beaming

Leading Impact Investment organization started by Harry Halloran and Tony Carr. Over the past 8 years we evolved rapidly through what I call relationship based investing. We let our heart and intuition lead us first. By supporting many events and conferences we put ourselves in the middle of the conversation, the best thinking and entrepreneurs rising to the surface. Having mapped the ecosystem, we knew where the gaps and opportunities were and looked for those where we could have the most impact. Our work accelerating the accelerators was a great example of this.. 

When we started building the Halloran portfolio we had little idea where it would lead us. Its initial investments in microfinance and in SOCAP led to our support of Kiva and then B-Corps. Tony Carr's consistent support of conferences and events very rapidly put us in the middle of great minds and leaders that propelled us faster than slower, bigger investor/philanthropists. Together we began "relationship investing." And it led us here. These kinds of maps are  great tools no matter where you are in the investment building process. 

It became clear to us that accelerators were playing an important early stage role for both entrepreneurs and investors yet were being overlooked. (Unreasonable Institute, Impact Hubs, BFI, Agora, Hub Ventures, i.e.)  In 2011 Halloran began to convene an Accelerator Summit to understand and support their needs. This led to investments by Halloran in nearly 25 different accelerators. The Ande Network followed in 2013 with a special report and SOCAP supported with more accelerator-focused content. 

I Co-founded SOCAP in 2008 to unify the diverse types of investors being attracted to social businesses. Prior to SOCAP foundations, philanthropies, angel investors, government agencies, and even Wall Street all went their separate path. We thought they should all be in the same room sharing insights, experience and deals. I convinced Halloran to be the first major Sponsor and now SOCAP gathers nearly 2,500 people a year generating an acceleration in impact investing through partnership development. 

After co-founding Impact Hub Oaxaca, a co-working space for social entrepreneurs, in 2014 we hosted the founders of the network - now nearly 100 international Impact Hub spaces and an 11,000 member global network in 48 countries.

In 2008 Cheryl Dorsey (Echoing Green( asked Wayne Silby (Founder Calvert Funds) and I to present our ideas behind stimulating more impact investment capital. This led to the formation of the Enterprise Innovation Fund with Michael Cox and a year long effort to make the case to the White House and government agencies to accelerate the supply of impact investment capital. This work helped catalyze the formation of Startup America and the creation of a billion dollar SBA Impact fund.  (Obama Administration 2008-10).