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Failing Forward: Lessons from Investing at the Edge

Man carries a machete and a bushel of bananas over his head through a field in East Africa

A majority of Acumen’s investments have been unsustainable financially, did not have the impact we had hoped, or it is too soon to tell. It’s uncomfortable to talk about failure, but if we don’t, we miss the opportunity to learn and make real progress towards eradicating poverty.

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  • 2023

Over the past 22 years, Acumen has invested in 167 companies. About one quarter are our “home runs”: both impactful and financially successful. The rest were unsustainable financially, did not have the impact we had hoped, or it is too soon to tell.

It’s uncomfortable to talk about failure, but if we don’t, we miss the opportunity to learn and make real progress towards eradicating poverty. Failure allows us, as investors, and our companies to make wiser decisions.

Read more to understand how sharing these lessons can change sectors and systems.

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