Our Contribution
TWIST’s contribution to the field of systems change is guided by deep intentionality and core principles: joy, emergence, co-creativity, stewardship, and transcending paradigms. We recognize that true transformation is not just technical—it is deeply human. By creating safe, brave spaces for asset owners and enablers, we weave together the personal and relational aspects of investing.
Our mission is to support and accelerate the shift toward a regenerative future by building the infrastructure and systems-aware relationships that the field needs next.
Explore our evolving Theory of Transformation (ToT) and the specific pathways we use to strengthen the field of systemic investing.
TWIST Theory of Transformation
Our Theory of Transformation represents how TWIST contributes to shifting investing into a force for regenerative systems.
Starting by recognising that today’s polycrises are rooted in growing divides, it calls for a change in how capital flows and how we show up within the systems we are a part of.
Grounded in our guiding principles - joy, emergence, co-creativity, collaboration, global perspectives, stewardship mindset and transcending paradigms - TWIST strives to enable inner, relational and financial capital for change. We do this by weaving together community, inner work and knowledge, while strengthening the field of investing for systems change.
Our role is to align capital with our vision of a world with resilient systems that sustain and regenerate life.
Watch the explanatory video for a brief breakdown of our evolving Theory of Transformation:
You can also explore TWIST Theory of Transformation through our interactive flywheel. The visual illustrates six core feedback loops that demonstrate how TWIST contributes to its near star, ultimately enabling progress toward its guiding star:
Nurture a Learning Community of Practice
TWIST intentionally builds and nurtures its Community of Practice — investors, practitioners, and facilitators deploying capital for positive systems change. We believe that nurturing trust, peer support, and mutual learning creates the essential connective tissue for building the field of investing for systems change
Our Members co-create TWIST's vision by sharing their strategy and concrete examples of investing for systems change. We maintain a living library of these ‘Case Studies’, real-world efforts to shift systems that also support our academic partners' research and field-building.
Though they vary widely in context, geography, and form, all case studies share one defining trait: the deployment or facilitation of capitals with the explicit intention to drive systemic change.
Create a Living Knowledge Base
TWIST focuses on building evidence to support learning, credibility, and replication in the emerging field of systemic investing. To truly advance this field, a growing body of evidence is needed to document how this work is happening in practice.
Through research partnerships with the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative and the Deep Transitions Lab, TWIST is creating a platform to capture, analyse, and publish real-world examples of systems change investing. Members of our Community of Practice contribute directly to this effort by completing a detailed case study template, co-designed with our academic partners. These case studies templates are data-rich reflections that explore how systems-level strategies differ from traditional sustainable or impact investing approaches.
Building the Field
TWIST recognises the importance of cultivating the knowledge, language, and leadership capacities that can support a new generation of systemic investors.
We’re committed to helping practitioners, investors, and changemakers understand what it means to invest with systems change in mind: how to see interconnections, surface leverage points, and act with both courage and care. To support this mission, TWIST collaborate with pioneering educational programmes to help design, deliver, and amplify transformative learning experiences that equip individuals and institutions for this emerging practice.
Integrating Inner Work and Outer Work
TWIST integrates inner work and outer work by providing safe, brave spaces for mutual support and growth within the community