Ao longo do tempo atribuiu-se a geração de valor econômico-financeiro às organizações empresariais atuantes no mercado das relações capitalistas e a geração de valor social às organizações do terceiro setor. Essa aparente dualidade vem sendo questionada no âmbito do empreendedorismo, provocando o surgimento do fenômeno do investimento de impacto como uma alternativa que possibilita a alocação de capital em iniciativas e empreendimentos, os chamados negócios sociais, que visam criar impacto social positivo acompanhado de retorno financeiro. A emergência de investidores e empreendedores de negócios sociais tem provocado polêmicas e reflexões acerca da avaliação de impacto, da taxa de retorno do investimento de impacto e também de conceitos essenciais para fundamentar as operações de investimento, como valor social e impacto socioambiental. Neste cenário, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo analisar as percepções dos diferentes grupos de atores do ecossistema brasileiro de negócios sociais e investimento de impacto sobre esses temas e sobre suas experiências no setor - desafios, oportunidades e aprendizados. Foi desenhada uma pesquisa exploratória de abordagem qualitativa, cujo problema de investigação foi o levantamento de opiniões, percepções e expectativas de representantes de três grupos de atores desse ecossistema: investidores interessados em negócios sociais; empreendedores e executivos de negócios sociais; e representantes de organizações intermediárias, como aceleradoras e fundos de investimento. A partir da construção de um referencial teórico e da análise de dados secundários sobre o fenômeno estudado, realizou-se o levantamento de dados primários aplicando-se um roteiro para entrevista semiestruturada em uma amostra intencional composta por dezoito pessoas. A análise das respostas evidenciou que há uma grande diversidade de entendimentos sobre o conceito de valor social e que alguns entrevistados tendem a usar esse termo como sinônimo de impacto social. A maioria dos entrevistados ressaltou elementos relacionados ao acesso à educação, aos serviços de saúde e aos direitos de cidadania. Mas nenhum se referiu à gestão de resíduos sólidos como elemento gerador de valor social. Talvez por se tratar de empreendimentos relativamente recentes, não foi possível identificar em que grau os investidores de impacto estão contribuindo para que esses negócios potencializem a geração de valor social aos beneficiários finais. No entanto, todos os negócios sociais que receberam investimento de impacto afirmaram que os investidores estão contribuindo para o desenvolvimento de seus negócios. Sobre a taxa de retorno do investimento, as opiniões dos entrevistados divergiram, mas a maioria deles entende que, no médio e longo prazo, as taxas de retorno deveriam seguir as taxas médias de mercado. A avaliação de impacto pré-investimento ainda é mais aproximativa do que baseada em indicadores de impacto social, porém todos os atores dos grupos de oferta de capital e demanda de capital que receberam investimento afirmaram que a geração de valor social é monitorada pelos investidores após o aporte de recursos. Os principais desafios apontados foram o acesso e o volume de capital, as restrições próprias do contexto econômico brasileiro e a imaturidade do setor. Todos consideram, porém, que o setor de negócios sociais e os investimentos de impacto têm futuro promissor no Brasil, seja pela necessidade de resolução dos inúmeros problemas sociais e ambientais, seja pelo tamanho do mercado de potenciais beneficiários dessas iniciativas. Nesse sentido, o presente trabalho espera contribuir para o avanço teórico e prático das questões e dilemas enfrentados pelo empreendedorismo social e pelo setor de investimento de impacto, bem como para fomentar o ecossistema brasileiro de Finanças Sociais. / Commonly, the creation of economic and financial value has been attributed to companies acting in the capitalist market relations while the creation of social value has been attributed to third sector organizations. This seeming duality is being questioned in the light of entrepreneurship, causing the emergence of the impact investing phenomenon as an alternative that allows capital to be allocated to initiatives and ventures, the so-called social businesses, which aim to create positive social impact together with financial returns. The rise of investors and entrepreneurs of social businesses has caused controversies and reflections about the impact evaluation, the rate of return for impact investments, and also the core concepts that support investment operations, such as social value and socio-environmental impact. In this scenario, this study aimed to analyze the perceptions of different groups of actors within the Brazilian social business and impact investing ecosystem related to these themes and their experiences in the sector - challenges, opportunities, and learnings. An exploratory research of qualitative approach has been designed, which research problem was a survey of opinions, perceptions and expectations of representatives of three groups of actors of this ecosystem: investors interested in social businesses; entrepreneurs and executives from social businesses; and representatives from intermediary organizations, such as accelerators and investment funds. Based on the construction of a theoretical framework and the analysis of secondary data on the studied phenomenon, a primary research has been conducted applying a script for semi-structured interview in an intentional sample of eighteen people. The analysis of the answers showed that there is a great diversity of understandings about the concept of social value and that some interviewees tend to use this term as a synonym for social impact. Most of the interviewees highlighted elements related to access to education, health services, and citizenship rights. But none of them referred to the solid waste management as a generator of social value. Perhaps because these are relatively recent ventures, it was not possible to identify the extent to which impact investors are contributing to the growth of social value creation to the final beneficiaries. However, all social businesses that received impact investments stated that investors are contributing to the development of their businesses. Regarding the rate of return on investment, the respondents\' opinions diverged, but most of them understood that, in the medium and long term, rates of return should follow average market rates. The pre-investment impact evaluation is still more approximate than based on social impact metrics, but all actors from the groups of investors and of social businesses which received investments stated that the generation of social value is monitored by investors after capital contribution. The main challenges are the access and volume of capital, the constraints of the Brazilian economic context, and the immaturity of the sector. However, all of them consider that the social business sector and impact investments have a promising future in Brazil, whether due to the need to solve the numerous social and environmental problems or due to the size of the market of potential beneficiaries of these initiatives. In this sense, this work hopes to contribute to the theoretical and practical advancement of the issues and dilemmas faced by the social entrepreneurship and the impact investment sector, as well as to foster the Brazilian Social Finance ecosystem.

As the world becomes more connected, issues surrounding sustainable development are coming to the fore of global discussions. This is exemplified in strategies such as the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), released in 2015, which created a framework for global development that defines specific goals for issues like poverty, climate change, and social justice. To complement the analysis that went into defining the SDGs, capital allocations around the world are becoming more impact focused so that the paradigm of development is shifting from donations to impact investments. The push for impact, however, has led to a homogenization of global challenges like reproductive health and poverty. This, in turn, has led to a standardization of information resulting in agencies designing interventions based on data and information that is misguided because of incorrect assumptions about a specific context. This paper explores how the decision-making mechanisms of global development agencies and investors could apply more anthropological processes to mitigate negative impact. As the development sector becomes more and more standardized, anthropologists can act as translators between affected communities and the institutions deciding how best to help them.

Economic growth and development are strategic for the overall development of a country. Micro, small and medium enterprises play a surmountable role in economic growth and development. Among other contributions, they provide jobs in an economy. Several developing countries, such as Eritrea, face limited private sector growth, yet also have the need to invest in the creation of enough and decent job for youths. Hence, this study intended to identify the prominent factors that deter the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises as well as the connection between their growth and youth employment, using a case study of Eritrea. The study used econometric research method. Through stratified sampling and a questionnaire, it collected data from 76 micro, small and medium enterprises. In the analysis, it used ordinal and binary logistic regressions, chi-square and correlation tests. The study concludes that there is no sufficient evidence that the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises influences youth employment. It finds that the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises is deterred by obstructive access to raw materials, obstructive banking regulations and obstructive general business regulations and policies. The study recommends improvement of the macro-economic conditions for pro-business sector growth, establishment of a policy on development of micro, small and medium enterprises, and a gradual liberalization of the private economy. Further, it proposes an impact investing based growth model of micro, small and medium enterprises to increase certainty on employment creation contribution. It suggests that an investment in micro, small and medium enterprises for youth employment creation that does not address the identified deterrents faces a significant impact risk.

Interviews with impact investors have been conducted to gain a clearer understanding of how socially sustainable investments are made taking into account the identity and gender views of impact investors. The gender lens applied to the study aimed to investigate how gender has been taken into account during company audits and before investment decisions by the impact investors. Furthermore, social identity theory has formed the basis for the deductive study that has been carried out. It has been used to study the impact investors' self-image and how they acted in their professional role in order to gain a deeper understanding of the origin of the impact investors' actions in relation to their identity. These actions have been thematised and examined in terms of criteria, actions, challenges and measures. The recurring factor that most influenced both the company assessment and investment decisions was the dual goals of impact investors, financial return and impact. The clearest contribution the study made was that there is a clearer link between impact investors' self-image and their profession compared to other professionals. How this affects impact investors' actions could not be discerned. Furthermore, the study also found that gender is not taken into account during company audits and investment decisions to the extent that previous research has shown. Risk understanding, potentially increased returns and social sustainability are possible outcomes that gender lens investments contribute to. The study's findings suggest that impact investors were aware of this, yet few of the study's respondents were willing to consider gender when making investment decisions. / Intervjuer med impact-investerare har genomförts för att skapa en tydligare förståelse för hur socialt hållbara investeringar sker med hänsyn till impact-investerarnas identitet och syn på genus. Den genuslins som applicerats på studien avsåg att undersöka hur genus har beaktats under företagsbesiktningar och inför investeringsbeslut av impact-investerarna. Vidare har social identitetsteori legat till grund för den deduktiva studie som gjorts. Den har nyttjats för att studera impact-investerarnas självbild och hur de agerade i sin yrkesroll för att få en djupare förståelse för härkomsten av impact-investerarens aktioner i relation till sin identitet. Dessa aktioner har tematiserats och undersökts utifrån kriterier, handlingar, effekter och åtgärder. Den återkommande faktorn som påverkade både företagsbesiktningen och investeringsbesluten i störst utsträckning var de dubbla målen impact-investerare arbetar mot, finansiell avkastning och impact. Det tydligaste bidraget studien medförde var att det fanns en tydlig koppling mellan impact- investerarnas självbild och förhållandet till deras yrkesgrupp och kultur. Hur det påverkar impact-investerarnas aktioner kunde inte urskiljas. Fortsättningsvis fann studien även att genus inte tas i beaktning under företagsbesiktningar och inför investeringsbeslut i den utsträckning som tidigare forskning visat. Riskförståelse, potentiellt ökad avkastning samt social hållbarhet är möjliga utfall som genuslinsinvesteringar bidrar till. Studiens resultat tyder på att impact-investerarna var medvetna om detta. Trots det var få av studiens respondenter villiga att beakta genus inför investeringsbeslut.

I och med ökad takt av klimatförändringar, global fattigdom och stigande havsnivåer har intresset och vikten av att investera hållbart ökat markant den senaste tiden, både för de stora och små investerarna. Den snabba tillväxten av hållbara investeringar har lett till problem som falsk marknadsföring, greenwashing, olika typer av miljö- och ESG-hets samt uppenbarat en avsaknad av standardiserade regelverk för sådana typer av investeringar. Detta är ett problem som privata investerare, stora investerare och andra investeringsorganisationer och institut uppmärksammar världen över. Den tidigare forskning tyder på att, trots att det finns verktyg som främjar hållbara bolag och kriterier för att sålla bort ohållbara bolag, verktygen varierar i kvalitet och omfattning. Det är därför svårt att säkerställa att hållbara investeringarna är genomgående hållbara. Forskningen tyder även på att Impact Investing aktörerna är för outforskade och att det krävs forskning som kartlägger hur aktörerna arbetar idag med kriterier och processen, och om de stämmer överens med definitioner av begreppet som tydligt avskiljer dem från andra hållbara investeringar såsom ESG-fonder. Syftet med studien var att undersöka investeringsprocessen och hållbarhetskriterierna som Impact investerare samt ESG-fondförvaltare implementerar för deras investeringar. Detta undersöktes genom intervjuer med aktörer från både investeringsgrupperna på den svenska marknaden. Detta för att kunna klargöra hur Impact Investing utvecklar hållbara investeringar. Det vi kan konstatera är att de till stor del använder likande processer men på olika sätt och med olika reglering. Impact investerarna lämnar inget utrymme för negativ hållbarhetspåverkan och vidtar resursintensiva processer för att säkerställa mätbarheten och den positiva påverkan på hållbarhet för varje investeringarna. Studiens resultat visar på att Impact investerarnas processer och kriterier är klart mer omfattande, och ställer högre krav på mätbarhet samt påvisad hållbarhetspåverkan, än ESG-fondförvaltarnas processer och kriterier.  Däremot saknar Impact Investing i dagsläget mycket av den övergripande regleringen och möjliggörande system för att kunna styra om det stora kapitalet inom finansvärlden. Det finns ett behov av ytterligare reglering samt systemutveckling för Impact Investings fortsatta tillväxt och legitimitet som en investeringsmetod som kan redovisa mätbar positiv påverkan på hållbarhet. Resultaten visar på att det finns ett behov av båda investeringsformer, och att de uppfyller olika funktion, därmed är det även viktigt att tydligt urskilja investeringsformerna för att minska tidigare nämnda greenwashing, något som vi gjort i denna studie. Bland annat visar studiens resultat på att ESG-fonder är mer lättillgängliga för privatinvesterare än Impact Investing, åtminstone för majoriteten av de investerare denna studie undersökt. Men även att ESG-fonderna i denna studie fungerar mer som en traditionell fond som följer vissa hållbarhetskriterier, medan Impact investerarna i denna studie är mer nischad och riktar sig till en specifik typ av bolag som kan generera mätbar positiv påverkan på prioriterade samhällsproblem.  Slutligen kan vi konstatera att studiens resultat tyder på att de Impact investerare som undersökts arbetar med Impact Investing på ett sätt som tydligt utvecklar hållbara investeringar mot att likna finansiell redovisning. Investeringar utifrån Impact Investing börjar likna finansiell redovisning i att de blir alltmer mätbara, och avkastning vad gäller hållbarhet mäts även i större utsträckning. Denna utveckling sker genom processer som enskilda aktörer antar, men även regleringar och ramverk som olika organisationer ämnar införa som standard.

The concept Enviromental, Social and Governance (ESG) has become an issue of growing importance and relevance, with sustainability-related investments soaring in the recent decade. In Sweden, private equity represents a large portion of the capital markets. As a result, private equity is an intriguing case study in developing ESG investments. This thesis analyzes how different Nordic private equity companies work with ESG within the investing process. The fundamental causes of ESG's ascent and the momentum of the investing theme were found via a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with eight private equity associates and seven with traditional- and investment banks. According to the findings, the current incentive is driven by more significant knowledge of ESG-related risks and possibilities, altering personal beliefs and legislative expectations. Given the sector's possibility to influence change inside their investment firms via governance-, operational-, financial-, and ESG-methods, the respondents found a point of agreement in their confidence that ESG would have a substantial long-term influenceon the private equity industry. Even though the private equity industry is aware of sustainability, stakeholders have yet to agree on definitions and the most effective ways to incorporate it into investment operations. ESG is virtually entirely evaluated for typical private equity firms during the pre-investment process, often known as the screening phase. While specialized sustainability and impact partners are integrated across the investment process, their peers may learn from them since they have successfully done so. The disparity among stakeholders illustrates that private equity sustainability is still a work in progress, driven by the varied stakeholders' specific interests and aspirations. / Konceptet Enviromental, Social and Governance (ESG) har blivit en fråga av växande betydelse och relevans, med hållbarhets-relaterade investeringar som skjutit i höjden under det senaste decenniet. I Sverige utgör private equity en stor del av kapitalmarknaderna. Detta gör private equity till en spännande fallstudie av utvecklingen av ESG i investeringsprocesser. Detta examensarbete analyserar hur olika nordiska private equity-bolag arbetar med ESG inom investeringsprocessen. De grundläggande orsakerna till ESG:s uppgång och den snabba utvecklingen inom den här typen av investeringar hittades via en kvalitativ studie baserad på semistrukturerade intervjuer med åtta private equity-bolag och sju med traditionella- och investeringsbanker. Enligt resultaten drivs det nuvarande incitamentet av mer betydande kunskap om ESGrelateraderisker och möjligheter, vilket förändrar personliga övertygelser och lagstiftande förväntningar. Med tanke på sektorns möjlighet att påverka förändringar inom sina företag via styrning-, operationella-, finansiella- och ESG-metoder, fann de intervjuade en gemensam syn till sitt förtroende att ESG kommer ha ett betydande långsiktigt inflytande på private equity-industrin. Även om private equity-branschen är medveten om hållbarhet, har intressenterna ännu inte kommit överens om definitioner och de mest effektiva sätten att införliva det i investeringsverksamheten. ESG utvärderas praktiskt taget helt för typiska private equity-företag under förinvesteringsprocessen, ofta känd som screeningsfasen. Även om specialiserade hållbarhets- och påverkanspartners är integrerade i investerings-processen, kan deras konkurrenter lära av dem, eftersom de har lyckats med det. Skillnaden mellan intressenter illustrerar att hållbarhet inom private equity fortfarande är ett pågående arbete, driven av de olika intressenternas specifika intressen och ambitioner.

Impact investing is an important theme in the financial industry because it seeks to achieve both financial returns and positive social and environmental impacts. The purpose of this study is to investigate the decision-making processes of impact investing firms in Europe and Brazil, focusing on asset allocation and the complexities of achieving dual returns. The study was based on multitask contract theory and followed a qualitative methodology, including interviews with key personnel from impact investing firms. Organizations can use these findings to improve decision-making, enhance business operations, and manage risks effectively.

Over the past decade, Social Impact Investing (SII) has garnered increasing attention among public policy makers as a solution for multigenerational, complex, intractable social and environmental problems, or as some advocates like to say, ‘wicked’ problems. The growing interest in SII aligns with the expansion, since the 1980s, of a set of public sector reforms that make use of new public policy instruments to achieve public objectives. Neoliberal economists and New Public Management (NPM) theorists have long argued for these reforms to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government bureaucracies. These reforms have led to a paradigm shift that Lester M. Salamon has labeled ‘New Governance’, characterized by public policies that make use of market mechanisms, partnerships with new actors, networks and flexible rules. Public administration scholars have suggested focusing on public policy instruments instead of the traditional focus on programs and institutions to gain an understanding of the dynamics of the ‘New Governance’ paradigm and to address important questions that go beyond the dimensions of effectiveness and efficiency. This dissertation draws on Lester M. Salamon’s framework for analyzing public policy instruments combined with a conceptual framework developed by the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD). The thesis uses this framework to assess the SII market by examining three cases of Canadian federal public policy instruments designed and implemented to achieve socio-economic objectives. These policy instruments provide either a cash transfer or a tax incentive to create investment funds mandated to invest with a purpose of making a return and achieving a positive social outcome. The dissertation employs a qualitative research approach and case study method to explore questions of equity and effectiveness to produce findings and recommendations useful to pubic administration scholars who focus their research on public policy instruments and to public policy makers who are considering policy options for structuring and growing the SII market. Data was collected through an extensive document review and 19 semistructured interviews. A dimensional analysis, SII analysis and discourse analysis of the data were undertaken. The researcher made the choice of undertaking a discourse analysis in order to fill a gap in the public policy instrument literature and inform the debate on SII. This dissertation contributes to the body of knowledge on public policy instruments and SII by presenting the results of a comparative analysis of three public policy instruments that created investment funds mandated to produce socio-economic outcomes.

The construct social impact has been shaping debates and supporting decision making in many segments of society. From research agendas in academia to the missions of corporations, social impact is easily presented as one of the centers of concern. Despite all this relevance, little is known about social impact\'s conceptual and paradigmatic approaches that frame the social impact academic research agenda and, similarly, the meaning-making processes that lead academics and practitioners\' understanding of social impact. This thesis fills this gap in three parts: first, by characterizing the academic research agenda on social impact over the years and building a snapshot of its paradigmatic orientation; second, by studying the academic discourse to understand the academic meaning-making processes of the social impact concept; third, by analyzing the discourse of practitioners from the Brazilian social finance ecosystem to unveil regularities and differences on their processes of signification of social impact and how these meanings affect their practices. To characterize the academic research agenda on social impact, I use bibliometric techniques and structured literature review. The contributions of this characterization are both the methodology applied and discussions on how social impact studies can advance. I show that research on social impact is rapidly expanding and integrate insights from environmental, social and economic related areas. Besides its interdisciplinary trait, the social impact research is mostly of positivist nature, especially interested in assessment. These results inform how social impact research can advance and proposes more subjective inquiries to complement the positivist studies, as more comprehensive approaches increase the potential for integrating scientific knowledge into decision making. To address the need for interpretative studies about social impact, I analyze the discourse of academic literature on social impact. To this end, I apply the social constructivist lenses and the sociology of knowledge approach to discourse (SKAD). The analysis shows that, at least, three different classifications of social impact emerge from the academic discursive construction: 1) social impact as a dynamic force; 2) social impact as a side-effect of development; and 3) social impact as a performance metric. Besides some expected differences across different research fields, I also observe regularities: social impact is perceived as measurable, multifaceted and interaction-dependent. Finally, these uncovered regularities, particularly in works related to social entrepreneurship that construct social impact as a metric of performance, puts social impact as the key concept that connects the actors in these scenarios. Thus, I also apply social constructivist lenses and SKAD to gain insights on the construction of social impact by Brazilian impact investors and social entrepreneurs. In summary, I find that differences in the meaning-making process of social impact influence the way in which social problems are understood, as well as the designing of solutions and, consequently, the metrics to assess such solutions. Also, I observe how different meaning-makings of social impact shape investor-investee relationships. This thesis concludes with guidelines on how future academic research, social impact investors and social entrepreneurs can benefit from the important aspects uncovered through the analysis of their discourses / O construto impacto social tem moldado os debates e apoiando a tomada de decisões em muitos segmentos da sociedade. Desde agendas de pesquisa acadêmica até às missões das corporações, impacto social é colocado como um dos centros de interesse. Apesar da relevância, pouco se conhece sobre as abordagens conceituais e paradigmáticas da agenda de pesquisas acadêmicas sobre o tema impacto social, ou como sobre como acadêmicos e profissionais constroem diferentes entendimentos de impacto social. Esta tese preenche essa lacuna em três estágios: primeiro, caracterizando a agenda de pesquisa acadêmica sobre o impacto social ao longo dos anos e construindo um retrato de sua orientação paradigmática; segundo, estudando o discurso acadêmico para compreender como a comunidade acadêmica constrói significados de impacto social; terceiro, analisando o discurso de atores do ecossistema brasileiro de finanças sociais para desvelar seus processos de significação do termo impacto social, bem como os efeitos desses significados em suas práticas. Para caracterizar a agenda de pesquisa acadêmica sobre impacto social, eu utilizo técnicas bibliométricas e revisão estruturada da literatura. Eu mostro que a pesquisa sobre impacto social está se expandindo rapidamente e integra contribuições de diferentes áreas de pesquisa. Além de seu traço interdisciplinar, a pesquisa de impacto social é majoritariamente de natureza positivista, especialmente interessada em avaliação. Esses resultados informam como a pesquisa de impacto social pode avançar e propõe lentes de pesquisa mais interpretativas para complementar os estudos positivistas e aumentar o potencial de integração do conhecimento científico na tomada de decisão. Como um primeiro passo para preencher a lacuna de estudos interpretativos sobre impacto social, eu analiso o discurso da literatura acadêmica sobre impacto social. Para tanto, aplico as lentes do construtivismo social e da Sociologia do Conhecimento Aplicada do Discurso (SKAD). A análise mostra que, pelo menos, três classificações diferentes de impacto social emergem da construção discursiva acadêmica: 1) o impacto social como uma força dinâmica; 2) impacto social como efeito colateral do desenvolvimento; e 3) impacto social como uma métrica de desempenho. Além de algumas diferenças esperadas em diferentes campos de pesquisa, também observo regularidades: o impacto social é percebido como mensurável, multifacetado e dependente de interação entre agentes. Finalmente, essas regularidades descobertas, particularmente em trabalhos relacionados ao empreendedorismo social que constroem o impacto social como uma métrica de desempenho, colocam o impacto social como o conceito-chave que conecta os atores nesse cenário. Assim, eu também aplico as lentes do construtivismo social e SKAD para entender como se dá a construção do impacto social por investidores de impacto e empreendedores sociais brasileiros. Em resumo, percebo que as diferenças no processo de construção de significado de impacto social influenciam a maneira como os problemas sociais são compreendidos, bem como a concepção de soluções e, consequentemente, as métricas para avaliar tais soluções. Além disso, observo como os diferentes significados do impacto social modelam as relações entre investidor e investido. Esta tese conclui com orientações sobre como futuros pesquisadores, investidores de impacto social e empreendedores sociais podem se beneficiar dos aspectos descobertos através da análise de seus discursos

O investimento de impacto é um conceito intermediário entre investimento tradicional e filantropia, e ainda representa uma fração pequena dos valores movimentados nas outras duas áreas. No entanto, é uma área que vem crescendo muito rapidamente e ganhando adeptos não só entre as organizações sociais, mas também nos mercados privado e governamental, e estima-se que essa modalidade de investimento possa movimentar cerca de um trilhão de dólares em 2020. Se o grande diferencial entre o investimento de impacto e o tradicional é justamente o impacto positivo gerado, para que o desenvolvimento do campo seja efetivo, urge um melhor entendimento do que é este impacto e como avaliá-lo. Assim, com a visão de contribuir com a discussão acerca da avaliação do impacto social na seara dos investimentos de impacto, o presente trabalho buscou responder à questão de pesquisa \"Como realizar a avaliação prévia (due diligence) do impacto social de um novo projeto?\". Para tanto, foi proposto um modelo de análise do impacto baseado na experiência do Acumen Fund, que foi aplicado no projeto de tecnologia assistiva mDREET, desenvolvido pelo negócio social Solar Ear. O foco do trabalho foi a fase inicial da avaliação dos investimentos, a due diligence, e o resultado obtido foi a demonstração, na prática, de um modelo simples de avaliação, que se mostrou válido para disseminar a compreensão do processo que leva ao impacto social esperado. Por demandar poucos recursos financeiros e de tempo, uma vez entendido, este modelo pode ser adaptado e replicado em diferentes contextos. / Impact investing is a recent concept, intermediary between traditional investment and philanthropy, and, in terms of assets under management, represents a small fraction from both other areas. Nevertheless, it has been growing at a high pace, and not only amongst the third sector. The private and public sector have been making some moves towards this direction and the estimated potential of this market is around one trillion dollars by 2020. If the big difference between impact investing and traditional investing is the intentional social and environmental positive impact, to enable a consistent growth, there is an urgent need to better define what this impact means and how to measure it. In order to contribute to this discussion, the current work aims to answer the research question \"How to make the due diligence of a new project\'s social impact?\". To accomplish this goal, the author proposes an impact evaluation model based on Acumen Fund practices. This framework was applied in mDREET, an assistive technology project developed by a social business named Solar Ear. The focus has been placed on the tools used in the due diligence phase and as a result, it is presented a simple and low cost process for social impact due diligence, which can be further refined as the company progress in the investment analysis pipeline. Once this process is understood, it can be adapted and used in different occasion/context.