Recent years have seen an increase in ‘sustainability’ initiatives, but there is a difference between real impact and greenwashing. That difference lies in what gets measured and what gets done. Here are some questions to ascertain true impact.
GOING AGAINST THE HYPE
CASE STUDY
During our research phase, an investor asked us to take a look at a company some of his friends had invested in. He wanted some additional data points to help him decide if he too was going to invest.
The company was in the medical space, so we included our healthcare experts in the review.
The company was a unicorn based in Silicon Valley and was very high profile.
It was being exalted as the latest unicorn and its founder, one of the youngest female tech billionaires.
We reviewed materials in the public domain as well as the pitch deck the investor had been given.
Our process highlighted some red flags, including:
- Claims in the deck that lacked scientific evidence
- Lack of peer reviews in recognised and reputable medical journals
- The founder’s inability to answer questions with depth and substance
- Deflection of questions
- A board of the who’s who but no-one with relevant medical expertise
We shared our view with the investor.
He decided not to invest.
The company was Theranos, pre-scandal.
The investor is happy.
CASE STUDY
During our research phase, an investor asked us to take a look at a company some of his friends had invested in. He wanted some additional data points to help him decide if he too was going to invest.
The company was in the medical space, so we included our healthcare experts in the review.
The company was a unicorn based in Silicon Valley and was very high profile.
It was being exalted as the latest unicorn and its founder, one of the youngest female tech billionaires.
We reviewed materials in the public domain as well as the pitch deck the investor had been given.
Our process highlighted some red flags, including:
- Claims in the deck that lacked scientific evidence
- Lack of peer reviews in recognised and reputable medical journals
- The founder’s inability to answer questions with depth and substance
- Deflection of questions
- A board of the who’s who but no-one with relevant medical expertise
We shared our view with the investor.
He decided not to invest.
The company was Theranos, pre-scandal.
The investor is happy.
REAL IMPACT OR GREENWASHING?
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A FOUNDER TO BACK?
Most investors say they do due diligence on the team. We have found many fall short in picking up the telltale signs of potential risk factors and what needs to be done to increase the likelihood of success.
WHEN INVESTORS COME IN
Bringing investors on board can help a company scale, but difficulties can arise from growing too quickly. Here’s how we helped a high-growth company tackle transition and the associated growing pains.
VISION + EXECUTION = VALUE
A budding entrepreneur wanted to create an investment company focused on Africa. We helped him define and shape the vision, as well as the values and behaviours he wanted to stand for and demonstrate. Wanting to ensure he could translate his vision into practice, we...
GOING AGAINST THE HYPE
When a company is receiving a lot of attention and significant funding, it takes great resolve to buck the trend and quash FOMO. It is wise to take time to peel back the layers and do proper due diligence.
HARMONISING CO-FOUNDERS
A new venture had three founding partners all sharing the same vision. However, in trying to deliver on that vision, it became rapidly apparent they had different views on how that vision should be executed. We had to figure out if and how they could best work as a...
