SIIF’s journey is one of continuous learning, evolving from a small actor into a convener of coalitions and a catalyst for innovation. By fostering collaboration with government entities, foundations, and private-sector partners, SIIF’s approach ensures that social finance in Japan remains a multi-stakeholder effort. The lessons learned from deploying tools like SIBs and dormant account funds reinforce the broader principle that impact does not always correlate with size. A small organization can indeed create waves that ripple across an entire ecosystem. In this way, SIIF has proven that being small is not a limitation. It’s a strategy. Through careful partnership building and innovative financial mechanisms, SIIF has been able to punch above its weight, influencing national policies and expanding the boundaries of Japan’s impact economy. The future path continues to require new thinking. As Yuya Kato believes, “SIIF’s future requires partner organizations to have a clear vision of the future ecosystem to come, as well as a deep understanding of the various dilemmas created by ‘chasing two hares’— solving socio-environmental issues and generating financial returns.” 43 Shuichi Ohno sees future success in reaching social entrepreneurs, especially the younger generation, saying, “I believe that SIIF should focus on this area by developing new sources of funding and providing support to the entrepreneurs who will be the recipients.” 44 Sugeno offers a closing thought: “In our next stage, SIIF can play a unique role as an orchestrator who navigates and bridges people from different sectors, expertise, and cultures for collective movement toward specific and concrete social and environmental changes in much larger and deeper ways. As we move forward, we need to have bold future visions, be honest in learning, and adjusting as we go, all while being compassionate.” 45
83
Ten Years in the Making
Powered by FlippingBook