New event draws a talented pool of social entrepreneurs and top Bay Area venture investors at SEED 2018
Real Leaders, the world’s first sustainable business and leadership magazine, and ImpactAssets, a nonprofit financial services firm that increases the flow of capital into investments delivering financial, social and environmental returns, have announced the winners of Angel Tank, a first-ever event that matches impact investment with social entrepreneurs seeking solutions to pressing global problems.
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Modeled after “Shark Tank,” the reality TV business series, Angel Tank debuted at the SEED 2018 Conference and featured leading Bay Area venture investors as judges, and a select group of six social entrepreneurs who competed for prizes to help bring their world-changing ideas to market.
“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support and showcase this exceptional group of social entrepreneurs,” said Real Leaders Founder Mark Van Ness, an active impact investor and advocate for gender-balanced leadership. “Their fresh ideas and inspiring vision are helping to transform business as a force for good – for profit, people and planet.”
And the winners are:
• Legworks, Inc., a Toronto and Buffalo-based social enterprise that is revolutionizing access to high quality prosthetics for amputees around the world. Winner of The Angels Choice Award, a $10,000 cash investment prize selected by the panel of angel judges.
• Roots Studio, which digitizes the work and stories of traditional artists in India, Indonesia, Panama, and Jordan, among other regions, enabling artists to participate in the global economy without having to be in an urban center. Winner of The Audience Choice Award, a $10,000 cash investment prize for the venture that receives the most votes cast live during the competition.
• Countable, a political media company that helps voters contact their elected representatives about issues that matter. Winner of the Real Leaders’ Spotlight Award, a media package that was selected by attendees who cast votes for social entrepreneurs participating at SEED 2018. Countable is also a custom impact investment being made through ImpactAssets.
• In addition, a tech-enabled Live Investing Marketplace raised more than $25,000 for the entrepreneurs. The Forum allowed attendees to make tax-deductible investments of $25 or more into social ventures through the ImpactAssets Giving Fund.
Other social entrepreneurs participating in the Angel Tank included Designing Justice & Designing Spaces, which use innovations in architecture, design, and real estate development to attack the root causes of mass incarceration; Thrive Natural Care, creator of the first regenerative supply chain in the personal care industry; and Yellow Leaf Hammocks, a handwoven hammock company that is breaking the cycle of extreme poverty through sustainable job creation by hiring artisan weavers and their families in developing countries. The six ventures also received offers of help and advice from over 100 attendees at the event. Angel Tanks also featured a powerhouse panel of venture investors who evaluated and counseled social entrepreneurs, including:
• Anders Aabo, Sorenson Impact
• Jorge Davy-Mendez, Kapor Capital
• Keith Ippel, Spring Activator
• Sayuri Sharp, SV2
• Beth Stelluto, Gnu Foundation
“The opportunities for investing in social enterprises has never been greater—or more critical,” said Tim Freundlich, President of ImpactAssets. “Angel Tank represents a smart and surprising platform for uniting investment capital with world-changing ideas. We look forward to the next Angel Tank, which will take place around SOCAP 2018 In October.”
Real Leaders is the world’s first sustainable business & leadership magazine that aims to inspire better leaders for a better world; a world of far-sighted, sustainable leadership that helps find solutions to the problems that 7.5 billion people have created on a small planet. They want to ensure that the next generation of leaders, in all spheres of influence, are exposed to the best and brightest minds in the hope that they are inspired to find profitable business solutions that benefit humankind. Real Leaders advises and positions leaders to thrive in the new economy.
ImpactAssets is a nonprofit financial services firm that increases the flow of capital into investments delivering financial, social and environmental returns. ImpactAssets’ donor advised fund (“The Giving Fund”) and field-building initiatives enable philanthropists and other asset owners and their wealth advisors advance social or environmental change through impact investment and philanthropy. The Giving Fund currently has upwards of $450M in assets from a community of more than 1,000 donors.
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