VC Include to host sustainable investing event

VC Include, in partnership with the Hewlett Foundation, will host the third and final installment of its Black Voices in Sustainable Investing panel on April 22.

Hosted by Bahiyah Yasmeen Robinson of VC Include and Include Ventures and Taj Ahmad Eldridge of Include Ventures and Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, the event will explore investment strategies that address ESG themes of racial and gender diversity as well as climate justice that are needed for communities and businesses to thrive now and into the future.

The Zoom event will be hosted from 9am to 10am Pacific Time. Interested attendees are able to register for free here.

This month’s guests are:

• SaLisa Berrien, CEO of COI Energy, which offers innovative technology solutions to electric utility companies that helps improve the energy performance of its small to medium business, industrial and commercial clients.
• Kerry Bowie, managing partner at Msaada Partners, a firm that works with organizations tackle social, economic and environmental problems with a focus on strategy, management, operations and design.
• Julia Collins, CEO of Planet FWD, a company that seeks to tackle climate change by making it easier to bring climate-friendly products to market.

VC Include’s Robinson has been active in leading technology, investment and social impact initiatives since early 2000s. She created VC Include in 2018 to build platforms and programs for diverse emerging managers globally. Pointing out that just 1% of the $70 trillion of assets in the U.S. managed by diverse asset managers, VC Include views itself as meeting a unique market opportunity in building an ecosystem of women, Black, Latinx, Indigenous and LGBTQ+ fund managers in alternative investments.

Eldridge, meanwhile, is focused on facilitating successful growth of sustainable high-tech startup companies engaged in entrepreneurial research and development of advanced technologies with the intent to create high-tech jobs throughout California via the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator.

With a focus on building up the infrastructure for high-caliber BIPOC managers, VC Include announced earlier this year the selection of 15 emerging venture capital and impact fund managers.