Can Money End War? The Rise of Peace Finance with Marcel Smits

Can money help end wars?

Most investors never ask that question.

Marcel Smits has spent 25+ years working in conflict zones across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America. After years on the ground, he noticed a major problem:

Peacebuilders create stability.
Then investment arrives.
But without the right safeguards, money can sometimes undo the peace that was just built.

So Marcel is building something new.

Peace Finance.

In this episode we talk about:

• The rise of PeaceFinance.org
• What peace-positive investing actually means
• Why the market for peace finance could reach $40B+
• Why finance and peacebuilding rarely talk to each other
• New funds and financial instruments designed to stabilize fragile regions
• How PeaceTech startups and global development finance could work together

We also debate a hard question:

Can technology truly be “peaceful”… or is every technology dual-use?

If you care about venture capital, global stability, investing, or PeaceTech, this conversation will challenge how you think about money and conflict.

Learn more: PeaceFinance.org




Podcast Timestamps

00:00 Intro: Why peace finance matters
00:21 Marcel’s background working in conflict zones
01:40 The frustration that led Marcel to create Peace Finance
02:55 The core idea: What if finance could contribute to peace?
03:40 What PeaceFinance.org is building
05:15 What “peace-positive investing” actually means
06:35 Finance for Peace vs PeaceFinance.org explained
09:15 Why the peace ecosystem is fragmented today
10:05 Shane’s vision: PeaceTech as a $100B industry
11:55 Marcel on the potential of PeaceTech
12:50 Why safeguards matter when building peace technology
15:00 The big debate: Can technology ever be neutral?
17:00 Governance vs technology in conflict environments
19:10 Will regulation slow down PeaceTech innovation?
20:20 Marcel’s view: Standards should guide, not stop innovation22:00 Examples of Peace Finance standards
23:50 How inclusiveness and trust shape peace technology

Opportunity Section (Investors / Market)

25:45 Major institutions adopting peace finance
26:00 African Development Bank applying a peace lens to investments
27:50 New peace funds being created
28:10 $50M humanitarian development peace fund in Somalia
28:40 New financial instruments: Orange Peace Bonds
29:40 Growing interest from impact investors
31:10 Market size: $30B–$40B peace finance opportunity
33:20 How Marcel will know the market is working

Ecosystem Opportunity (Important for Your Audience)

35:10 How PeaceTech and Peace Finance could work together
37:10 The bridge between startups and large funds
38:30 Why peace tech startups and development funds need each other

Closing


40:05 Where to find Marcel and PeaceFinance.org
41:00 Final thoughts: why most people want peace