Impact investing
I have been active as an investor for a few years now. I am increasingly taking the impact of my investments into account and want to evolve from responsible investments (that do no harm) to sustainable investments (that benefit stakeholders) and impact investments (that contribute to solutions).
My focus is on mental health and equal opportunities, often with a technological component for scalability and therefore increasing the impact.
Impact Investing
Within the spectrum of impact investments I can help you in different ways
Investment
Are you looking for capital and do you think I would like to invest in your company, send me your pitch deck.
Mentoring and pitch deck advice
If you want to further refine your story to investors and your pitch deck, I might be able to help you with this.
Co-investment
Are you an investor yourself and would you like a sounding board to take a broader view of your investments? I can help you connect who you are as a human being, and how your investments can make you even more meaningful in the world.
My path to impact investing?
Since I was 8 I was passionate about computers and studied computer science in college. I worked in a family business for 17 years, as CTO and CEO, became a co-shareholder and was involved in the sale of that company.
After the business was sold, it was intimidating to suddenly have to decide where to invest my money. I wanted to make good decisions. I was afraid of losing it. I was afraid to do damage. From this perspective, I have made some responsible investments (that do no harm), not specifically to do good.
I have done a lot of self-development, also to become a therapist. I learned that looking at the world from a perspective of power and superiority doesn't meet a very basic human need for true connection. It's a very lonely place. To truly connect and live as a human being, it is necessary to experience the world in reciprocity with empathy. I try to explain this sometimes, but it feels like I have to explain colors to a colorblind person. My inner purpose has been shaped by this experience, focusing on inclusion and mental health.
I wondered how I could combine investing with inclusion and mental health. I thought it was impossible. I thought I was alone with this dream.
Via via I came into contact with an impact fund in which I invested, and I also have a seat on the Investment Committee.
I am walking the path to further migrate my investments to sustainable investments (for the benefit of stakeholders) and impact investments (to contribute to solutions).
I do focus on impact investing (focused on returns), not philanthropy. People with fewer opportunities should not be seen as helpless, and giving things away for free can make people feel inferior and helpless instead of empowering them. Giving money or things may be necessary at some point, but to get lasting impact, it's important to make sure that the impact element is really built into the company's business model, and can't be cut out later to cut the margin to improve. "The better the operating result, the greater the positive impact", that is what we should strive for.