Seed Investing to Fight Inequality and Climate Change
Beliefs
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Every company has an impact on society; Positive impact needs intentionality and focus
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Tech-enabled companies can have significant impact at scale BUT Tech companies and impact investors largely live in different worlds
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Positive impact companies can provide superior financial returns
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Avesta can bridge these worlds to help harness the tech world toward positive impact
What we look for
Scalable Solutions to Inequality or Climate Change
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Tech-enabled companies whose positive impact is aligned with their business
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Areas of focus:
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Inequality: Education, Financial Inclusion, Future of Work, Health Access & Affordability, Housing, Entrepreneurship Development
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Climate: Sustainable Agriculture, Energy Efficiency, Clean Energy, Carbon Sinks, Clean Manufacturing, Circular Economy, Green Buildings
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Stage: Pre-seed or Seed; Typically raising $750K to $2.5M in the round
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We prefer (but are not limited to) diverse entrepreneurs
What we offer
Typical investments of $150K to $500K per company
Unique mix of experiences that help companies bridge both the VC and impact worlds
Best-practice based coaching to help founding teams optimize their impact, and align it with their business
Connections to our broad network of investors and partners interested in impact-oriented tech startups
Team
If You Lead With Impact, We Can Add VC/Tech Startup Expertise
If You Lead With Tech, We Can Add Impact Expertise
Srikant Vasan
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Partner, Impact Investing at Techstars
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Philanthropic Investor at Bill & Melinda Gates foundation
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Twice VC-backed founder/CEO: KBkids grew to $100M; StorePerform (now JDA) grew to $25M
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Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Battery Ventures and Mobius VC
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Founding President of Mount St Mary’s University Online
Stuart Davidson
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Managing Partner at Labrador Ventures
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Founder and Chairman at Sonen Capital
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Investment Committee Member at Skoll Foundation, Impact Assets, and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
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Founding Chairman Emeritus IDEO.org, Founding Board member of Acumen
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Chairman d.Light, Vice Chair REDF, Advisory Board Member, GIIRS