Capria has today announced the launch of Capria Accelerator, claimed to be the first global business accelerator for impact VCs. It will invest in, support and help capitalize new fund managers backing early-stage startups primarily in markets including South Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.
As per the firm, it aims to create new investment funds that can work towards bridging the “missing middle” and ensuring that pioneering new entrepreneurs have the capital they need to succeed.
Under this new program, it will provide capital, tools, training, technical know-how, fundraising support, investment support, and opportunities for peer learning through connection to grow global network of impact fund managers.
It is a new venture from Will Poole and Dave Richards, co-founders of Unitus Seed Fund, an active venture seed fund investing in India startups. Unitus Seed Fund has invested in 18 Indian startups in healthcare, education, mobile consumer, retail and more.
Capria Accelerator is leveraging the institutional knowledge, networks, and partnerships established over Unitus’ 15 years history and creating a system to scale impact while generating market rate returns on a global basis.
Capria Accelerator’s initial expert advisers includes David Chen: Founder and CEO, Equilibrium Capital; Bill Hughlett: CFO, Voyager Capital; Eric Savage: Co-Founder & CEO, Unitus Capital; Ross Baird, Executive Director, Village Capital; Atul Bindal, formerly Partner, Khosla Ventures; Lucho Torres, Director, Angel Ventures Peru; and Ann Short, COO, Unitus Capital.
The firm will be sharing access to its principals’ experience setting up more than 100 funds globally. They will also provide operations support and give fund managers insider access to data and knowledge shared by other network members.
Dave Richards, Capria’s Co-Founder & Managing Partner, said,
Current trends indicate that over the next decade that there will be hundreds of early-stage impact funds setup across the globe. We are excited to invest in financial entrepreneurs setting up these new funds and to help them get to market up to a year faster with lower risks and higher investor confidence.
Will Poole, Capria’s Co-Founder & Managing Partner, said,
Capria Accelerator is addressing a huge market opportunity …high-quality startup fund managers with significant local business and investing expertise who are tapping into interest from both global and local capital. And even more importantly, we are building an international network of startup VCs supporting and sharing insights, referrals and experience with each other, and helping their portfolios thrive in a global marketplace.
