OPIC Finances High-Impact Investing through Unitus Impact's Livelihood Impact Fund
March 24, 2016
(OPIC)
WASHINGTON – The Overseas Private Investment
Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s
Development Finance Institution, today
announced financing of $12.5 million to support
the Livelihood Impact Fund (LIF), a fund
managed by Unitus Impact, a venture capital
firm that invests in scalable companies working
to increase incomes and improve the livelihoods
of the working poor in Southeast Asia and
India.
“As an agency that is committed to helping the
private sector enter into emerging markets,
OPIC is delighted to support LIF as the fund
invests in some of the world’s largest and
fastest growing markets that are often
overlooked by private investors,” said
Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC’s President and
CEO. “LIF’s unique approach of investing in
companies that empower the working poor to
become stronger market participants will have a
long-lasting impact on the underserved
communities in these regions.”
“We are thankful to have the support of a
marquee investor like OPIC who believes that
strong social impact can be generated by
investing in scalable, profitable companies
focused on serving traditionally disadvantaged
populations. We look forward to making
investments in innovative, high-growth
companies in Southeast Asia and India that can
create lasting social change and generate
risk-commensurate returns for our investors.
Our goal at Unitus Impact is to demonstrate the
commercial viability of investing into
companies focused on livelihoods,” said Unitus
Impact CEO Geoff Woolley.
LIF makes investments in early stage companies
that link underserved populations to formal
markets, build innovative supply chain or
distribution platforms, and/or provide
underserved consumers with products and
services that improve their lives. Such
investments provide, low income communities
opportunities for economic growth and stability
to which they would otherwise not have access,
allowing LIF to generate real and measurable
development impact.
OPIC support to LIF is the first through the
institution’s Innovative Financial
Intermediaries Program (IFIP), a pilot program
launched to support smaller-scale financial
intermediaries and vehicles investing with a
specific focus on impact and innovation. LIF
proposal was submitted to OPIC’s IFIP review
committee as part of a competitive, open
process. Investment funds or vehicles
interested in working with OPIC through IFIP
should visit www.opic.gov.
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