I think it’s safe to say Unitus is one of the leaders in the microfinance space. Last week, they announced that they raised $5.5 million for their new Unitus Capital group. According to the press release on Thursday:

Unitus, Inc., today announced the launch of Unitus Capital, one of the first financial advisory firms designed to meet the investment needs of social entrepreneurs serving the bottom of the economic pyramid. Unitus Capital is the transformation of the capital markets group of Unitus, Inc., which has secured debt and equity financing for 14 Unitus microfinance institution (MFI) partners across six countries since 2001. With $5.5 million in initial seed funding from private investors including WEGA Support GmbH, Robert Gay, co-founder and CEO of H&G Capital Partners and former managing director of Bain Capital, and William S. Price III, Founding Partner of Texas Pacific Group, Unitus Capital will operate as an independent for-profit organization, and remain a strategic affiliate of Unitus, Inc. Unitus Capital will serve as a conduit between capital market investors and social entrepreneurs focused on creating social and financial value for investors, MFIs, social enterprises, and the communities they serve. With more than 60 years of combined investment banking, financial services, and microfinance experience, the Unitus Capital team targets a rapidly growing social investment sector.

It’s always exciting to see additional funding being devoted to social entrepreneurship around the globe — I fully expect to see some great innovation within the next few years as a result of Unitus Capital.