Giving Back is in our DNA
At Rev1 Ventures, giving back is a part of who we are. We have two corporate initiatives. We match employee contributions to three local non-profit organizations of significance to our employees.
We also support entrepreneurs in developing countries who are starting or growing technology-enabled businesses by making micro-lending investments through Kiva, a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty.
One-to-One Match Serving the Columbus Community
We sponsor an annual one-to-one match of employee donations to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Mid-Ohio Food Bank, and Pets without Parents (PWP).
The missions and service audiences of these charities are as diverse as the passions and interests of our employees.
More than a million children receive life-saving care at Nationwide Children’s every year. For every $1 donated, the Food Bank is able to distribute $10 worth of groceries to people in need. PWP, a no-kill shelter, has helped more than 8,000 cats and dogs find homes.
Evergreen Fund Supports Entrepreneurs through Microfinancing
Entrepreneurship is so much a part of Rev1’s DNA, that Kiva, a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty, is a natural fit.
Leveraging the Internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva aggregates individual investments as small as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.
Rev1 Ventures began investing two years ago. Our investment strategy is to invest in a technology-related opportunity if possible, be geographically diverse and also to invest a significant amount per investment, either to get an entrepreneur’s round off to a good start or to help close out a round.
We’ve invested in six entrepreneurs in regions from Armenia to Philippines to Mexico.
Rev1 keeps metrics on our Kiva portfolio and reports on our investment performance quarterly. Our investments are out-performing Kiva’s averages.
We invest between $100 and $200 a year and are creating an evergreen fund by reinvesting our loan repayments.
