MercyCorps’SocialVentureFundMercyCorpsisaleadingglobalorganizationpoweredbythebeliefthatabetterworldispossible.Indisaster,inhardship,inmorethan40countriesaroundtheworld,wepartnertoputboldsolutionsintoaction—helpingpeopletriumphoveradversityandbuildstrongercommunitiesfromwithin.Now,andforthefuture.
MercyCorps’SocialVentureFundisaseedandearly-stageimpactinvestmentfundlaunchedin2015.Weinvestcapitalandprovideaplatformtoacceleratethegrowthofdisruptivestartupbusinessesthathavethepotentialtopositivelyimpactmillions.
MercyCorpsseescomplexglobalchallengesasaninvitation:topioneerpathsoutofpoverty,toforgenovelpartnerships,tocreatesolutionsthatbreakthroughentrenchedchallenges.Butthetraditionalgrant-basedmodeloffundinginternationaldevelopmentislimiting.Itrarelypromotestheflexibilityandexperimentationrequiredtotestnewmodelsthatcouldsustainablydeliversocialbenefittomillionsofpeopleinthedevelopingworld.Socialentrepreneursworldwideareattheforefrontofintroducingsuchmodels,oftenthroughfor-profitventuresthatrequireinvestmentcapitaltoexpandtheirprovisionofbeneficialgoodsandservices.TheSocialVentureFund,whollyownedbyMercyCorpsandcapitalizedthroughphilanthropicsources,fillsacriticalgapintheimpactinvestingmarketforseedandearly-stagesocialventurestartups(learnmoreabout“ThePioneerGap”).WebelievethatconnectingthesestartupstotheMercyCorpsplatformwillacceleratetheirgrowthandimpact.
WhyMercyCorps?MercyCorps’globalfieldofficeshavedeep,on-the-groundinsight,withbothaccesstoandinfluencewithinchallengingmarkets.Moreover,becauseofourmarketsystemsprogrammingapproach,weareconstantlyidentifying,supportingandcollaboratingwithinnovativeprivate-sectoractors.Inpartnershipwithfieldoffices,theSocialVenturesteamexploresinvestmentopportunitiesthatalignwithlocalprogrammingandaddressmajordevelopmentchallenges.
WebringMercyCorps'resourcestobearonstartupsthrough:
Morethan4,500staffexecutingsocialandeconomicdevelopmentprogrammingacross40+countries.
Technicalexpertsinavarietyoffields,includingagriculture,financialservices,WASH,andenergy.
Strongrelationshipswithkeygovernmentactors,private-sectorentitiesandotherinfluencers.
AdvisorysupportfromseasonedentrepreneursandinvestorsontheSocialVenturesteam.
OurApproachandFocusWeinvestinfor-profitventuresthatattempttosolvemanyofthebigchallengesthatMercyCorps’programsaddress:
Geography: Kenya,Uganda,Indonesia,NepalFocalareas: Agriculture,financialservices,last-miledistribution,youthandfemaleemploymentInvestment: US$50,000-$300,000(equity,debt,quasi-equity)Stage: Seedandearly-stageOthercriteria: Closealignmentwithlocalfieldofficestrategyandpriorities,innovation,potentialtoscalenationallyandregionally(impactover1millionpeople)Prospectiveportfoliocompaniesneednothavesignificantrevenuetractionbutshould:
Haveadefinedproductorservice,withadifferentiatedapproachthatcanscale.
Haveafull-timeteaminplace.
Haveapilotorprototypeinthemarket.
OurPortfolioAsofMay2016,wehaveclosedfourinvestmentsinIndonesiaandKenya,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.Vashamaimstoserveover200,000farmersacrossIndonesiaby2020.
OurTeamandAdvisoryBoardOurSocialVenturesteamiscomposedofseasonedentrepreneurs,investorsandconsultants.Webringextensiveexperienceinlaunching,scalingandadvisingdisruptivestartupenterprisesinemergingmarkets.BasedatMercyCorps’U.S.headquartersandinourfieldofficesinEastAfricaandLatinAmerica,weaimtoembedourselvesdeeplyinlocalstartupecosystems.
MICHAELMACHARGSeniorAdvisorandTeamLead|[email protected] SCOTTONDERSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(Sub-SaharanAfrica)[email protected]|[email protected]
TIMOTHYRANNSeniorAdvisor|SocialVentures(SEAsia&LATAM)[email protected]|[email protected]
WearealsofortunatetodrawuponthewisdomandexperienceoftheSocialVentureFund’sAdvisoryBoard:TomKefferCo-Founder|RogueWaveSoftware
GiselKordestaniCo-Founder|Crowdpac
NedLamontFounder|LamontDigitalSystems(CampusTelevideo)
MikeMaerzFormerVPInternetProductsDivision|Intel
DavidMahoneyFormerCEO|iMcKessonLLC
LindaMasonChair&Founder|BrightHorizonsGreyMcLeanDirector|AdiuvansFoundation
LisaValoneInvestor&Philanthropist
JimValonePartner|WellingtonManagementCompany,LLP
KentWalkerSeniorVP&GeneralCounsel|Google
SusanWhiteheadInvestor&Philanthropist
