Impact investor Invested Development (ID) is now a Certified B Corp. Certified B Corps are companies that use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. ID proudly joins a growing community of over 700 companies across more than 60 industries.

ID embodies the B Corp movement through its commitment to fund start-ups with technology solutions for underserved populations. ID supports affordable and innovative alternative energy, mobile technology, and agricultural technology solutions. These technologies combined with sound business models benefit the world’s undeserved populations by providing them with improved access to energy, information, finance, and more.

ID manages the BSP Fund, which launched in 2011. The BSP Fund provides seed-stage investments to for-profit social enterprises that meet ID’s specific sector and impact criteria. Over 80% of the BSP Fund portfolio operates in emerging markets.

Like all other B Corps, ID meets higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. ID seeks to invest in companies that also abide by these high standards. This practice promotes a sustainable investment strategy that will produce both financial and social returns.

In 2012, ID developed the Impact Factoring Fund (IFF), a new type of impact investment opportunity. The IFF leverages the fundamentals of factoring to provide working capital to growth-stage companies in emerging markets.

A summary of ID’s B Impact Report is available on the B Corporation website at http://www.bcorporation.net/community/directory/investeddevelopment. ID received more than 60% of points available in the Governance, Workers, and Community sections; according to B Lab, these are ID’s areas of excellence. 

“Invested Development has a lot in store for 2013, including increasing our participation in the agricultural technology sector and growing the Impact Factoring Fund,” says Marketing and Research Manager Christina Tamer.  “Becoming a Certified B Corp has been a great way to start 2013, which promises to be a big year for us.” 

ID has ten portfolio companies across Africa, Latin America, India, and the US, and most recently added SolarNow, a solar home system distributor in Uganda.

About Invested Development
Invested Development is an impact investment fund manager. The mission of the company is to reduce poverty through risk capital investments in early-stage startups with mobile technology, alternative energy, and agricultural technology innovations. It manages the BSP Fund, a seed fund, and the Impact Factoring Fund, a working capital facility. For more information, visit http://www.investeddevelopment.com.

About B Corp
Certified B Corporations 1) meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance; 2) legally expand their corporate responsibilities to include consideration of stakeholder interests; and 3) build collective voice through the power of the unifying B Corporation brand.  As of February 2013, there are over 690 Certified B Corporations from over 60 industries, representing a diverse multi-billion marketplace. 

About B Lab
B Lab is a nonprofit organization dedicated to using the power of business to solve social and environmental problems.  B Lab drives systemic change through three interrelated initiatives: 1) building a community of Certified B Corporations to make it easier for all of us to tell the difference between “good companies” and just good marketing; 2) accelerating the growth of the impact investing asset class through use of B Lab’s GIIRS impact rating system by institutional investors; and 3) promoting supportive public policies, including creation of a new corporate form and tax, procurement, and investment incentives for sustainable business. 

Invested Development

Invested Development

Invested Development is an impact investment fund manager. The mission of the company is to reduce poverty through risk capital investments in early stage startups with mobile technology and alternative energy innovations. It manages the BSP Fund, a super angel equity fund, and the Impact Factoring Fund, a working capital facility. For more information, visit http://www.investeddevelopment.com.

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