Our mission is to invest in mission-driven businesses that deliver a double bottom line: financial returns and social returns.
We see entrepreneurship as a key to unlocking a future where people and nature thrive in a sustainable economy.
Impact drives results
Our thesis is simple. We believe if we use: best business practices, best community, environmental and social practices, and good governance to solve large societal challenges, we will deliver top-tier venture results. To prove this thesis, MaRS Catalyst Fund was launched in 2016 as an initiative between MaRS Discovery District and Virgin Unite Foundation. The goal was to build the impact investment marketplace in Canada and we closed the fund in 2017 with 100% private foundation, family office and pension fund LP’s. Amplify Capital is the evolution of that original fund.
“A true partner, Amplify Capital continues to give critical, actionable advice that helps us improve our reach and impact. ”
Our investment strategy
Amplify Capital is a seed stage venture fund investing in technology companies solving for social and environmental market gaps. We believe that a thriving economy is one of reduced inequality based on a foundation of affordable clean energy, quality education and healthcare. These three sectors represent at least $12 Trillion* annual market opportunity.
We are based in Canada and primarily invest in Canadian mission-driven teams that are creating scalable for-profit business solutions to build highly profitable and sustainable companies. We invest early, but expect teams to have proven their technology and product-market fit. Our initial investments range from $500K to $750K in Seed and Series A and we reserve additional capital for follow-on funding potential. Our investors include family offices, foundations and individuals who believe in investing for both financial return as well as social impact.
*The Frontiers of Impact Tech, Good Tech Lab, June, 2019.
“Measuring impact has a range of benefits including recruitment, fundraising, and input into the strategy of the company.”
Amplifying our impact
We amplify our impact by encouraging our partners, investors and co-investors to consider impact when they invest. Building on our original mandate from MaRS and Virgin Unite, we are committed to cultivating an impact investment community in Canada and sharing our impact philosophy and metrics with our LP’s, co-investors and the broader venture and private equity community. We actively participate in thought leadership, guidance, UN and Social Finance events and share our measurement reporting methods with other funds.