Students at the Wharton School of Management, one of the leading MBA programs in the world, and OurCrowd, a global equity crowdfunding platform, have formed a partnership to create a new, “social impact” investment channel. The agreement will see new investment opportunities listed on the OurCrowd platform.
The collaboration between the two sides will generate the largest, student run, impact investing platform in the world. The partnership will offer a unique experience for students to discover and innovate impact investing. OurCrowd also explains that this initiative will greatly expand the Wharton Social Venture Fund (WSVF), a flagship program operated under the Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) which allows students to select and review investments that will change the world.
“Crowdfunding is a perfect way to raise funds for impact investing. We have already invested in scores of companies that are changing the world in diverse areas such as disabilities, gun safety, food security, malaria diagnostics, tsunami warning, prescription drug assurance, and more,” says OurCrowd CEO and founder, Jonathan Medved. “By working together with Locust Walk and the Wharton Social Venture Fund, we will dramatically expand the impact investing ecosystem.“
WSII will train and supervise MBA and Wharton undergraduates who will staff the WSVF program. Students will earn an exclusive opportunity to work as interns with the investment firm Locust Walk Impact Partners to identify and negotiate terms for compelling impact investment opportunities throughout the world. The collaboration between WSVF, OurCrowd and Locust Walk Impact Partners will take effect immediately. Locust Walk expects the first deals to launch on the OurCrowd platform in Q2 2015.
“We are delighted that our students are getting real-life, experiential education in impact investing together with OurCrowd,” says WSII Senior Director Jacob Gray, who oversees the Wharton Social Venture Fund. “At WSII our focus is squarely on the educational opportunity for our Wharton students, who represent the next generation of global business leaders. Now teamed with Locust Walk and OurCrowd they can get experience doing great deals while providing unequaled access for impact investors.”
medvedThe Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) is the hub for social impact activities, information, and resources at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. WSII also houses WSVF, a student-led organization that invests in early stage enterprises focused on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profits.