Highlighting Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change initiatives, ideas, alumni, and faculty members featured in the news.
April 2025
Why Climate Finance Is Key To Fighting Climate Change
Columbia Climate School: State of the Planet, April 16, 2025
Climate finance is key to solving the climate crisis — but funding isn’t flowing where it’s needed most. Columbia University is tackling this with a new MS in climate finance, launching in fall 2025, aiming to train leaders to unlock capital for global solutions. Professor Bruce Usher highlights the challenge: “There’s enough money — it’s just not going to the right places.”
Invest In Asia’s Best-Kept Secret: Bangladesh’s Health Care Boom
Forbes, April 14, 2025
Bangladesh’s health care sector is experiencing rapid growth, driven by a burgeoning middle class and increasing demand for quality services. Sylvana Q. Sinha, '04LAW, founder of Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio member Praava Health, is at the forefront of this transformation, leading efforts to modernize the industry. Her work emphasizes the importance of investing in health care to support the nation's economic development and improve patient outcomes.
The God Box
How We Survive Podcast, April 9, 2025
In this podcast on climate solutions, Professor Bruce Usher weighs in on the history of ESG investing.
Paving the Way to Fusion Energy
Columbia Business School, April 1, 2025
In a conversation with Professor Bruce Usher, Bob Mumgaard, CEO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, laid out three key insights into the opportunities and challenges facing the clean energy transition.
March 2025
The 2025 Queens Power 100
City & State, March 17, 2025
Ben Thomases '03, executive director of Queens Community House, is included in this list of top community leaders in Queens. Queens Community House is one of the borough's largest nonprofits, with 40 sites boroughwide.
Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Vasudha Mathur, Columbia Business School
Poets&Quants, March 14, 2025
"One of the key reasons I chose Columbia Business School was its commitment to building responsible businesses and leaders. Personally, I am interested in how consumer products businesses can integrate climate-friendly practices that are financially viable. Columbia stands out as one of the few schools with a robust curriculum and faculty focused on climate and business, making it a core pillar of its approach to the future. This emphasis extends beyond environmental sustainability to all areas of business responsibility, aligning perfectly with my goals of driving positive change through business," says Vasudha Mathur '26.
Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Yusuke Mizui, Columbia Business School
Poets&Quants, March 14, 2025
Yusuke Mizui '26 says that Professor Bruce Usher’s Impact Investing course is one of the classes he's most excited to take at CBS.
Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Josue Silva, Columbia Business School
Poets&Quants, March 14, 2025
"As someone who aims to build a business, I am excited to take classes in the VC and entrepreneurship space, including Investing in Social Ventures and Launch Your Startup," says Josue Silva '26, on how the curriculum was a key component in choosing CBS.
Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Misan Bolorunfe, Columbia Business School
Poets&Quants, March 14, 2025
Misan Bolorunfe '26 explains that a key reason they chose CBS was because of "its hands-on commitment to social impact, which aligns perfectly with my ambitions. Programs like those offered by the Tamer Institute and the Bernstein Center provide students with the resources to explore where profitability meets purpose. This focus resonates deeply with me, as I’m passionate about using business as a tool for positive change, and CBS offers practical ways to deepen that commitment."
Meet the MBA Class of 2026: Tiffany Bauman, Columbia Business School
Poets&Quants, March 14, 2025
"The opportunity I’m most excited about is being selected as a Three Cairns Fellow through the Tamer Institute for Social Enterprise and Climate Change. This fellowship focuses on projects at the intersection of climate change and business and aligns well with my passion for sustainability and creating impact. My team will spend the next year evaluating the potential of geothermal energy as a renewable alternative," says Tiffany Bauman '26, on what program excites them the most at CBS.
Net Impact Announces the 2024 Chapter of the Year Winners
Net Impact, March 6, 2025
Columbia Business School's Social Enterprise Club (SEC) was awarded the Net Impact US Graduate Chapter of the Year award! Led by co-presidents Tadesh Inagaki '25 and Francesca Pipino '25, the club supports 300 MBA student members with a mission to apply their B-school learnings to real-world impact. The chapter collaborates closely with the Tamer Institute to support impactful initiatives, such as the Nonprofit Board Leadership Program (NBLP), where members consult with nonprofits and gain exposure to board service; Pangea Advisors, the School's pro bono international consulting organization; and the LEO Impact Fund, the student-run impact investing fund. The chapter also organizes the annual "Capital for Good Conference," about social innovation, featuring speakers from the New York Green Bank, Mercy Corps, and the US Department of Energy.
Kyndryl Foundation Expands Second-year Funding to 11 Countries to Advance Cybersecurity and AI Skills Development
Kyndryl, March 4, 2025
Justice Through Code (JTC) has received a grant from the Kyndryl Foundation (the philanthropic arm of Kyndryl), to expand "The Flagship," a 10-month software engineering and professional development program for formerly incarcerated individuals. This initiative will train 125 participants, equipping them with AI skills and supporting their job placement, fostering a more inclusive tech industry.
How High-Skilled Immigrants Drive US Job Growth and Innovation
Columbia Business School, March 7, 2025
New research by Columbia Business School Professors Dan Wang and Jorge Guzman and Inara Tareque PhD, ’26BUS, reveals that high-skilled immigrants, including H-1B visa holders, don’t take jobs from native-born workers — instead, they fuel entrepreneurship, innovation, and economic growth, particularly in diverse communities.
February 2025
ResilienceVC Bucks Trend, Unveils $56M Fund to Back Fintechs Working on Financial Inclusion
TechCrunch, February 27, 2025
ResilienceVC, co-founded by adjunct professor Vikas Raj '10, has launched a $56M fund to support fintech startups focused on financial inclusion. This investment aims to empower underserved communities and promote equitable access to financial services, signaling a significant step towards a more inclusive financial future.
Business School Teaching Case Study: How Should Solar-panel Makers Respond to Falling Prices?
Financial Times, February 10, 2025
In the face of plummeting solar panel prices, how should manufacturers adapt? In this business-school style case study, Professor Gernot Wagner examines how Chinese pioneer Longi is navigating the challenges of commodification.
How Do We Advance Equality in This New Era? These Leaders Show Us a Path Forward
Forbes, February 6, 2025
"As we face shifting political landscapes, the question is not if we can continue to advance gender equality, but how we can amplify our impact," says S. Mona Sinha '93, institute advisory board member and global executive director of Equality Now.
January 2025
Teaching Award: Rising to the Challenge
Financial Times, January 22, 2025
Congratulations to Professor Gernot Wagner for being recognized for his leadership on the Climate Knowledge Initiative (CKI) in the "highly commend" category of the Financial Times's Responsible Business Education award for teaching! The award shows how "academics are reimagining curricula by integrating sustainability, experiential learning, and advanced technologies to tackle global challenges." CKI provides business leaders with the curated, actionable knowledge needed to pick investable and scalable green technologies, while unapologetically flagging areas where business and public interests diverge.
The 2025 Trailblazers in Health Care
City & State, January 21, 2025
Congratulations to James Hendon '12 for being named one of New York’s notable policymakers, providers, and practitioners in the medical field in 2025. As New York City’s veterans’ services commissioner, James is focused on improving the lives of military veterans.
How Donald Trump Is Reshaping Global Health
Forbes, January 22, 2025
Sylvana Q. Sinha, '04LAW, founder of Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio member Praava Health, wrote this piece on how President Trump's executive order initiating the country's withdrawal from the World Health Organization "has profound implications for global health."
Top Four Clean Mobility Startups Shaping 2025
Forbes, January 8, 2025
Tamer Fund for Social Ventures portfolio member Dollaride, co-founded by Su Sanni, is recognized as an emerging startup in the mobility industry, bringing clean and accessible transportation to underserved communities.