Doing Well While Doing Good: Can Venture Capital Impact Social Good? November 29, 2007

For nearly 20 years, investors have been putting their money to work in socially engaged investments. In the 1980s, SRI investments totaled $40 billion, most of which was mainstream investors. Now the figure is much, much bigger. Driving the new push are venture capitalists, armed with several new models for investing in the public good.

These new double bottom line venture funds measure success financially and with specific social impacts to the customers or communities they serve. Applying the venture model takes advantage of the positive aspects of putting significant capital to work in growing the capacity of a young company bringing social and/or economic improvement to a focused community. Some believe the trend has reached a tipping point, and others fear the new category has internal tensions and is rife with problems.

Our "Holiday Edition" of the Emerging Technology Forum is pleased to host a spirited discussion examining the key issues and challenges facing these new social venture funds and their investors. Our panel includes partners, limited partners and entrepreneurs who are operating in this space. The panel will explore the new world of hybrid funds that promise both to do good for the community (philanthropy) while they do well for their investors (venture capital). Do philanthropy and venture work in tandem or at cross purposes? Please join us for an evening that promises to raise some interesting question for the industry and each of us as individuals.

Moderator: Diane Solinger, Executive Director, Entrepreneurs Foundation

Panel to Date:
Kevin Jones, Principal, GoodCapital
Chris Eyre, Managing Director, Legacy Venture
TBA, Fund Manager, Bay Area Equity Fund

$55 VC Taskforce members, $65 Affiliates, $87 General.

Official Website: http://www.vctaskforce.com