A new report highlights the real-world impact of the University's pioneering social investment fund, and makes the case for wider social investment from across the Further and Higher Education sector. Read the report: Investing for Good Since 2017, the University’s £8 million Social Investment Fund has supported social enterprises and charitable endeavours across Edinburgh, Scotland and the UK, and is projected to make a good financial return.A university model for social investment Having committed its first social investments in 2017 with Big Issue Invest’s Social Enterprise and Investments Fund II, and the Power Up Scotland Programme, the University looked to consolidate a long-term social investment approach. The £8 million University Social Investment Fund was created using capital from the University’s Treasury, and key investment impact themes were identified. These included: Supporting people on low incomes Homelessness and housing supply Access to education Environmental sustainability To date, 75% of the University’s Social Investment Fund has been deployed across 10 social impact funds and is expected to see a return of 6% - higher than standard Treasury returns. Impact case studies from the Social Investment Fund The Scottish Social Growth Fund II from Social Investment Scotland has backed Scotland’s first subsidy-free community-owned wind turbine in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire. The turbine will generate sufficient energy to power 2,234 average UK homes. Ada’s Fund II has supported Valla, founded by Edinburgh-based Danae Shell. Valla is an AI-powered platform seeking to improve access to justice for 12.4 million UK workers affected by employment law breaches each year. Founded and led by University of Edinburgh students, Prosper Social Finance is the UK’s first student-run socially responsible investment fund. Students from any year or course are trained in ESG investing, with profits awarded to charities as grants. Through the Social and Sustainable Housing Fund, Simon Community Scotland has been able to purchase more than 30 properties in Edinburgh to lease to their service users, including Greig. Ren Hooi received funding from Big Issue Invest and Unltd's Growth Impact Fund to support her start-up, Lightning Reach, which offers financial advice to vulnerable people. Supporting the social investment landscape As investors, universities bring credibility and reputational benefits to social impact funds. This can help build the confidence of other potential investors, or attract other organisations to invest. The report makes a case for other FHE institutions to explore social investment as a mechanism for delivering positive social impact alongside financial returns. The UK’s social investment market is at a pivotal moment – we have proven models and growing demand, but we need more patient, strategic capital to build the market infrastructure that will enable the sector to reach its full potential. Universities are uniquely positioned to fill this gap, particularly given their expanding roles in enterprise, technology transfer and innovation. Claire Kearney Managing Director Investment Partnerships and Advisory, Better Society Capital Our partnership with the University of Edinburgh came at a pivotal time in the development of the Scottish Social Growth Fund. Their participation as a funder instilled confidence to other investors, showed innovation in the development of the fund and significantly increased the financial capital available to Scotland’s social enterprises. Lindsay Wake Head of Impact and Communications, Social Investment Scotland Learn more about social investment With a commitment to social investment is now enshrined into the University’s Responsible Investment Policy and its Community Plan, the Social Investment Fund will continue to be deployed into funds that meet the University’s criteria. Further information about the Fund and Responsible Investment at the University of Edinburgh can be found below. Read the report in full Socially positive investment Responsible Investment If you are a student at the University of Edinburgh, you can apply to join Prosper Social Finance. Prosper is a student-led social enterprise equipping students with skills and real-world experience to manage a socially responsible investment fund. Prosper Social Finance Publication date 05 Jan, 2026
