Event on Impact Innovation & Investment
Overview
The significant growth of impact investing has created a paradigm shift in the traditional financial industry in which technology and capital markets are used towards generating social and environmental impact while maintaining a profitable outlook. The event on Impact Innovation and Investment will bring together a diverse group of panelists. The objective is not only to start the conversation about impact innovation investment but also to establish the dynamics of a local community around them.
Panel Focus
- Defining and scaling impact investment.
- Challenges in measuring and delivering both financial and social returns.
- Role of innovation and technology for increased momentum in the industry.
Panelists
Bahar Gidwani, Cofounder, CEO - CSRHUB
Mr. Gidwani is the Cofounder and CEO of CSRHub, the world's largest sustainability business intelligence database whose ratings and tools help professionals benchmark, evaluate, and improve company sustainability performance. He has built and run large technology-based businesses for many years, worked on Wall Street with Kidder, Peabody and McKinsey & Co., and consulted to a number of major companies. He currently serves on the board of several software and web companies.
Mr. Gidwani has an MBA from Harvard Business School, an undergraduate degree in physics and astronomy from Amherst, and holds a CFA. He was recently interviewed on Brian Lehrer TV. He plays bridge, races sailboats, and is based in New York City.
Karen Meidlinger, Managing Principal - Meidlinger Partners LLC
Dr. Meidlinger is a Founder and Managing Principal of Meidlinger Partners, LLC. Meidlinger Partners invests in, grows and develops water technology, product and service companies that have scalable solutions to clean water and wastewater in an energy efficient manner while meeting governmental standards. Prior to co-founding Meidlinger Partners in 2008, Dr. Meidlinger was an Associate at Johnson & Johnson where she spent almost four years leading innovation management projects, identifying new technologies that would drive future business growth for the corporation. Prior to her work at Johnson & Johnson, she ran the life science business incubator at the University City Science Center where she advised over 100 start-up companies, including several biotech companies that went from start up to exit, turning $432 million of VC investment into $1.2 billion.
Dr. Meidlinger earned her M.B.A. at the University of Cape Town (South Africa). She completed her Ph.D. in marine ecology at the University of Southampton (UK) and her B.Sc. in marine biology at the University of Liverpool (UK). She also completed an entrepreneurship fellowship at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Among other things, she is a professional SCUBA diver who has SCUBA-dived under ice in Antarctica.
Archna Sahay, Director of Entrepreneurial Investment--Department of Commerce, City of Philadelphia
Ms. Archna Sahay currently serves as Director of Entrepreneurial Investment for the City of Philadelphia. In this role, she is responsible for business and economic development in Philadelphia’s tech sector and acts as the City’s liaison with the entrepreneurial community. Ms. Sahay also manages the City’s StartupPHL platform, which includes the Call for Ideas grant program and a $6 million fund for investments in early stage ventures in Philadelphia.
Ellen Hwang, Program Manager for Innovation Management, Office of Innovation & Technology, City of Philadelphia
Ms. Hwang is responsible for driving and building programs that spur municipal innovation to increase government capacity, equity, and efficiency. She manages programs such as the City’s Innovation Fund, talent development initiatives, and procurement reform projects. Most recently, Ms. Hwang has taken on the role of serving as the lead program manager for Philadelphia’s Smart City Initiative. She received her Master in Community and Regional Planning from Temple University.
Details
The event will be hosted at the offices of Duane Morris in downtown Philadelphia on Thursday, May 11th. The event will start with light snacks and drinks from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM followed by the panel from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, with a portion of that time allocated to Q&As.
Date: May 11th, 2017
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm ***Doors close at 7pm sharp***
Location: Duane Morris LLP, 30 S. 17th St. Philadelphia, PA 19103, 12th Floor
Cost: $15 for Members, $20 for Partner Clubs and Non-members. Tickets include light hors d'oeuvres and refreshments.
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