Baumhart Impact Fund
Baumhart Impact Fund
The Baumhart Impact Fund is an evergreen fund supporting the growth of early-stage, mission-driven start-ups advancing social and environmental impact. It is a distinctive educational experience for Baumhart Scholars MBA students.
The Baumhart Impact Fund is integrated into a required Baumhart Scholars MBA Impact Investing class (MGMT 407B), ensuring all Scholars gain deep experience in assessing and evaluating financial returns and social and environmental impact.
Priority Investment Areas
The Baumhart Impact fund works to create thriving communities, in an inclusive economy on a healthy planet, with a special focus on local impact. Priority investment areas are:
- Community Economic Opportunity: Building inclusive pathways for workforce development, education, health equity, entrepreneurship and financial mobility.
- Sustainability and Climate: Growing environmental stewardship, circular business models, and climate innovation.
- Geography: US-based companies. Priority will be given to companies active in the Chicago area and Midwest.
Fund Investment Philosophy
The Baumhart Impact Fund operates as a catalytic, early-stage impact fund bridging the gap between angel investment and seed funding.
- Returns: Seeks risk-adjusted market rate returns and clear, measurable social or environmental benefits
- Investment Size: Makes investments of approximately $25,000 to $50,000 per company
- Stage: Pre-seed and seed stage companies
- Support: Offers portfolio companies the opportunity for additional support from related classes and professors
Financial returns will be reinvested into the fund or deployed to support the education mission of the Baumhart Center and Baumhart Scholars MBA.
The Baumhart Impact Fund is an evergreen fund supporting the growth of early-stage, mission-driven start-ups advancing social and environmental impact. It is a distinctive educational experience for Baumhart Scholars MBA students.
The Baumhart Impact Fund is integrated into a required Baumhart Scholars MBA Impact Investing class (MGMT 407B), ensuring all Scholars gain deep experience in assessing and evaluating financial returns and social and environmental impact.
Priority Investment Areas
The Baumhart Impact fund works to create thriving communities, in an inclusive economy on a healthy planet, with a special focus on local impact. Priority investment areas are:
- Community Economic Opportunity: Building inclusive pathways for workforce development, education, health equity, entrepreneurship and financial mobility.
- Sustainability and Climate: Growing environmental stewardship, circular business models, and climate innovation.
- Geography: US-based companies. Priority will be given to companies active in the Chicago area and Midwest.
Fund Investment Philosophy
The Baumhart Impact Fund operates as a catalytic, early-stage impact fund bridging the gap between angel investment and seed funding.
- Returns: Seeks risk-adjusted market rate returns and clear, measurable social or environmental benefits
- Investment Size: Makes investments of approximately $25,000 to $50,000 per company
- Stage: Pre-seed and seed stage companies
- Support: Offers portfolio companies the opportunity for additional support from related classes and professors
Financial returns will be reinvested into the fund or deployed to support the education mission of the Baumhart Center and Baumhart Scholars MBA.