YourStake Acquires First Affirmative and Relaunches Advisory Firm as Formative, the Home for Modern Values-Based Advisors
YourStake, the leading technology platform for values‑based financial advisors, announced the acquisition of First Affirmative, a pioneering RIA with over 35 years of operational and investment expertise. The combined entity will operate under the DBA name Formative, blending First Affirmative’s $1 billion in assets and deep values‑aligned portfolio capabilities with YourStake’s AI‑driven technology suite. Formative will offer advisors a full‑stack service platform covering financial planning, operations, marketing, tax, estate and private impact investing. The deal builds on the successful VADIS direct‑indexing solution, which has grown to $330 million in AUM over the past two years.
Following in China’s Footsteps: Climate Transition in EM Asia
Emerging market economies in Asia face a brief window to build climate‑resilient infrastructure before entrenched fossil‑fuel systems lock in emissions for decades. The region’s rapid GDP growth has outpaced emission reductions, creating a $1.5 trillion annual financing gap. China’s recent renewable...
Soil Wealth: Investing in Regenerative Agriculture
The article outlines a deepening U.S. farm crisis, with the Farm Bureau estimating nearly $100 billion in losses for the 2025‑26 cycle and per‑acre deficits ranging from $61 to $210. It highlights massive soil erosion—about 2 billion tons a year—costing roughly $12 billion...
Investing in the Agri-Food Transition: Climate-Aligned, Water-Resilient Strategies that Create Value for Investors and Nature
The Sustainable Water Impact Fund (SWIF), a $1 billion partnership between RRG Capital Management and The Nature Conservancy, is targeting the accelerating agri‑food transition in premium crop regions. By financing climate‑aligned, water‑resilient projects, the fund aims to protect land quality, secure...
The Capital Farmers Actually Need for Regenerative Agriculture
Mad Agriculture’s Regenerative Catalyst Fund and its for‑profit arm Mad Capital are closing the financing gap for regenerative farms. The fund provides grants and zero‑interest loans for projects such as virtual fencing, grain‑cleaning equipment, and wash‑pack stations, while Mad Capital...
Responding to Our Changing World
A family in rural Ohio has lived off‑grid for nearly a decade, powering their home with solar panels, storing rainwater, and growing most of their food. They chose this lifestyle to align with sustainability values and to build personal resilience....
Equal Exchange Turns 40: Farmers, Food and Fair Trade
Equal Exchange marks its 40th anniversary, having launched in 1986 by importing fair‑trade coffee from Nicaragua despite a U.S. embargo. Today the cooperative ecosystem includes more than 120 worker owners and generates roughly $80 million in annual trade. It sources from...
Organic Outpaces the Market: Global Sales Hit Record Highs as U.S. Crosses $76 Billion
Organic food and beverage sales reached a record €145 billion ($156.9 billion) in 2024, a 5% year‑over‑year increase that outpaces the conventional market. The United States remains the largest organic market, generating €60.4 billion ($65.4 billion) in retail sales, while Europe leads in per‑capita...
It’s Time for a Revival in Business & Beyond: SVN Conference June 2026
The Social Venture Network (SVN) will host its Global Gathering June 17‑19, 2026, at Santa Fe’s transformed Railyard. The three‑day event is designed to revive purpose‑driven entrepreneurship through intimate peer conversations, capital‑raising sessions, and partnership workshops. Registration is set at a modest $500...