Solve Innovation Future
Directing catalytic investments to Solve's diverse portfolio of early-stage social entrepreneurs.
Venture Philanthropy Meets Impact Investing: Solve Innovation Future
Our Mission
Solve Innovation Future is a groundbreaking philanthropic venture vehicle that directs catalytic investments in Solve’s early-stage social entrepreneurs who are solving the world's most pressing problems.
Our Structure: Solve Innovation Future (SIF) raises philanthropic funding from visionary philanthropists, and directs investments in cutting-edge impactful solutions. Using entrepreneur-friendly strategies, SIF recycles proceeds from investments back into future Solver teams, creating a pay-it-forward model, and demonstrating effective, renewable philanthropy.
Solve Innovation Future has deployed over $2 million to date to more than 18 for-profit Solver team companies that are driving impact toward UN Sustainable Development Goals. We have catalyzed nearly four times our investment in additional investment capital towards our Solver teams.
Organized as a Donor-Advised Fund (DAF) with MIT Solve serving as the sole donor-advisor, Solve Innovation Future is proving that innovative funding instruments can maximize philanthropic impact.
Our vision: Solve Innovation Future is actively raising $10 million from philanthropic donors, and targeting $30 million over time, through tax-deductible gifts and grants to ensure continued and catalytic investments in Solver teams scaling and initiating early-stage funding rounds.
Solve Innovation Future’s Portfolio of Investees. Meet the investees here.
"It’s time for a new financing approach to support innovators who are solving the world’s greatest challenges."
- Casey van der Stricht, Principal, Solve Innovation Future
Become a Funder of Solve Innovation Future
Donate: Make the most of your charitable donation, by engaging with Solve Innovation Future: where every charitable dollar you donate is recycled into future impact investments. Donate here.
Join the Leadership Circle: The Leadership Circle represents champion funders and thought leaders across the entrepreneurial and impact investing landscape, and provides strategic guidance to advance transformational partnerships for Solver teams and Solve Innovation Future toward solving the world’s most pressing problems.
Learn more: To learn more about becoming a funder or joining the Leadership Circle, please fill out the form below.
Investment Portfolio Spotlight
Access Afya
Algramo
CENTURY Tech
EarlyBird
eggXYT
Kinedu
Queen of Raw
Rheaply
Dive Deeper
Solve Innovation Future’s Portfolio of Investees
Meet the investees here.
Solve Innovation Future's 2023 Annual Report
Our 2023 annual report includes financial and impact reporting on Solve Innovation Future, but more importantly spotlights our innovators and their work.
Download the report here.
Download Solve's white paper on investing in social impact innovation.
Download this white paper to learn more about Solve Innovation Future and the answers to key questions around DAFs and early-stage impact investing, including:
- How do I determine my investment, impact thesis, and process?
- How are DAFs commonly misused and how can we bridge this lost opportunity?
- How can I invest in social entrepreneurs lacking connections to traditional venture-capital hubs?
- Why should DAF capital be deployed as first-risk capital for early-stage entrepreneurs?
- How have Solver teams like Access Afya, Kinedu, and Queen of Raw benefited from founder-first investment structuring?
Access the report here.
In the Media
- Inside Philanthropy: The Answer to Smarter Philanthropy Can Be Found in a DAF Intermediary
- SOCAP Digital: How Catalytic Capital Is Serving Social Entrepreneurs and Funders
- PENTA: Future Returns: Impact Investing Through Donor Advised Funds
- ImpactAlpha: MIT Solve Rallies to Provide Bridge Loans and Revenue-Based Financing
- Stanford Social Innovation Review: Using Donor-Advised Funds to Invest in Early-Stage Entrepreneurs
- Fast Company: Why MIT’s Social Tech Incubator is Launching an Investment Fund
- Forbes: MIT Solve Enables Tech Entrepreneurs To Conquer Global Social Challenges
- Crunchbase: MIT Startup Announces Plans For $30M Solve Innovation Fund
Thank you to our Advisors and Partners
Solve Innovation Future is grateful to the ongoing support of our advisors and partners, including Aarti Chandna, Noubar Afeyan, Rajan Anandan, FARM fund, Flagship Pioneering, Guerra Family Foundation, Illusian Family Office, LionTree, Ray Rothrock, Seeding the Future, The Van Lengerich Family Foundation.
Our Investment Committee includes Geoff Davis, Chief Executive Officer, Sorenson Impact Center; Lara Metcalf, Managing Director, DRK; Jim Casselberry, Co-Founder and CEO, Known; Hala Hanna, Executive Director, MIT Solve; and Casey van der Stricht, Principal, MIT Solve.
Photo: Adam Schultz / MIT Solve
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