Gratitude Railroad

Last month we partnered with Foundation House to co-host the first "Unlocking the Next Trillion for Impact Summit" in Greenwich, CT. The Summit brought together over 90 investors, founders, fund managers, and impact leaders to learn and consider 1) How do we take a systems approach to unlocking the next trillion for impact? and 2) How do we catalyze solutions to bring about positive systemic change? We were thrilled to feature portfolio companies including itselectric in our entrepreneurs panel and fund managers in our portfolio to lead sessions centered on our core investment themes: Reduce Greenhouse Gases (Sarah Sclarsic, Voyager Ventures VC), Educate for the Future (Ashley Bittner, Kalos Ventures), Advance Health Equity (Elana Berkowitz, Springbank, Lenore Champagne Beirne, Bright Ventures), and Bridge the Wealth Gap (Adrianna Samaniego (she/her/ella), Cherryrock Capital). To learn more about the content and full lineup of speakers, we invite you to read the event recap by Foundation House: https://lnkd.in/gnmtguJz

Congratulations to itselectric on raising $6.5M to expand operations and accelerate curbside EV charging across major US cities in 2024. We are thrilled to partner with co-founders Tiya Gordon and Nathan L. King to invest in itselectric and bring affordable and accessible EV infrastructure to some of the densest urban areas in the country with key deployments directly supporting Uber’s goal of helping rideshare drivers go electric. Read the full story in Fortune: https://lnkd.in/e7DuKYNf

In partnership with Fiduciary Trust International, we hosted a Climate Equity Happy Hour in New York City to bring together impact leaders and investors advocating for climate solutions that benefit all communities. It was a fantastic evening of networking and learning. We are grateful to our moderator, Jeff Finkelman, CFA, and guest speakers Shannon Dulaney, Sonam Velani, Sasha Novograd Brown, and Lauren Zullo—for sharing their insights and experiences. Their contributions are invaluable as we navigate the complexities of mitigating climate change while addressing the needs of middle- and low-income communities, a critical step towards realizing our net-zero ambitions!

We are excited to announce our investment in Mae, a health equity startup that combines digital pregnancy and postpartum support with local community-based doulas. Our latest blog post delves into the critical need for innovation and investment in maternal health, and highlights three key reasons we are thrilled to be backing Mae. https://lnkd.in/gSb_ywwb

Our team is growing! We are excited to announce that we are hiring a Community and Operations Associate. This is a role that will provide exposure to exciting companies and funds at the forefront of innovative and impactful solutions. This person will be a key administrator and executor of our investor engagement program, including investment calls, topical roundtables, portfolio site visits, and impact happy hours. This person will also manage our team’s internal operations. The successful candidate will be experienced in operations, administrative support, event planning, and/or project management, with startup experience or a startup mindset. If this sounds like you or someone you know, we invite you to learn more and apply! https://lnkd.in/gdpRXVE5 

Join us next Wednesday, May 29th, for Emerging Impact Manager Update & Practicum, an insightful and tactical update on the emerging manager landscape and best practices for investing in early-stage funds. We will convene experts from the field to share key factors that drive differentiation within the venture market. Learn more and register here: https://lnkd.in/g8m2K58n *This event is for accredited investors only* Guest Speakers: Regina Green, Consultant at Catalyze Lenore Champagne Beirne, GP at Bright Ventures Maureen Stancik Boyce, PhD, Managing Partner at Good Growth Capital Ashley Bittner, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kalos Ventures

In honor of World Ocean Day, our friends at Sea Forward Fund are hosting a virtual panel of incredible women who are using their talents, passion and creativity to support a thriving and healthy ocean. Among the panelists are Gratitude community members and leaders in ocean investing Laura Francis and Donna Hazard.     We invite you to tune in next Wednesday, May 22nd for an engaging conversation and Q&A on how their innovative work in impact investing, conservation, and community engagement is tackling some of the greatest challenges facing our ocean – and learn what you can do to get involved. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gPHQx8ev #impactinvesting #worldoceanday #femaleinvestors

Our portfolio company LOLIWARE Inc. has been chosen by Mars and Unreasonable to join the inaugural Unreasonable Food™ Year 1 Venture Cohort! Fifteen purpose-led, growth stage ventures were selected for their potential to drive impact at scale across the food value chain.  As leaders in innovative seaweed-based packaging materials that are biodegradable and home compostable, LOLIWARE Inc. is advancing a plastic-free future with their patented Sea Technology resins.  Congratulations to Sea F. Briganti and the LOLIWARE Inc. team! We can’t wait to follow your journey over the next year as you collaborate with the best and brightest to accelerate action toward achieving Net Zero emissions.  #portfolionews #impactinvesting #netzero #sustainablepackaging https://lnkd.in/dzq3UaBM

We had a wonderful time joining forces with WovenEarth Ventures to co-host an evening dedicated to inspiring connections between nature, art, protection of place, and climate-focused investments at The Foster Museum. Surrounded by Tony Foster’s watercolor wilderness journeys, we were not only captivated by their beauty, but also reminded of the urgent need to scale capital directed towards innovative climate solutions.