Capital Without Context is Not Impact Investing: Why Trust Networks are Essential Infrastructure, and How the Sector Can Leverage Them More Effectively
October 22, 2026
According to many funders, a common reason why impact capital does not reach enterprises in emerging markets is the lack of investable deal flow. But as Alessa Berg at Top Tier Impact argues, a pipeline of investable businesses exists. What’s lacking is the connective tissue between investors and entrepreneurs: networks of trusted, embedded practitioners who can surface credible opportunities, do meaningful due diligence, and bridge the enormous information asymmetry between funders and founders. She explores the importance of these trust networks in impact investing, and argues that the sector needs to mobilize funding to help build them.
