SOCAP is entering its 18th year of fostering deep conversations and dynamic debates around impact investing, social entrepreneurship, and capital flows for impact. Born in the year of the 2008 financial crisis, we have built a legacy and wealth of learning that helps us continue to evolve to meet the social and political realities in which we all operate. Now, more than ever, there is a critical need for inclusive spaces where conversation, thought leadership, and constructive debate can thrive. In a time when open debate is increasingly threatened, we stand firm in our role as a convener of global stakeholders. We are designing SOCAP25 to carry on our legacy, but also to further focus our attention and facilitate new and engaging formats. There’s a lot that’s new this year.
The theme for SOCAP25, The Future Is Collaborative: Taking Impact Mainstream, reflects both internal reflections and our 18-year history as a gathering place for people from diverse countries, cultures, and backgrounds. Our goal is to move beyond identifying problems and instead focus on future-oriented thinking and active, collaborative problem-solving. We know that our community craves spaces to actively get things accomplished and is loath to repeat the same conversations weâve had before at more niche industry events. We invite you to join us at SOCAP25 to engage in these critical conversations, shaping our future economy.
To facilitate this, we are creating intentional spaces for meaningful conversations at SOCAP25 The first day of SOCAP has been completely redesigned and will center around sessions designed to foster capital and human connections to catalyze action within our community. We will actively facilitate networking through various formats, including:
- LP <> GP connections
- Investor roundtables offering feedback to entrepreneurs
- Entrepreneur Support Organization think tanks to ideate solutions for current ecosystem challenges
- Entrepreneur pitches with facilitated networkingÂ
- Storytelling circlesÂ
- Reverse pitches by investors
- Working groups for leaders in philanthropy
SOCAP25 sessions will also center around thought-leadership development and exchange through interactive panels and fireside chats with experts coming from the field. Workshops, round-table discussions, and ideation sessions will allow our members to share their expertise and spark new solutions.
Our tracks focus on macro-to-local-level conversations, starting at the âtopâ of the ecosystem with the Future of Global Financial Markets. Across all of our tracks, we will include three focus areas because of their importance and extreme relevance to current policies and practices: diversity, equity and inclusion; impact measurement; and technology.
We will convene around these five tracks at SOCAP25:
The future of global financial markets
This track focuses on how we can shape the future we want to see by integrating traditional, or mainstream, financial markets with impact investing. How can we come together as a community to discuss existing solutions, share lessons learned from failures, and identify urgent challenges that require new partnerships? Topics will include the evolving role of development finance institutions, the future of corporate investment, strategies for scaling entrepreneurial ventures globally, and investment growth opportunities in emerging markets and the Global South, among others.
Justice and economic prosperity for all
This track will focus on elevating practices and policies that prioritize justice, equity, and economic growth, aiming to bring them into the mainstream so that we can rise together, while also addressing past and current barriers and challenges. How can we come together to share and learn from one another, ensuring that all of our work is centered on intentionally including and learning from our stakeholders and beneficiaries? Topics will include discussing practices that help to uplift communities through ownership, creation of sustainable jobs, bridging wealth gaps, and fostering long-term economic growth, among others.
Catalytic capital 2.0
This track will focus on the most urgent and pressing changes needed for the future of catalytic capital and the intersection of philanthropy and investment. Both sides of the funding spectrum are essential for achieving the deep and expanding impact we envision in the world. How can we create blended structures that draw on the best practices and lessons from both sectors? Discussions will explore topics such as social change movements and how to address gaps left by government funding, the evolving role of family offices and high-net-worth individuals, and current examples of cross-sector collaborations in blended finance, among others.
Climate and nature-based solutions
This track will focus on the future of our planet and humanity. With global temperatures at an all-time high and unprecedented shifts in climate and natural disasters, this track addresses issues of urgent importance. We will engage in challenging conversations about how to balance economic growth and development with the need to preserve and repair the natural environment. We aim to uplift and amplify indigenous voices, showcasing the knowledge and practices they have upheld as stewards of the Earth since the dawn of humanity, to guide and inform our discussions. Topics may include the future of food systems and sustainable agriculture, the creation of a mainstream global circular economy, and the intersection of biodiversity and finance, among others.
Place-based and community impact
This track will focus on showcasing the impactful work being done on the ground, at the local level. We will have the opportunity to engage with and learn from local and regional leaders from around the globe in conversations that spotlight how communities are driving sustainable and systemic change and the macro-level ramifications of that impact. Topics of discussion could include local case studies around healthcare initiatives, education movements, and solutions related to homelessness as well as disaster and emergency response and preparedness, among others.
This year and every year, we come together not only to reflect and learn but also to experience and celebrate the goodness of humanity. I invite you to join us at SOCAP25. Together, let’s take action and create the meaningful impact the world needs.
As Maya Angelou said, âYou may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud. Do not complain. Make every effort to change things you do not like. If you cannot make a change, change the way you have been thinking. You might find a new solution.â
Sarah Sterling is the executive director of programming and convening at SOCAP.
