Dear Friends of Elevar,
2021 marked the 15th year since we started investing.
15 years ago, ‘impact investing’ as a term had not even been coined and the idea that a commercial model could achieve a social objective needed to be demonstrated. We started with a simple quest to connect capital markets with business models that cater to those underserved by the mainstream. We saw millions of customers – aspirational, discerning, and willing to pay for affordable, quality products & services. These ‘aspirers’ waited at the margins for brands that had the DNA and the commitment to understand their dreams and aspirations, build accountable relationships with them and catalyze the growth journeys of their households. Our journey was about understanding the ground realities of these households by spending significant time with them in the field, and finding entrepreneurs who could build such trusted brands for them. And we are proud of our accomplishments with multiple funds, 44 investments (as of April 2022) and over 45 million impacted households – 15 years of quiet execution.
Through our journey and that of other pioneers who took the less trodden path, impact investing has become more mainstream in the investing world; with the additional rise of ESG (different from impact investing) and key stakeholders demanding more accountability, it is clear that the intent of the world at large is to move in a positive direction. This has led to a significant increase in the volume of discourse. It is critically important that this intent be focused on authentically solving core challenges on the ground. On our part, our goal is to be a meaningful voice, ensuring that the discourse is about the investment and impact opportunity that arises from tapping into the entrepreneurial resilience, and potential for growth at scale within underserved communities; and for our voice to inspire the broader world of talent and capital to gravitate towards solving issues of inequity and lack of access to essential products and services.
As an important first step in this direction, we are launching an interactive microsite to capture 15 years of Elevar. This microsite will provide a window into the world of Elevar and its portfolio; it will highlight the incredible spirit of our customers and give a flavor of the immense potential that can be unlocked. It will also bring you what we hope are authentic perspectives on impact from different lenses.
We are launching this microsite in a phased manner, with three initial modules:
Module 1 – The Elevar Perspective: In this module, the firm’s leadership will reflect on the Elevar point of view, our investing methodology and our journey of building trusted brands for aspirers. We will also share metrics showcasing our cumulative performance, impact, and key milestones.
Module 2 – The Entrepreneur Perspective: This will bring our portfolio entrepreneurs’ perspective on the power and magic of building trusted brands for aspirers. Different entrepreneurs from our portfolio will share why they chose to work with this customer segment, their ground up learnings, and their vision for the problem they are trying to solve.
Module 3 – The Customer Perspective: This module will capture the customers’ perspective. Through stories told by some customers of our portfolio companies, we will showcase the ‘can-do’ spirit of aspirers and the transformative powers of the brands our companies build. These customers will talk about their aspirations and dreams and the difference made in their lives by the delivery of essential services.
As we evolve, so will this microsite, with new perspectives and modules continously added. We hope that these stories will enrich the narrative on transformative change and inspire the kind of authentic discourse and actions that are much needed in today’s world. We also hope that you enjoy exploring this repository of stories, and remain a dear Friend of Elevar.
Click below to view the microsite: