20 Years of Patient Capital
Investing as a Means
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.
More Research From Acumen
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.
ACCELERATING ENERGY ACCESS: THE ROLE OF PATIENT CAPITAL
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.