In this slideshow, Bevans Branham explores the newly created Binary Capital that, in addition to making a profit, hopes to improve the livelihoods of the world's citizens.

1. MISSION VS METRICS: WHAT INVESTORS
SHOULD AND DO CONSIDER WHEN SEEKING
OUT NEW VENTURES
BEVANS BRANHAM

2. In the age of data, numbers are king. Athletes, politicians,
and businessmen – everyone seems to be moving toward a
metric-driven approach to improve. To some degree, they
should be; numbers can be and often are the best way to
measure success, track movement and progression, and
make sense of a situation. But it has also become very easy
to forget about intangibles.

3. Jonathan Teo most
certainly has not
forgotten.

4. According to a recent article in the New York Times, Teo
recently launched a group called Binary Capital, which seeks
to partner with organizations who value their mission and
their ability to create a global impact, on an equal level with
their income statements.

5. Teo told reporter that
the companies in
which his
organization will
invest fit a certain
profile: “They want
to succeed
commercially, but
also want to succeed
at improving the
lives of others, and
they want to do that
at scale.”

6. And it seems the idea has caught fire. According to the
article, in only three months Binary Capital raised a sum of
$125 million in early funding… But what’s perhaps more
impressive is that they declined investments valued at
roughly $60 million.

7. Binary Capital will create their own global impact, the author
writes, by giving a portion of their carried interest to
charitable organizations around the world. They hope to be
able to partner with worldwide organizations in the future to
contribute to improving conditions in developing parts of the
world.

8. The article goes on to discuss the approach Teo and Binary
Capital are taking to find partners with whom to invest. Like
their ideas on metrics and mission, it’s a bit atypical. Rather
than focus primarily on the firms actively searching for
investors, they work backchannels, following popular apps
and websites to determine what developers are saying about
a company or project, and then move in to pitch to teams
where they think they can make a difference.
“The deals we want to do aren’t already in play,” said Mr. Teo
told the Times, “We want to make them happen.”