MercyCorpsSocialVentureFundMercyCorpsSocialVentureFundisaseedandearly-stageimpactinvestmentfundlaunchedin2014.Weinvestcapitalandprovideaplatformtoacceleratethegrowthofdisruptivestartupbusinessesthathavethepotentialtopositivelyimpactmillions.
MercyCorpsseescomplexglobalchallengesasaninvitation:topioneerpathsoutofpoverty,toforgenovelpartnerships,tocreatesolutionsthatbreakthroughentrenchedchallenges.Butthetraditionalgrant-basedmodeloffundinginternationaldevelopmentislimiting.Itrarelypromotestheflexibilityandexperimentationrequiredtotestnewmodelsthatcouldsustainablydeliversocialbenefittomillionsofpeopleinthedevelopingworld.Socialentrepreneursworldwideareattheforefrontofintroducingsuchmodels,oftenthroughfor-profitventuresthatrequireinvestmentcapitaltoexpandtheirprovisionofbeneficialgoodsandservices.TheSocialVentureFund,whollyownedbyMercyCorpsandcapitalizedthroughphilanthropicsources,fillsacriticalgapintheimpactinvestingmarketforseedandearly-stagesocialventurestartups(learnmoreabout“ThePioneerGap”).WebelievethatconnectingthesestartupstotheMercyCorpsplatformwillacceleratetheirgrowthandimpact.
WhyMercyCorps?MercyCorps’globalfieldofficeshavedeep,on-the-groundinsight,withbothaccessto,andinfluencewithinchallengingmarkets.Moreover,becauseofourmarketsystemsprogrammingapproach,weareconstantlyidentifying,supportingandcollaboratingwithinnovativeprivate-sectoractors.Inpartnershipwithfieldoffices,theSocialVenturesTeamexploresinvestmentopportunitiesthatalignwithlocalprogrammingandaddressmajordevelopmentchallenges.WebringMercyCorps'resourcestobearonstartupsthrough:
Morethan4,500staffexecutingsocialandeconomicdevelopmentprogrammingacross40countries.
Technicalexpertsinavarietyoffields,includingagriculture,financialservices,WASH,andenergy.
Strongrelationshipswithkeygovernmentactors,private-sectorentitiesandotherinfluencers.
AdvisorysupportfromseasonedentrepreneursandinvestorsontheSocialVenturesTeam.
Nepal—JohnWatt/MercyCorps
OurApproachandFocusWeinvestinfor-profitventuresthatattempttosolvemanyofthebigchallengesthatMercyCorps’programsaddress.
Geography:Kenya,Uganda,Indonesia,NepalFocalareas:Agriculture,financialservices,last-miledistribution,youthandfemaleemploymentInvestmentsize:US$50,000-$300,000(equity,debt,quasi-equity)Stage:Seedandearly-stageOthercriteria:Closealignmentwithlocalfieldofficestrategyandpriorities,innovation,potentialtoscalenationallyandregionally(impactover1millionpeople)Prospectiveportfoliocompaniesneednothavesignificantrevenuetractionbutshould:
Haveadefinedproductservice.
Haveafull-timeteaminplace.
Haveapilotorprototypeinthemarket.
OurPortfolioAsofMarch2016,wehaveclosedfourinvestmentsacrossIndonesia,NepalandKenya,includingthefollowingcompanies:
NewLightAfricaNairobi,KenyaNewLightAfrica(NLA)isadirectmarketinganddistributioncompanythatsellssociallybeneficialproductstotheruralpoor.NLA’smissionistoimprovethequalityoflifeformillionsofpeopleinSub-SaharanAfricawhoprimarilyliveofftheelectricitygridbyofferingproductssuchassolar
lights,fuel-efficientcookstoves,alternativefuels,waterpurifiersandwaterheaters.NLA,operatingunderthelocalbrandHEYA!inKenya,planstobuildawidelydistributedsaleschannelthroughlocalagents,withaggressiveplanstoofferfinancinginthesalesprocess,fromlocalretailertoendconsumer.
VashamJakarta,IndonesiaVashamleveragesaclosed-loopbusinessmodeltoprovideIndonesiansmallholderfarmswiththefinancing,expertise,incomesecurityandmarketlinkagetheyneedtoachievesignificantlybetterstandardsofliving.Vashamaggregatesandprovidesabundleofservicestosmallholder
farmersgrowingstaplecrops.Thoseservicesincludeinputandworkingcapitalloans,farmeradvisorythroughmobilechannelsandfieldofficers,andmarketlinkageatanabove-marketpricepremiumviaitsoff-takepartner.Vashamaimstoserveover100,000farmersacrossIndonesiaby2020.
OurTeamandAdvisoryBoardOurSocialVenturesteamiscomposedofseasonedentrepreneurs,investorsandconsultants.Webringextensiveexperienceinlaunching,scalingandadvisingdisruptivestartupenterprisesinemergingmarkets.BasedatMercyCorps’U.S.headquartersandinourfieldofficesinEastAfricaandSoutheastAsia,weaimtoembedourselvesdeeplyinlocalstartupecosystems.
FOUADAOUNSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(EastAfrica)[email protected]
TIMOTHYRANNSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(SoutheastAsia)[email protected]
MICHAELMACHARGSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(Global)[email protected]
SCOTTONDERSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(Sub-SaharanAfrica)[email protected]
JEFFWISHNIESeniorDirector|[email protected]
WearealsofortunatetodrawuponthewisdomandexperienceoftheSocialVentureFund’sAdvisoryBoard:
TomKefferCo-Founder|RougeWaveSoftware
GiselKordestaniCo-Founder|Crowdpac
NedLamontFounder|LamontDigitalSystems(CampusTelevideo)
MikeMaerzFormerVPInternetProductsDivision|Intel
DavidMahoneyFormerCEO|iMcKessonLLC
LindaMasonChair&Founder|BrightHorizons
GreyMcLeanDirector|AdiuvansFoundation
LisaValoneInvestor&Philanthropist
JimValonePartner|WellingtonManagementCompany,LLP
KentWalkerSeniorVP&GeneralCounsel|Google
SusanWhiteheadInvestor&Philanthropist
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