and investments in these areas.
In response to these 시대적 요구 (demands of the times), Co-Axis aims to support impact-oriented businesses facing funding difficulties by connecting them with investors and ultimately contribute to the sustainable development of the Asian region. The platform goes beyond simply connecting funds; it provides investors with clear information on social value creation and offers various support for growth and expansion to business entities, thereby playing a crucial role in vitalizing the impact investment ecosystem.
The Richardson Family, which participated in this investment, is known to have focused on Co-Axis's growth potential and social impact based on their deep interest in sustainable development. The investment, to be paid in installments over two years, will be used for Co-Axis's platform operation and business expansion.
Of particular note is the collaboration between Temasek Trust's C3H and Co-Axis to focus investment on the development of solutions that integrate the two critical areas of climate and health. Climate change poses a serious threat to human health through various pathways, including food production, water resource management, and natural disasters, while health problems can also weaken the ability to respond to climate change. Therefore, innovative approaches to simultaneously address these two issues are required, and the partnership between Co-Axis and C3H can be seen as an active response to this need.
Temasek Trust is the philanthropic arm of Temasek, Singapore's sovereign wealth fund, and invests in various sectors with the goal of creating social impact. The C3H initiative focuses on supporting the development and dissemination of innovative solutions by providing catalytic capital to address the closely linked global challenges of climate change and health issues. As Ryan Tan mentioned, the combination of Co-Axis's platform and C3H's expertise and capital is expected to generate meaningful outcomes that can substantially contribute to the sustainable development of the Asian region.
Co-Axis's recent investment is expected to serve as an important opportunity to further 활성화 (invigorate) the impact investment market in the Asian region. It is anticipated that more investors will participate in creating social value through the platform, and more social enterprises with innovative ideas will have opportunities to grow. Furthermore, as investment cases that contribute to solving the common challenges of climate change and health increase, social awareness of sustainable development is expected to rise further.
The future holds anticipation for the innovative climate and health solutions that will emerge in the Asian region based on the capital raised by Co-Axis, and the positive changes this investment will bring to local communities. There is hope that Co-Axis's case will demonstrate that impact investing can be an important driving force for fundamental changes in social systems, going beyond simple financial support.
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