Category: Impactfest

Global impact investing grows long term but faces a funding slowdown in 2025

Stuart Mitchell

Compared to a decade ago, venture capital (VC) funding into global impact startups has grown 300%. But for the fifth year in a row, VC investment is in decline. Impact startups have raised $33B in 2025 so far, a projected 24% drop from the previous year. Rising geopolitical tensions, scarcer resources, and volatile prices have shifted the focus of funding from a long-term transformation agenda centred around the Sustainable Development Goals to renewed goals of national security, resilience and independence. This shift is the main takeaway from the State of…

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World-First Law Banning Fossil Fuel Ads Survives Dutch Legal Challenge

Stuart Mitchell

In a groundbreaking move for climate action, the Dutch city of The Hague has successfully defended its pioneering law banning fossil fuel advertisements, setting a global precedent for cities aiming to curb the influence of high-carbon industries. The legislation, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, prohibits publicly and privately funded advertising for fossil fuel products and services with high carbon footprints, including petrol and diesel, aviation, and cruise ships, across public spaces like billboards and bus shelters. The court in The Netherlands has upheld the ban on fossil…

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We talk fossil fuel advertising with alderman Robert Barker the man behind The Hague’s groundbreaking ban

Stuart Mitchell

On September 13 last year, in a groundbreaking move that received huge international coverage, The Hague, Netherlands, became the first city globally to legally ban advertisements for fossil fuels. This legislation marks a significant milestone in the fight against climate change, addressing the powerful role of advertising in shaping public perception and consumer habits. There are implications here for ethical marketing, climate change and the face of advertising worldwide. As this is such a big deal we’re going to look into the ban, the background to it and add in…

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Our visit to The New Farm at The Hague

Stuart Mitchell

Whilst in the Netherlands for ImpactFest I was lucky enough to be invited to tour some of the amazing initiatives that are talking place across The Hague. So over the next few weeks I will be speaking about some of them and giving my view on what I saw, in some cases tasted and I’ll talk about both the ethical businesses, and what they are trying to achieve. I was so impressed with the infrastructure and the support given by the Government to the various initiatives.  Whilst there we visited…

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