BNVT Capital has recently unveiled its inaugural investment fund, which is set at an impressive $150 million. The primary goal of this fund is to focus on companies that leverage artificial intelligence and technology to tackle some of the most urgent challenges facing humanity today.
At the core of BNVT’s investment strategy is an innovative study that explores the potential for profit in addressing significant global problems. This study, co-authored by a renowned professor from Harvard Business School and experts from both MIT and Oxford University, utilizes extensive research that surveyed over 500 venture capital funds and analyzed data from 14,000 companies spanning the last four decades.
The study revealed a valuable insight: only about 30% of companies that receive venture capital investment focus on solving major societal issues. Still, these companies tend to achieve financial returns that are 51% higher than those of their competitors.
BNVT Capital is the brainchild of its three founding partners: Rory Mounsey-Heysham, who has experience from the Gates Foundation; Chris Corbishley, a former professional with Hedosophia; and Nasir Alsharif, who holds the position of Executive Chairman of Sackville Capital and comes from a background with Goldman Sachs and Investcorp. The formation of this fund is supported financially by Sackville Capital, which is a well-established global investment firm based in London. Sackville is recognized for its strategy of partnering with new and emerging investment businesses, providing them with valuable operational expertise and connections to international partners, thereby creating real value.
Since its launch, the fund has already made investments in 11 innovative companies located in both Europe and the United States. Notable examples include Swap Commerce in the UK, Cloover in Germany, and Dawnguard in the Netherlands. BNVT Capital has also collaborated with prominent global investment firms like TPG, Iconiq, Lowercarbon, and QED to maximize its impact and reach.
The inspiration for this fund came from Rory’s observations of the successful investment strategies employed by philanthropists like Bill Gates, who have generated significant returns by focusing on solutions to global problems. Chris also recognized similar trends within his own investment portfolio while at Hedosophia. The emergence of this new fund aligns with a critical moment in which politicians and the investment community are engaged in discussions about the role of business in society. BNVT Capital strives to offer a balanced approach that sits between traditional environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives and unrestricted capitalism.
The thesis of BNVT Capital has attracted attention and support from leaders in the entrepreneurial and investment sectors, including founders and executives from major companies such as Shopify, Google, Octopus Energy, and Remitly. Additionally, it has garnered institutional backing from respected firms such as Starwood Capital and Investcorp, among others.
In conjunction with its investment efforts, BNVT Capital is launching a platform and community called Benevolent Disruption. This initiative aims to foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among individuals committed to using business as a force for good. Over the next two years, BNVT Capital plans to expand its portfolio significantly, targeting investments in 25 to 30 companies globally.
KEY QUOTES:
“LPs and entrepreneurs are crying out for investors who see the world’s biggest challenges not as a moral quandary, but as vast untapped markets. A big problem is simply a big market waiting to be served.”
Rory Mounsey-Heysham
“I am hugely excited by the opportunity set that BNVT Capital have identified. This is truly a differentiated investment thesis – backed up by extraordinarily real-world data. The countercyclical nature of the thesis – creating outsized returns from solving the biggest problems – is applicable across multiple sectors, and is particularly exciting.”
Nasir Alsharif
“Investors have missed a striking pattern in their own data. For too long, investors have been backing fads, not needs – distracted by incremental technologies making life marginally faster, cheaper, or easier. Venture capital is about swinging for the fences—backing solutions that can reshape society for the better. That is what Benevolent Disruption is about.”
Chris Corbishley
“BNVT has been pivotal in rapidly scaling Swap through strategic capital and deep expertise. Their global industry insights have directly shaped our growth strategy and product evolution.”
Sam Atkinson, Founder of Swap Commerce
“BNVT has been a fundamental partner in accelerating Cloover’s growth, unlocking over $100 million in funding capacity and connecting us with world-class climate investors. Their deep expertise in climate tech has been instrumental.”
Jodok Betschart, Founder of Cloover
“The greatest economic value comes from investing in mission-driven brands that don’t just follow the market—they redefine it.”
Barry Sternlicht, CEO of Starwood Capital
“For investors willing to take the sorts of calculated risks that characterized the early VC industry, some of the most difficult problems facing society today may also present some of the greatest investment opportunities. Adopting new approaches for thinking about VC investment — for instance, by recognizing that outsized financial returns can be produced while solving big issues at scale — could be integral to the next wave of innovation.”
Professor Josh Lerner of Harvard Business School comments in his Foreword
