This project, designed with the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB), aims to deepen knowledge, influence and impact investing across Scotland. Aligned with the Bank’s key missions, Net Zero, Innovation and Place, the series focuses on opportunities to unlock capital and build the infrastructure needed to channel more capital into impactful projects.
Why now: The role of impact capital
Impact investing in the UK is now worth £76.8 billion (2023) and growing over 10% annually. For Scotland, this is a pivotal moment – with world-class energy expertise, strong financial services and vibrant communities it is well placed to benefit.
Together, the Impact Investing Institute and the SNIB are bringing together investors, policymakers, businesses and community leaders to:
- Highlight opportunities for impact investment in Scotland.
- Share lessons and practical examples from across the ecosystem.
- Explore the architecture to channel more capital into impactful projects.
- Ensure the transition is not only green, but also fair and inclusive.
Event series
1. Transition Finance
On Monday 1 September 2025 over 50 investors and industry leaders convened to examine how impact investors – and those exploring impact-driven strategies – can be catalysts for change, supporting businesses through their transition journeys.”
Key Takeaways
- Catalytic capital is scarce
Strong demand exists for early-stage and first-of-a-kind financing, but patient, risk-tolerant capital remains limited.
- Disconnect with Scottish supply chains
Many local ventures remain excluded from mainstream finance despite their technical expertise and strategic role in the transition. This often reflects investor caution toward firms still serving high-emitting sectors, where perceived climate-related balance sheet risk limits access to capital. Bridging this gap is essential to build an investable pipeline
- Impact must be holistic
Transition finance should not only cut carbon, but also deliver positive outcomes for workers, communities, and places, ensuring that no region is left behind.
- Policy uncertainty constrains investment
Shifting taxation, transmission charges and polarised Net Zero debates undermine investor confidence. Stability and predictability are essential for long-term capital flows
- Proof points build momentum
Examples like North Star show how catalytic investment can de-risk strategies, crowd in private finance, and create jobs. More credible transition plans are needed across the market.
EVENT RECOMMENDations
- Convene key stakeholders in Aberdeen to explore ways to enable capital flow into transition projects and businesses – it is recommended that Transition Finance Scotland, and the SNIB, together with key partners, share objectives to accelerate finance for Scotland’s shift toward a more decarbonised and sustainable economy. It could also lay the groundwork for a permanent transition finance network in Aberdeen, designed to drive further investment into businesses and projects navigating the move to a low-carbon future.
- Consider the role of the Transition Finance Lab as a route to unlocking capital for the wider energy transition – it has been proposed by the Green Finance Institute that Transition Finance Scotland may have a role to play in convening investors, policymakers, and real economy actors to identify projects for consideration by the Transition Finance Lab. The Lab, recommended by the UK’s Transition Finance Market Review, intends to focus on testing first-of-a kind transactions to identify replicable approaches. It aims to pilot innovative financial solutions to de-risk projects, attract private capital, and accelerate investment at scale.
- Continue to develop and share key regional investment intelligence – it is recommended that the SNIB, together with key partners should continue to develop and share key insights on the investment landscape in Aberdeen, while also exploring broader opportunities emerging across Scotland. This would help inform strategic decision-making and unlock targeted investment to support the region’s transition ambitions. It could also lay the groundwork for a more structured programme to support transition finance planning, subject to feasibility and further discussion.
- Leverage existing just transition and transition planning frameworks. It is recommended to make practical use of established frameworks to guide both company transition plans and investor decision-making, including:
- The Transition Plan Taskforce Framework, outlines what companies should include in credible transition plans.
- The Transition Finance Council Draft Guidelines, offers direction for financial institutions assessing the credibility of company transition plans with final guidelines expected in March 2026.
- The Institute’s Just Transition Criteria provides investors with a practical framework for aligning capital with socially inclusive climate action.
2. Place-based investment
Details of the place-based impact investment session will be shared once confirmed.
3. Innovation
Details of the innovation session will be shared once confirmed.
