How a Monthly Coffee Morning Is Building Singapore's Impact Investing Ecosystem
Impact Investing Coffee Mornings Singapore (IISG) has won the 2026 MAIA for Green Financial Literacy, recognising a grassroots community that is redefining how financial literacy in impact investing is built: not through top-down teaching, but through conversation.
Founded in August 2024 by Holly Smith, and co-run with Pranav Kalra and Amana Shabeer, IISG began as an informal meetup and has grown into one of Singapore’s most recognised entry points into the impact investing ecosystem. The premise is simple. Once a month, a deliberately mixed group of finance professionals, NGO workers, founders, consultants, academics and curious newcomers gather over coffee. There are no panels, no presentations and no pitching. Just open, facilitated discussion.
A different kind of financial space
Many financial spaces prioritise networking or surface-level discussion, leaving people without the confidence to engage meaningfully. IISG was created as an alternative: a space where learning is accessible, applied and grounded in lived experience.
The format is intentionally informal, but the design behind it is anything but casual. Sessions follow curated themes shaped by participant voices. Facilitation techniques such as hot seats and rotating discussions keep conversation flowing across experience levels. Community guidelines prohibit solicitation, investment pitching and promotional behaviour, keeping every session educational and non-commercial. An active WhatsApp community sustains the learning between gatherings.
The result is a high-trust environment where complex concepts become understandable. Beginners gain exposure and confidence. Experienced practitioners get fresh perspectives.
As one participant, Donna, describes it: “You get perspectives from across the ecosystem, and each gathering explores a different theme within impact investing, all in a relaxed atmosphere with natural, flowing conversation.”
Designed for inclusion
One of IISG’s most striking features is who shows up. The community is approximately 70 to 80 per cent female, a rarity in finance spaces. That is no accident. Sessions are held on weekday mornings, are alcohol-free, and prioritise discussion over transactional networking. A child-friendly approach further reduces barriers for caregivers.
Since launch, the community has grown to over 150 members, with 15 to 20 participants attending each month and a healthy mix of returning and new faces. While rooted in Singapore, IISG draws members from across the Asia-Pacific region, some joining digitally, others attending alongside business travel.
Why it matters
Impact financial literacy is critical to sustainable development. Capital is deployed across public and private systems, by institutions and individuals, yet many people lack the understanding needed to engage with how that capital is structured, allocated and measured. Without it, opportunities for positive environmental and social impact are missed. By making this knowledge accessible, IISG enables more people to participate in shaping where money flows.
What’s next
The award arrives as IISG approaches its second birthday. Over the next three years, the team plans to pilot member-led training, experiment further with facilitation, and host a one-day, participant-driven “unconference” to showcase the community’s depth. Growth will be intentional: the initiative is volunteer-led, supported by a co-host model and a scalable, community-driven format.
“Winning the MAIA for Green Financial Literacy feels awesome,” says Holly Smith. “As a grassroots initiative, it is an honour to be recognised for our efforts and the role we play in ecosystem building and impact financial literacy. We are excited to keep building Singapore’s impact investing ecosystem, one coffee morning at a time.”
Find out more about Impact Investing Coffee Mornings Singapore on their Luma page.