We continuously assess the potential impact that our companies build for by looking at whether our companies’ mission statements and business models directly align with any of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In 2022, 88% of our portfolio had a direct correlation with at least one SDG, based both on the number of companies and the volume of invested capital. Our greatest potential positive impact were in Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SDG 9) and Responsible Consumption & Production (SDG 12).

This observation primarily signifies two key insights:

• The majority of our portfolio companies actively consider their role in shaping a more sustainable future right from the inception of their business models and include it in the company mission. This is a positive sign and shows that our companies overall want to be an active part of the solution, already from the start.
• However, while mission alignment with SDGs provides a promising indication, it’s not a sufficient indication of actual impact. Although powerful to understand the interdependencies of global development, the SDGs were not drafted to categorise impact companies and therefore, should not be used as the sole impact criteria. To understand whether the investments are actually impactful, we would need to also measure the impact and go deeper on intent.

The Global Impact Investment Network (GIIN) positions impact not as a “benefit”, but on the same level playing field as financial return and defines impact investments as “investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial”.

What’s coming in Seed and A?

By filtering our potential impact by stage we can however see that our earlier stage investments are moving away from SDG 9, at least by invested capital. SDG 10, Reduced Inequalities, SDG 12, Responsible Consumption and SDG 13, Climate action are all on the rise amongst our younger companies.

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