Investing as a Means: 20 years of Patient Capital
For 20 years, Acumen has invested Patient Capital into social enterprises that serve the needs of people living in poverty. In this report, we share what has worked, what has not, and where we are headed next.
- Report
- All Problems
- All Regions
- 2021
Can Patient Capital tackle problems of poverty?
For twenty years, Acumen has been deploying Patient Capital, investment funds that are backed by philanthropy and invested in companies tackling problems of poverty, characterized by flexible time horizons and targets for returning capital, and prioritizing impact. Between 2001 and 2020, Acumen deployed $115 million of Patient Capital into 123 companies that have collectively impacted 381 million people. In this report, we share what we’ve learned: the challenges and successes of building and shaping markets for people who are low-income, the opportunities and limitations of using Patient Capital in a venture capital model, and the financial returns we expect.
From Blueprint to Scale: The case for philanthropy in Impact Investing
This report shows that capital alone will not unlock the potential of impact investing and that impact investing will require more, not less, philanthropy.
Lighting the Way: Roadmap to exits in off-grid energy
With the right infusion of capital and support, off-grid solutions could bring power to an additional 620 million people by 2030.
Innovations in Impact Measurement
Lessons using mobile technology from Acumen’s Lean Data Initiative and Root Capital’s Client-Centric Mobile Measurement.
Featured Course: Acumen’s Patient Capital Lessons from 20 Years of Impact Investing
