Unlocking business as a force for good
What we do
Championed by Nicola Forrest, Minderoo Foundation has made an initial allocation of $250m to the Strategic Impact Fund to support businesses that scale and accelerate the impact goals of the Foundation.
Impact investing is a growing field in Australia and globally that helps to finance solutions to social and environmental challenges. Distinct from Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing, impact investing actively seeks positive impact, providing a much higher bar than the negative screen applied in many ESG funds.
What we fund
We are an impact-led investment fund providing capital to for-purpose organisations, funds or projects that:
- deliver measurable impact aligned with one or more of Minderoo Foundation’s initiatives;
- generate a sustainable financial return;
- can leverage Minderoo Foundation’s in-house expertise to drive additional impact;
- are innovative, scalable and can lead to systemic/wider impact;
- are aligned with Minderoo Foundation’s values and have strong ESG practices.
Our investment team offer a flexible approach to deal structures alongside support from sector specialists and the broader Minderoo Foundation network.
Contact Us
How to enquire about investment:
Please send an email with the following information to strategicimpactfund@minderoo.org:
- Summary of how your organisation aligns with one or more of Minderoo Foundation’s initiatives; and
- Business plan / investor memorandum.
Why we act
We believe in actively seeking positive impacts from investment. All businesses need to be accountable to their customers, employees, investors, and communities. There is a groundswell of discontent, particularly amongst young people, at businesses failing to account for their impact on people and planet. The Strategic Impact Fund is backing businesses that are building sustainable models for tackling long-standing social and environmental challenges.
Our objectives
Our goal is to empower businesses to become a force for good and take on tough, persistent issues with the potential for massive change. The Fund makes investments aligned to Minderoo Foundation goals and has already invested in organisations that seek solutions to modern slavery, ethical supply chains, plastics pollution and sustainable fishing.
Fair Supply Analytics
Fair Supply Analytics received investment earlier this year to grow its innovative ESG software to equip investors and corporates with information and tools to tackle modern slavery in their portfolios and supply chains. The company was co-founded by a human rights expert and industrial mathematician who have developed a unique, data driven approach to identifying modern slavery risk deep in companies supply chains. Since the initial investment from the Strategic Impact Fund, Fair Supply Analytics has been able to add a new product offering analysing carbon footprints along the supply chain, with analytical rigour measuring Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions.
Ulula
Canadian based Ulula is a worker voice platform that empowers anonymous, real-time communications within supply chains to reduce and address risk. Its goal is to build transparent and resilient supply chains.
Ocean 14 Capital
The Ocean 14 Capital Fund targets investments in growth-stage technologies and companies promoting sustainable fishing, aquaculture and alternative proteins as well as ocean conservation and health including marine flora and plastic waste solutions.
Foyer Central Social Impact Bond
Foyer Central is an integrated learning and accommodation centre that will support young people who have been in out-of-home care on the path to independence. The program will build their capacity to access resources and opportunities, connect with education, training and employment, and make positive decisions. The investment, managed by Social Ventures Australia and delivered by Uniting in partnership with SGCH, will work with approximately 270 young people (aged 18-22 years).
Working Capital Fund
U.S. based Working Capital Fund is a specialist fund manager that invests in scalable innovations to meet the growing corporate demand for more transparent and ethical supply chains. Working Capital investors include global brands such as Walmart and Disney which provides them with actionable insights on how emerging technologies can be applied in complex supply chains.
Circulate Capital
Singapore based Circulate Capital is an investment management firm dedicated to the development of a circular economy to combat plastic pollution through investments in high growth opportunities at the nexus of climate-tech and plastics recycling infrastructure.
