🦊/Investors

Acumen

Impact investorActively deployingoperating company · company profile

New York · Seed–Growth · 7 people tracked

Also known as Acumen Resilient Agriculture

Find your way into Acumen

1,204 people in our graph share verified history with the Acumen team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

René Kuijtenunlockedknows Cristina Ljungberg · together at McKinsey & Company (overlapped)
knows the team · via Harvard University
knows the team · via Stanford University Graduate School of Business
×4knows the team · via Columbia Law School
knows the team · via University of Pennsylvania
knows the team · via University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business
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Investment thesis

Acumen invests with a long-term 'Patient Capital' approach to tackle poverty, an idea it says has contributed to impacting over 700 million lives. It backs entrepreneurs who combine the practical skills of building companies with moral leadership, believing this combination transforms livelihoods, industries, and markets. Grounding its theory of change in people, Acumen partners with founders to scale impact against the toughest problems of poverty. Its regional teams guide the organization's work, shape strategies, and invest in solutions to poverty-related challenges around the world.

Source: firm website, verified Aug 3, 2026.

Stage
Seed–Growth
HQ
New York, US
Instruments
Equity · Grants
Founded
2001
AUM
$35M
Tracked investments
15

Team · 7 people

from the firm's website & curated & public directories
Lynn Roland· General Partnerin
Carlyle Singer· Executive Officerin
Virgilio Barco· Executive Officer

15 people who came through Acumen went on to found or lead other companies.

+ 3 more

What they invest in

from 12 of 15 portfolio companies

AgTech ×4Impact & Social Good ×4Cleantech ×3Energy ×3FoodTech ×3Healthtech ×3AI & Machine Learning ×2Consumer ×2

HQs:United States×6India×3Kenya×2Nigeria×1South Africa×1

Investments · 15 tracked

founders shown can be your intro path

By year:2024 · 12023 · 12022 · 32020 · 12019 · 17 dated

KawiSafi Ventureskawisafi.com✓ verified

KawiSafi Ventures is an impact investment fund that finances renewable off-grid energy companies in East Africa to provide clean, affordable power to energy-poor communities.

CleantechClimate TechEnergyImpact & Social GoodNew York, US

Patrick Lee Mo Lin(Director)Poonam Gopaul(Alternate Director)Dominique Tang Hon Yue(Alternate Director)Amar Inamdar(Director)Pinpin Kweton(Director)

BoardJacqueline Novogratz(Director)in

Akili Networkakilinetwork.comin𝕏

Akili Network develops educational content and programming for children, with a focus on early childhood learning in East Africa.

ConsumerEdTechMedia & EntertainmentNairobi, KE

Jeff Schon(CEO and Co-Founder)inJesse Soleil(President and Co-Founder)in

Co-investorsAngaza CapitalFuture of Learning Fund

Clinifymyclinify.comin𝕏Jun 2022

Clinify is an AI-powered claims processing platform for health insurance in Africa that automates end-to-end claims handling, fraud detection, and payouts using agentic AI agents.

AI & Machine LearningHealthtechInsurTech

Co-investorsHaloHealthScaleGood Fund LP (powered by TELUS)Thin Air LabsAcumen AmericaBetter VenturesImpact Engine+1 more

Clinify Healthclinifyhealth.comin𝕏Jun 2022

The page presents Mostbet, an online platform offering sports betting alongside casino entertainment such as slots and live dealer games, aimed at users in Poland.

ConsumerGamingHealthtechChicago, US

Nate Pelzer(Founder)in

Co-investorsBetter Ventures Central LlcSeae VenturesTechstarsAcumen AmericaAvesta FundBetter Ventures+1 more

Crehanacrehana.comin𝕏

Crehana offers an HR platform for companies in Latin America that connects recruitment, people management, training, performance, and workplace climate management in a single tool, with real-time analytics and AI-generated insights.

EdTechHR TechSaaS

Diego Olcese(Founder)inRodolfo Dañino(Founder)in

Co-investorsDila CapitalNazcaEmerge EducationEndeavor CatalystGeneral AtlanticRethink Capital Partners+1 more

Haqdarshakhaqdarshak.comin𝕏Jul 2020

Haqdarshak operates an AI-driven social benefits platform that helps low-income individuals and micro-businesses in India and the Global South discover and access government welfare programs, insurance, credit, and financial services.

AI & Machine LearningFintechImpact & Social Good

Co-investorsBeyond CapitalSupermorpheusImpact India Investment Partners

Koolbokskoolboks.comin𝕏Aug 2022 · $2.5M

Koolboks manufactures solar-powered ice makers and freezers designed for businesses in Africa, offering financing options and integrated battery storage technology to reduce electricity costs.

CleantechEnergyHardwareIoTLagos, NG

Co-investorsCascadorAll OnAruwa CapitalBlue Earth Capital AGBpifranceKawiSafi Ventures

Promethean Power Systemspromethean-power.comin𝕏

Promethean Power develops patented energy storage technology for agricultural and off-grid applications in emerging markets.

AgTechCleantechEnergyFoodTechHardwareOsmanabad, IN

Sorin Grama(Co-founder & Director)inSam White(Co-founder & Director)in

Co-investorsAster Capital

S4S Technologiess4stechnologies.comin

S4S Technologies produces dehydrated food ingredients such as onion powder, tomato bits, potato flakes, and plant proteins for use in seasonings, soups, ready-to-cook/ready-to-eat foods, snacking, and other food processing applications.

AgTechFoodTechImpact & Social GoodAurangabad, IN

Ashwin Pawade(Founder)inDr. Vaibhav Tidke(Founder)in

Co-investorsAccelAutodesk FoundationChiratae VenturesAgFunderFactor[e] Ventures

Uncommon Cacaoin

Berkeley, US

EMILY STONE(President and Director)inWILLET ALEX WHITMORE(Secretary and Director)

BoardSANTIAGO ALVAREZ(Director)JEFFREY PZENA(Director)MORGAN SIMON(Director)

Co-investorsCeniarth

Victory Farmsvictoryfarmskenya.cominApr 2023 · $35M

Victory Farms Kenya sells tilapia fillets sourced from Lake Victoria through partnerships with local fishermen, with zero-plastic packaging and online ordering via M-Pesa payment.

AgTechE-commerceFoodTechImpact & Social GoodKaksingri, KE

Co-investorsAgDevCoCeniarthTimon CapitalVestedWorldCreadevDOB Equity+2 more

Winich Farmswinichfarms.cominOct 2024 · $3M

Winichfarms operates a digital platform that provides storage facilities, fair-price marketplace access, and low-interest credit services for farmers.

AgTechB2B MarketplacesFintech

Riches Attai(Founder)in

Co-investorsAcasia VenturesCairo Angels Syndicate FundExpert DOJOFounders Factory AfricaSahel CapitalDisrupTech Ventures+1 more

Other

Tracked investments with no reachable website or further public details — typically companies that wound down, renamed, or were absorbed.

ConsejoSanoHealthcubedTugboat Solutions

Portfolio news

latest coverage across their companies

Frequently asked questions

How many investments has Acumen made?
Acumen has 15 tracked investments, including 1 dated in the last 24 months.
What stage does Acumen invest at?
Acumen invests at the Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, Growth stages.
What sectors does Acumen focus on?
Acumen focuses on AgTech, EdTech, Energy, Healthtech, Impact & Social Good.
Where is Acumen located?
Acumen is headquartered in New York, US.

Media · Podcasts & interviews

featuring the team

Jacqueline Novogratz - Building Acumen & How to (Actually) Change the World | The Tim Ferriss Show

Tim Ferriss · Jacqueline Novogratz

Investing in Climate Resilience and Poverty Alleviation: Acumen Founder & CEO Jacqueline Novogratz

Harvard Business School · Jacqueline Novogratz

Jacqueline Novogratz, Acumen CEO: Building a better world together | The Positive Leadership Podcast

Microsoft · Jacqueline Novogratz

Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder & CEO of Acumen on Moral Imagination in the face of the climate crisis

Acumen Academy · Jacqueline Novogratz

Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO of Acumen: Balancing Humility with Audacity

Stanford Graduate School of Business · Jacqueline Novogratz

Introduction from Acumen's Founder \\ Jacqueline Novogratz \\ Acumen European Partner Gathering

Acumen · Jacqueline Novogratz

Images

Acumen photoAcumen photoAcumen photoAcumen photoAcumen photoAcumen photo

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