Best community Development Finance Institution Podcasts (2025)

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Trimtab goes all in on impact first + An affordable 'community of opportunity' in East Harlem 23:12

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1d ago23:12

23:12

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank and reporter Lucy Ngige. Up this week: Trimtab's unapologetic impact-first pitch to wealthy families: outperformance on impact rather than financials; How the new Sendero Verde affordable housing development is bringing to life a vision for a community of opportunity in East…

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Narrative, mastery, and character bleed in games, with Ricki Heicklen 1:31:19

3d ago1:31:19

1:31:19

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined again by Ricki Heicklen to discuss Metagame 2025, a conference where 250 attendees were divided into Purple and Orange teams competing for territories across campus. Patrick built a complete roguelike RPG in 25 days using LLMs, discovering that providing minimal world-building context transformed generic fantasy…

1
After BEAD: The Future of Broadband and Accountability - Episode 663 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 39:32

19h ago39:32

39:32

Chris Mitchell and Jordan Pittman dig into what federal broadband funding missed, why affordability still looms as the biggest barrier, and how communities can keep pushing for real accountability and digital equity. ★ Support this podcast ★By Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Why Bitcoin’s Biggest Threat- and Opportunity Might- Come from Quantum Physics 19:50

4d ago19:50

19:50

“Quantum computing is taking the laws of nature — light, heat, entanglement — and turning them into a new kind of computer. When that happens, the way we think about Bitcoin’s security will have to change forever.” — Charlie Shrem This week on The Charlie Shrem Show, we go deep into the strangest frontier yet: the intersection of Bitcoin, cryptogra…

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How to Escape the High Interest Business Loan Trap with SME Champion Steve Waud 41:17

3d ago41:17

41:17

"Absolute tosh!" Our very own Steve Waud doesn't hold back on trickle down economics, but is one of the most passionate advocates for the trickle up effect of growing and supporting small businesses. He covers launching BEF 21 years ago, initially as an 18-month project and his own journey from apprentice engineer to commercially-savvy business dev…

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Big plans for the US International Development Finance Corp. + Debt and equity “growth funds” in Africa 24:28

6d ago24:28

24:28

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Ambitious plans for the US International Development Finance Corp., or DFC, are on hold pending congressional authorization; how debt and equity “growth funds” in Africa are tapping homegrown pension funds and family offices (11:20); and why youth co-creators …

1
Bits and bricks: Oliver Habryka on LessWrong, LightHaven, and community infrastructure 1:14:44

10d ago1:14:44

1:14:44

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Oliver Habryka, who runs Lightcone Infrastructure—the organization behind both the LessWrong forum and the Lighthaven conference venue in Berkeley. They explore how LessWrong became one of the most intellectually consequential forums on the internet, the surprising challenges of running a hotel with fractal g…

1
Broadening the impact tent with Impact(ed) podcast hosts Eric Horvath and Lucas Turner-Owens 28:14

10d ago28:14

28:14

Impact(ed) co-hosts Lucas Turner-Owens and Eric Horvath join David Bank to reflect on the evolving landscape of impact investing. They discuss the pendulum between values and business case for impact, the push for broader accessibility, and the diverse voices shaping season two of their show. Check out season two of Impact(ed) wherever you listen a…

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Don’t Break the Internet - Episode 662 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 34:59

9d ago34:59

34:59

By Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Free Speech, AI Slop, and Media Power - Episode 661 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 31:44

13d ago31:44

31:44

In this episode of the podcast, Chris speaks with Karl Bode and Jordan Pittman to dig into free speech, media consolidation, and the flood of low-quality “AI slop” shaping how we experience the Internet today. ★ Support this podcast ★By Institute for Local Self-Reliance

1
Building shared prosperity with entrepreneurship through acquisition + GreenieRE's surety bonds for climate tech 22:23

16d ago22:23

22:23

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editors David Bank and Amy Cortese. Up this week: At Neighborhood Economics in Chicago, entrepreneurship through acquisition and other promising ideas are filling out the playbook for shared prosperity; How ExxonMobil's new voting program for retail investors aims to change the balance of pow…

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Building institutions that bend towards truth, with Clara Collier of Asterisk Magazine 1:12:10

18d ago1:12:10

1:12:10

Patrick McKenzie is joined by Clara Collier, editor and publisher of Asterisk Magazine, to discuss how we create institutions that bend towards truth. Clara explains why she launched a quarterly print magazine in the Internet age. She traces how 19th century German universities invented the modern infrastructure for rewarding knowledge production a…

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Flexible Embeddedness: In Conversation with Elisa Gambino 35:04

15d ago35:04

35:04

In this episode, Rory Horner speaks with Elisa Gambino about her latest paper 'Flexible embeddedness: how Chinese lead firms internationalise in Africa' with Costanza Franceschini. The ‘rise of the South’, and particularly that of China, has promoted lively debates around the centrality of Southern firms in shaping the contours of twenty first cent…

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BII’s plan for mobilizing institutional LPs amid reshuffling of global finance 23:43

16d ago23:43

23:43

British International Investment CEO Leslie Maasdorp joins David Bank to share how the UK’s development finance institution is charting it's next five years, with a focus on climate finance, de-risking investments in emerging markets and innovative approaches that can crowd in private capital at scale.…

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106: The Realities of Real Estate Development Financing in 2025 with Lakepoint Capital's Caroline Coudreau 46:27

16d ago46:27

46:27

WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION Episode 106: Matt and Taylor are joined by Caroline Coudreau. Caroline is a CPA and Corporate Debt Advisor at Lakepoint Capital from Kelowna, BC, who relocated from Vancouver 2 years ago. Caroline joined Lakepoint Capital just over a year ago, bringing with her more than a decade of exp…

1
A vibe check at NY Climate Week, and how impact is driving alpha -- with or without the label 24:20

20d ago24:20

24:20

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with Amy Cortese and Dennis Price. Up this week: How investors at Climate Week NYC shook off the Trump doldrums (. And how, from Singapore to London, even fund managers that shun the label are driving alpha with impact (12:45). Story links: “At Climate Week NYC, investors look to shake off the dol…

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How blogging went legit, with Substack CEO Chris Best 46:50

25d ago46:50

46:50

Patrick McKenzie is joined by Chris Best, CEO of Substack, to discuss how the platform created new economic infrastructure for independent media. They explore Substack's evolution from a simple newsletter tool to a full media network, the revenue guarantee program that attracted prominent writers, and the company's principled stance on press freedo…

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How Rural America Gets Left Behind - Episode 660 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 48:02

26d ago48:02

48:02

Jonathan Chambers joins us to talk fiber, satellites, and the messy truth of federal broadband policy—and why evidence, not politics, should drive how we connect rural America. ★ Support this podcast ★By Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Carbon Tracker’s Mark Campanale on the strange split screen at Climate Week NYC 28:26

24d ago28:26

28:26

As climate action shifts east and south, some would-be Climate Week attendees are staying away due to visa hassles, fears of invasive immigration procedures and risk of detention. The rollback of US climate policy likewise has global effects as the Trump administration strongarms nations into buying US gas and weakening climate policies and upends …

1
Arguing for the freedom to give, speak and invest. Plus, looking ahead to Climate Week NYC 25:45

1M ago25:45

25:45

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Foundation leaders “unite in advance” of expected attacks in the supercharged political environment; how the carbon credit platform Rubicon Carbon is using diversification and ratings to strengthen the market for voluntary carbon credits (07:20); and the bumpy…

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Prestige media, new media, and the US government, with Kelsey Piper 1:31:28

1M ago1:31:28

1:31:28

Patrick McKenzie is joined again by Kelsey Piper, who has co-founded "The Argument" to revive principled liberal discourse after witnessing how coordinated social media campaigns replaced substantive disagreement in newsrooms. Their conversation traces this institutional breakdown from media to government, examining how DOGE's spreadsheet-driven go…

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How Federal Changes Could Derail BEAD - Episode 659 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 40:53

1M ago40:53

40:53

Sarah Morris joins us to talk about the Trump administration’s push toward satellite, what it means for states on the frontlines, and why Congress’s original vision for closing the digital divide is at risk. ★ Support this podcast ★By Institute for Local Self-Reliance

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Mobilizing Millions for Climate Tech and Sustainable Fashion 17:35

1M ago17:35

17:35

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: The All Aboard Coalition's effort to mobilize $300 million for venture capital co-investments in first of a kind climate-tech projects; the role of fashion brands in supporting regenerative cotton in Peru (06:55); and why decentralized physical infrastructure …

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AI alignment, with Emmett Shear 1:27:28

1M ago1:27:28

1:27:28

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch, former interim CEO of OpenAI, who now runs Softmax AI alignment. Emmett argues that current AI safety approaches focused on "systems of control" are fundamentally flawed and proposes "organic alignment" instead—where AI systems develop genuine care for their local communiti…

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How Acumen’s Jacqueline Novogratz is blending capital to bring electricity to the hardest to reach 29:46

1M ago29:46

29:46

Jacqueline Novogratz joins David Bank to discuss Acumen's evolution over 24 years, focusing on three key areas: patient capital, scale, and systemic change.

1
Courts uphold GGRF freeze + the largest employee ownership deal yet 19:38

1M ago19:38

19:38

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: How green lenders are scrambling to salvage investable deals as a federal appeals court maintains a Trump freeze on billions of dollars from the greenhouse gas reduction fund. Employee ownership takes a big leap forward as a company with 100,000 employees s…

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Building software that survives contact with reality, with Will Wilson 1:15:41

2M ago1:15:41

1:15:41

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Will Wilson, CEO of Antithesis, to discuss the evolution of software testing from traditional approaches to cutting-edge deterministic simulation. Will explains how his team built technology that creates "time machines" for distributed systems, enabling developers to find and debug complex failures that would…

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From Surgeon to CEO: Lessons in Frameworks, Funding, and Founders with Nic Roberts-Huntley of Blueprint Finance 26:11

2M ago26:11

26:11

What happens when you take the discipline of an Oxford-trained surgeon and apply it to crypto? You get Nic Roberts-Huntley, founder of Concrete and Glow, two of the fastest-growing DeFi protocols. In this episode, Nic and Charlie dive deep into the frameworks, philosophies, and practical decisions that turn ideas into billion-dollar realities. From…

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105: Everything You Need to Know About Working with a Realtor in BC with Century 21's Dean Desrosiers 47:09

2M ago47:09

47:09

WATCH ▶️ Watch this episode on Youtube *** EPISODE DESCRIPTION Episode 105: Matt and Taylor are re-joined by Dean Desrosiers. Dean is an Owner/Partner, Associate Broker, and Coach at Century 21 Assurance Realty Ltd. from Kelowna, BC, which has been ranked one of the top 5 Century 21 franchises in all of Canada since 2019. Dean entered real estate i…

1
Roots of Impact introduces Simple Agreements for Future Impact + Impact opportunities in Peru 21:06

2M ago21:06

21:06

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editors and journalists from our team. Up this week: Jessica Pothering discusses a new financing tool from Roots of Impact, Simple Agreement for Future Impact. Eric Stein joins from Medellín to talk about impact investing trends he's been seeing during recent travels across Latin America (8:3…

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Defense, drones, and military procurement, with Bean of Naval Gazing 1:02:47

2M ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Bean, a pseudonymous defense industry expert, to explore the intellectual crossovers between military and civilian domains. The conversation reveals how the defense industry's fundamental constraint of having only one customer (a monopsony) creates entirely different incentives than tech, leading to conservat…

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Wealthy donors are buying tons of carbon just to lock it away 19:19

2M ago19:19

19:19

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with ImpactAlpha editors and journalists. Up this week: Amy Cortese discusses the “billionaire buyers club” of wealthy donors buying up tons of carbon just to lock it away. Roodgally Senatus dishes on the big changes underway at Turner MIINT (7:45). And, dealflow editor Jessica Pothering runs down…

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AI and the great developer speed-up, with Joel Becker of METR 1:04:04

2M ago1:04:04

1:04:04

This week on Complex Systems, Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Joel Becker from METR. They discuss groundbreaking research on AI coding assistants. Joel et al’s randomized controlled trial of 16 expert developers working on major open source projects revealed a counterintuitive finding: despite predictions of 24-40% speed improvements, devel…

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Gibson Connect's Rural Cooperative Model - Episode 658 of the Community Broadband Bits Podcast 26:38

2M ago26:38

26:38

Scott Goff of Gibson Connect joins the show to share how an electric co-op in Tennessee is transforming rural communities with reliable, affordable fiber broadband. He and Chris discuss overcoming state barriers, building trust, and why community-first models are key to closing the digital divide ★ Support this podcast ★…

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Unravelling African print textiles value chains - with Dr Fidèle Beletchei Ebia 15:16

2M ago15:16

15:16

Dr Elisa Gambino (GDI) interviews Dr Fidèle Beletchei Ebia, a postdoctoral researcher with Duke Africa Initiative, about her recent paper analysing how the rise of South-South value chains disrupts the trade of African print textiles. Find out more about the Global Development Institute: Website Blog BlueSky LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Newsletter I…

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How to fix blended finance + Tsao family office expands impact strategy to Africa 21:01

2M ago21:01

21:01

Host Brian Walsh takes up ImpactAlpha’s top stories with editor David Bank. Up this week: Can open deal data and standardized reporting might help fix blended finance? How the Singapore-based Tsao family office deploys its capital towards impact (10:00). And, goodbye accelerators, hello venture studios – how emerging market investors are helping st…

1
How banks actually work (and don't work) 34:59

2M ago34:59

34:59

In this solo episode, Patrick McKenzie reads his classic essay "Seeing Like a Bank," exploring why financial institutions often appear to have no memory of previous customer interactions despite being excellent at tracking money itself. He breaks down the complex web of legacy systems, tiered support structures, and regulatory constraints that crea…

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A Feminist Commodity Chain Approach to Disinformation - with Anuradha Ganapathy 39:38

2M ago39:38

39:38

In this episode, we speak to PhD researcher Anuradha Ganapathy about her recent think piece 'Beyond Digital Platforms: Unpacking Disinformation Through a Feminist Commodity Chain Approach'. Anuradha discusses alternative approaches to analysing disinformation, moving away from platform centricity and toward an understanding of gendered commodity ch…

Community Development Finance Institution Podcasts