DURHAM, NC — FHI Ventures, an impact investing company supporting early-stage enterprises that provide products and services designed for social good, has selected four new companies to participate in its 2019 accelerator program. By offering a unique mix of capital support, customized training and access to expertise and new markets, the FHI Ventures accelerator program positions participating companies to generate financial returns that attract additional investment.
“FHI Ventures is committed to advancing bold ideas by investing in entrepreneurs and companies committed to the double bottom line of financial return and social impact,” said Wellington Pak, FHI Ventures President. “We are proud to support our new cohort’s exciting journey as they work to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues in innovative, scalable ways.”
The companies considered for the 2019 cohort participated in a rigorous application process and were evaluated on a number of investment criteria. These include an emphasis on woman- and minority-run businesses, alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and a focus on the geographic areas and sectors served by FHI Ventures’ parent company, FHI 360. The four companies selected for 2019 are:
- Access Afya — provider of primary health care services delivering affordable, effective health access in Kenya
- Folia Water — creator of inexpensive, disposable filters that have the potential to provide safe drinking water to billions of people for less than a dollar a day
- Little Sparrows Technologies — inventor of the first high-intensity, portable, power-adaptable phototherapy device for treating infant jaundice
- THINKMD — developer of clinical intelligence software for mobile technology designed to expand global access to quality health care
This group of social entrepreneurs joins FHI Ventures’ 2018 cohort, which includes companies providing products and services that diagnose disease, strengthen water and sanitation infrastructure in underserved communities and provide technology to support better decision-making across the human development sector. Since graduating from the accelerator program, members of the 2018 cohort have gone on to experience measurable business growth and collectively have raised an additional US$2.2M in capital.
Visit www.fhiventures.com to learn more about the FHI Ventures portfolio of companies and explore partnership opportunities.
About FHI Ventures
FHI Ventures is an impact investing company that invests in early-stage enterprises that provide products and services designed for social good. Through a competitive application process, FHI Ventures selects high-potential social enterprises and provides investment capital and individualized support to help them grow. FHI Ventures is a subsidiary of FHI 360, a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions.