PAINT:Iintentionality and additionality
in impact investment
A European project to develop tools that support decision-making in impact investment.
What is PAINT
PAINT (Platform for Additionality and Intentionality) is a European Union-funded project that aims to develop a digital platform to support decision-making in impact investment. The project focuses on two key concepts — intentionality and additionality — in order to improve the alignment between financial objectives and the social and environmental impact generated by investments.
Objective
The main objective of PAINT is to provide a methodology and a digital platform that allow the intentionality and additionality of impact investments to be assessed in a clear, transparent and comparable way.
Project phases
Project phases
Needs assessment
This initial phase focuses on conducting a needs assessment to establish the logical framework linking identified problems with needs and proposed solutions. It draws primarily on desk research, including analysis of the state of the art in existing methodologies and standards, as well as mapping of funds, institutional actors, and academic knowledge. This phase identifies the stakeholders who will participate in subsequent stages of the project.
Empathize
In this phase, previously identified stakeholders are consulted using different scientific research methods, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys. The consultation process is structured by actor levels — including potential investees, policymakers, and fund managers — and extends over approximately nine months, overlapping with the desk research phase.
Definition
The main objective of this phase is to rigorously extract findings from the qualitative research conducted during the Empathize phase. Data analysis and processing takes approximately three months and overlaps with the consultation process to ensure the correct interpretation of information. As a result of this phase, a first scientific paper is published, presenting the conclusions from the desk research and collected data.
Ideation
During the Ideation phase, researchers integrate the findings from previous phases to create a new framework and standards for measuring additionality and intentionality. This phase lasts approximately nine months and includes the definition of practical tools and approaches to help impact investment decision-makers identify the most suitable financial instrument for each business model. A white paper is planned as a secondary output.
Prototype and Testing
This phase incorporates the technological tasks required to develop the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The prototype initially focuses on a specific use case, although the theoretical framework developed allows its application to multiple contexts in the long term. The prototype overlaps with the final months of the Ideation phase, and the testing process gathers user feedback for tool validation and improvement.
Business Plan
The final phase is dedicated to designing a go-to-market strategy for the organizations best suited as MVP users. The plan provides for a dual interface for the PAINT tool: one with free access to facilitate use by social entrepreneurs, and a subscription-based version aimed at European investment funds and public institutions interested in integrating PAINT standards into their organisational processes.
Project phases
Needs assessment
This initial phase focuses on conducting a needs assessment to establish the logical framework linking identified problems with needs and proposed solutions. It draws primarily on desk research, including analysis of the state of the art in existing methodologies and standards, as well as mapping of funds, institutional actors, and academic knowledge. This phase identifies the stakeholders who will participate in subsequent stages of the project.
Definition
The main objective of this phase is to rigorously extract findings from the qualitative research conducted during the Empathize phase. Data analysis and processing takes approximately three months and overlaps with the consultation process to ensure the correct interpretation of information. As a result of this phase, a first scientific paper is published, presenting the conclusions from the desk research and collected data.
Prototype and Testing
This phase incorporates the technological tasks required to develop the Minimum Viable Product (MVP). The prototype initially focuses on a specific use case, although the theoretical framework developed allows its application to multiple contexts in the long term. The prototype overlaps with the final months of the Ideation phase, and the testing process gathers user feedback for tool validation and improvement.
Empathize
In this phase, previously identified stakeholders are consulted using different scientific research methods, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, and surveys. The consultation process is structured by actor levels — including potential investees, policymakers, and fund managers — and extends over approximately nine months, overlapping with the desk research phase.
Ideation
During the Ideation phase, researchers integrate the findings from previous phases to create a new framework and standards for measuring additionality and intentionality. This phase lasts approximately nine months and includes the definition of practical tools and approaches to help impact investment decision-makers identify the most suitable financial instrument for each business model. A white paper is planned as a secondary output.
Business Plan
The final phase is dedicated to designing a go-to-market strategy for the organizations best suited as MVP users. The plan provides for a dual interface for the PAINT tool: one with free access to facilitate use by social entrepreneurs, and a subscription-based version aimed at European investment funds and public institutions interested in integrating PAINT standards into their organisational processes.