Is Your Business Staged for Growth and Impact? We can help.
Community-focused companies looking to grow and scale often face barriers to securing the equity investments they need. This is especially true for companies run by entrepreneurs of color or who serve traditionally disinvested communities. As a result, options tend to be limited to taking on debt or turning to extractive capital that benefits the investor more than the business.
We are changing that paradigm through an investment strategy focused on providing the capital needed to grow at a pace that aligns with the strategy of that company. Our goal is to not only support the company itself but also drive meaningful and measurable outcomes in the communities in which they operate.
Investments Aligned with A Continuum of Capital and Training Programs
Together with our sister organization CDC Small Business Finance, we have over 80+ years of experience delivering a suite of lending products, impact investments, and programs to serve a diverse set of businesses and communities. This allows us to work with your company at different stages including bringing in our investments team to work with you during those critical growth points.
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Deploying Regenerative Capital
With a focus on social impact through scaling community-focused companies, our strategy is to ensure the organizational leaders maintain control of their vision and have the flexibility they need to achieve success. Unlike venture capital approaches that seek to extract returns, our investment approach aims to grow the company, create impact, and ensure wealth remains within the community.
A Suite of Investment Instruments
Our investments group utilizes a flexible investment approach that uses the following range of investment instruments to support growth-stage companies:
- Venture debt: Debt financing for early-stage companies and startups that is complementary to equity venture investing used to bridge companies between equity raises.
- Profit-sharing agreements: Promissory note that is paid back from a share of the revenues of the business.
- Direct equity investments: Capital investments in exchange for preferred equity
Investment range:
- $350k – $3 million+
Types of Businesses We Partner With
Our investments group works to create transformation within underestimated communities long overlooked by traditional capital providers by investing in and growing social enterprises focused on four main areas:
- Creating Economic Opportunities
- Reducing Food Insecurity
- Improving Community Health
- Growing Cooperatives
Investment Impacts
- Help investees scale, create jobs, and address social determinants of health
- Bring institutional capital to disinvested businesses and communities
- Address systemic issues of inequality and close the racial wealth gap
- Increase healthy and affordable food access for people living within food deserts or who are food insecure.
Stage target:
- Growth-stage enterprises and small businesses
The Places We Serve
Fueling economic growth and opportunities in our communities
We have learned a lot over the past three decades about fueling equitable growth and opportunities in our communities. That is why we work to foster deep connections with communities by taking a place-based approach to economic development that centers our work around the people and places we serve. We start by listening to our communities, then co-create programs, services, and products tailored to meet each community’s needs. The result? Capital Impact’s investments, relationships, and programs leave a positive, lasting impact for generations to come.
Our Impact Investments Team is Ready To Answer Your Questions
Impact Investing Success Stories
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| Investment | $5 million junior venture debt investment |
| Company Overview | Cultural experience company, led by Abner Mason, focused on partnering with health plans to guide their Medicaid and Medicare Advantage members through personalized wellness journeys that encourage dignity, autonomy, and companionship. |
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Meet the Investment Team
Our diverse and dedicated team brings decades of experience helping to grow mission-aligned companies with expertise in managing a variety of investment instruments.
Raymond Guthrie
Head of Capital Deployment
Experience: 20 years of experience in impact investing both domestically and internationally including AHA Social Impact Funds; Calvert Asset Management; Global Innovation Fund; Skoll Foundation
Education: BBA from the University of Miami; JD from Howard University
Elisabeth Chasia
Investment Director
Experience: 12-year track record in the impact sector with a focus on mezzanine debt and small businesses in disinvested environments
Education: BA from Cornell University; Master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University; MBA from Columbia University
Swetha Krishnakumar
Investment Director
Experience: 9-year track record in impact investing with a focus on preferred equity and mezzanine debt across multiple sectors
Education: BA from the Georgia Institute of Technology; MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Yi Wei
Senior Director, Capital Deployment Initiatives
Experience: 12-year track record of helping social enterprises scale with a focus on investor relations and fund structures
Education: BA from Harvard University; MBA from the University of Chicago
Wendy Xiong
Analyst, Capital Deployment & Investments
Experience: 8-year track record in asset management with a focus on equity, fixed-income investment, and fund management
Education: BA from Wuhan University; Master’s degree in Finance from EDHEC (France) Business School.
