As a social entrepreneur, how do you connect with impact investors? What is different about impact investing vs. typical tech investing? This hands-on, interactive workshop was given to winners of The Tech Awards in an all-day retreat. The key here is to practice, try new things, and practice some more. You can do this yourself by going to events or conferences and keep giving your short elevator story over and over, taking new risks, tweaking, and trying again.

1. Melinda Briana Epler, Founder & CEO
melinda@changecatalyst.co
@mbrianaepler
Connecting with Impact Investors

2. Melinda Briana Epler
Founder & CEO, Change Catalyst
Change Catalyst empowers inclusive
and sustainable innovation – through
education, mentorship and funding.
EMAIL: melinda@changecatalyst.co
TWITTER: @mbrianaepler

3. 3
TechInclusion.co
We explore comprehensive solutions
to tech diversity and inclusion.
techinclusion.co

4. WorldChangers
Our online platform empowers women to
solve the world's toughest social and
environmental problems through social
entrepreneurship and impact investment.
Shauntel Poulson
General Partner
Reach Capital
Jenny Kassan
Owner
Jenny Kassan
Lauren Booker Walker
Senior Manager
Omidyar Network
Victoria Fram
Managing Director
VilCap Investments
Melinda Briana Epler
Founder & CEO
Change Catalyst

5. We catalyze social entrepreneurs
and impact investors with the
skills, resources and support
they need to change the world
through:
¥ Community
¥ Curriculum
¥ Coaching & Mentorship
¥ Crowdfunding Portal
Umaimah Mendhro
Founder & CEO
VIDA
Joyce Hu
Creative Director
Wildlife Works
Anubha Srivastav
Founder
A by Anubha

6. What are your fears?
Or what don’t you know?

7. Event Case Study | Women in Tech Happy Hour
An Accredited Investor is…
Accredited vs Unaccredited?
Anyone who:
1. Has an earned income that exceeded $200,000 (or $300,000
together with a spouse) in each of the prior two years, and
reasonably expects the same for the current year, OR
2. Has a net worth over $1 million, either alone or together with a
spouse (excluding the value of the person’s primary
residence).
Lauren Booker Walker
Senior Manager, Impact Investing
Omidyar Network

8. Event Case Study | Women in Tech Happy Hour
An Accredited Investor is…
Anyone who:
1. Has an earned income that exceeded $200,000 (or $300,000
together with a spouse) in each of the prior two years, and
reasonably expects the same for the current year, OR
2. Has a net worth over $1 million, either alone or together with a
spouse (excluding the value of the person’s primary
residence).
A Non-Accredited Investor can invest!
On January 29, 2016....
Over a 12-month period, investors can invest through an online
portal in the aggregate across all crowdfunding offerings up to:
1. If either their annual income or net worth is less than
$100,000, than the greater of:
• $2,000 or 5% of the lesser of their annual income or net
worth
2. If both their annual income and net worth are equal to or more
than $100,000, 10% of the lesser of their annual income or net
worth
During the 12-month period, the aggregate amount of securities
sold to an investor through all crowdfunding offerings may not
exceed $100,000.
Accredited vs Non-Accredited?
Lauren Booker Walker
Senior Manager, Impact Investing
Omidyar Network

9. Investing Continuum: Don't get stuck talking to the wrong investors.

10. Expected Returns
July 2011, Santa Clara University, “Coordinating Impact Capital”

11. Expected Returns: Global
July 2011, Santa Clara University, “Coordinating Impact Capital”

12. Size of Investment
July 2011, Santa Clara University, “Coordinating Impact Capital”

13. Time to ROI
July 2011, Santa Clara University, “Coordinating Impact Capital”

14. 1. Team
A team I can work with, ambitious,
resilient, the ones who will do it.
2. Idea
Resonates with me and I haven’t heard it
many times before.
3. ROI
Good exit potential.
4. Measurable Impact
GIIRS, BCorp, finger to the wind.
5. Feeling/Connection
Aligns with my passions, I know
someone this would affect, and it just
“feels right.”
6. Others
• “traction” (revenue, users, customers
through beta/pilot)
• experience in this space
• diversity in team
• not a solo founder
What are investors looking for?
Beau Seil
Managing Partner
Unitus Impact

15. Where do I find them?
Kat Manalac
Partner
Y Combinator
Deldelp Medina
CEO & Co-Founder
Avión Ventures
Singari Seshadri
Director
Stanford Venture Studios

16. 1.Pitches & demo days
2.Events impact investing, entrepreneurship, social impact …
3.Your network entrepreneurs, mentors & advisors, attorney …
4.Online portals Angel List, Gust, YouNoodle, Astia, MoolaHoop
5.Investor networks Toniic, Investors Circle, Ande
6.Social media
7.Where else?
Where do I find them?

17. When do you take/make a meeting?
Lesa Mitchell
Former VP
Kauffman Foundation

18. 1. When you’re raising money
2. You fit their portfolio
3. You have a good introduction
When do you take/make a meeting?
Lesa Mitchell
Former VP
Kauffman Foundation

19. 1. When you’re raising money
2. You fit their portfolio
3. You have a good introduction
OR
4. You might be raising money in
a year or two
5. You have a personal
connection or you want to
build one
6. You could use some advice
setting up for success
When do you take/make a meeting?
Lesa Mitchell
Former VP
Kauffman Foundation

20. Develop a Story that sells them on the investment & YOU

21. Develop a Story that sells them on the investment & YOU
What
& Where
your one-liner.
how you make that vision
come true
Why
your vision for a better world
why it matters to the world
why now is the time
Who
why you and no one else?
what does the rest of
your team offer?
How
3 simple bullets about
how you do what you do
and how you’re different.

22. Workshop it. PART 1.
Kat Manalac
Partner
Y Combinator
Deldelp Medina
CEO & Co-Founder
Avión Ventures
Singari Seshadri
Director
Stanford Venture Studios

23. 1. Be fully present.
2. No Judgments.
3. Take Risks, Be Imperfect.
4. Don’t take anything personally. Be resilient.
Ground Rules

24. Ground Rules
1. Be fully present.
2. No Judgments.
3. Take Risks, Be Imperfect.
4. Don’t take anything personally. Be resilient.

25. Workshop it. PART 1: Your Story.
Kat Manalac
Partner
Y Combinator
Deldelp Medina
CEO & Co-Founder
Avión Ventures
Singari Seshadri
Director
Stanford Venture Studios

26. What did you hear?

27. Create an Investor Profile.

28. Create an Investor Profile.
Who are they?
• Age race gender
• Where do they live?
• Where did they make their
money?
• Why do they invest?
Why will they
invest in you?
• ROI2
• Team
• Traction
• Other reasons?
Why are they
meeting with you?
• They want to invest in you?
• They want to help you in other
ways?
• Someone told them to?

29. Create an Investor Profile.
Who are they?
• Age race gender
• Where do they live?
• Where did they make their
money?
• Why do they invest?
Why will they
invest in you?
• ROI2
• Team
• Traction
• Other reasons?
Why are they
meeting with you?
• They want to invest in you?
• They want to help you in other
ways?
• Someone told them to?

30. Workshop it. PART 2: Test it on “Investors”
Brian Dixon
Partner
Kapor Capital
Hunter Walk
Partner
Homebrew
Jenn Viane Riese
Angel Investor
Pipeline
Fellowship
Kate Mitchell
Partner
Scale Venture
Partners

31. 1.Describe your investor.
2.Everyone put the investor “hat” on & Listen.
3.Pitch your story.
4.Listen to feedback and ideas.
Workshop it. PART 2: Test it on “Investors”

32. What did you learn? Surprises?

33. Thank You
Melinda Briana Epler, CEO & Founder
melinda@changecatalyst.co
Changecatalyst.co