- Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) has announced its second Impact Fund from Salesforce Ventures, which is a $100 million fund that will accelerate the growth of cloud companies addressing some of the largest needs
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) has announced its second Impact Fund from Salesforce Ventures — which is the company’s global strategic investment arm. This new $100 million fund is going to accelerate the growth of cloud companies addressing some of the largest needs, including education and reskilling, climate action, diversity, equity and inclusion, and providing tech for nonprofits and foundations.
These are some of the solutions that the new fund will be focusing on:
1.) Education + Workforce Development — Companies that are enabling equal access to high-quality education, reskilling, and preparing workers for jobs of the future.
2.) Sustainability — Companies that are creating better access to clean energy, improving resource efficiency and supply chain performance, and developing new technologies that will help address climate change.
3.) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — Companies that are developing tools that promote equal opportunity and economic empowerment for women and underrepresented groups as well as investing in women and underrepresented founders.
4.) Social Sector Technology — Companies amplifying impact on nonprofits, foundations, and public sector customers through technology that increases efficiency and transparency.
Impact investing has been experiencing significant growth as businesses and investors increasingly aim to make real-world change and build a better future for all stakeholders. And the Global Impact Investing Network stated that despite recent headwinds, impact investors are holding a positive outlook for the future. The market size is estimated to be at $715 billion, which is up over 40% from last year.
The first $50 million Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund launched in 2017. And to date, this fund has invested in over 25 companies to help accelerate their impact around the world. Salesforce Ventures will continue to advance the growth of these important companies by making new investments and providing portfolio companies with differentiated access to one of the fastest-growing enterprise software companies in the world.
KEY QUOTES:
“Now more than ever, we believe business can be a powerful platform for change. We must leverage technology and invest in innovative ideas to drive the long-term health and wellness of all citizens, enable equal access to education and fuel impactful climate action. Through this new fund, Salesforce will invest in companies solving the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.”
— Suzanne DiBianca, Chief Impact Officer and EVP of Corporate Relations at Salesforce
“Salesforce Ventures not only invests in the most innovative cloud companies and founders globally, we lead with our values — incorporating social responsibility, sustainability and diversity into our investment process. We want to support next-gen entrepreneurs developing solutions that drive digital transformation and customer success, and also improve the state of the world.”
— John Somorjai, EVP of Corporate Development and Salesforce Ventures
“Guild is on a mission to unlock opportunity for America’s workforce through education, training and upskilling. Salesforce Ventures’ support has helped us sharpen our approach and the resources to innovate and scale our work.”
— Rachel Carlson, CEO & Co-Founder, Guild Education
“We find ourselves confronting four crises: economic, racial justice, health, and rapidly accelerating climate change. We need enlightened business leadership now more than ever. BlocPower partners with Salesforce to help identify, analyze, and track tens of thousands of urban buildings that need clean energy, which creates jobs, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and helps to create economic savings in historically disadvantaged communities. We are proud that Salesforce Ventures is lending their business acumen to increase investment in solving these intersecting problems.”
— Donnel Baird, CEO of BlocPower
“Salesforce Ventures invested in Unite Us during a critical growth year, helping us advance our mission to electronically connect health and social care providers in communities across the nation. They backed our vision of ensuring communities efficiently coordinate and deliver essential wraparound services that improve people’s health and well-being. The Salesforce Ventures Impact Fund deeply supports companies transforming systems and improving people’s lives, every single day.”
— Dan Brillman, co-founder and CEO of Unite Us
“We set out on a mission to support 1 million underrepresented SMBs nationwide; these are the Next Wave Entrepreneurs who are going to drive our economy forward. To have a mission-aligned partner in Salesforce Ventures has been an integral piece in helping us continue the work we’re doing to deliver on that promise.”
— Melissa Bradley, Co-Founder at Ureeka
