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SustainVC

North America, Pennsylvania, United States, Philadelphia

Description

SustainVC is an early-stage venture capital firm based in Philadelphia, United States, dedicated to impact investing. The firm focuses on identifying and supporting companies that not only offer the potential for market-rate financial returns but also generate significant social and environmental impact. Their investment thesis is centered around three core areas: Climate & Environment, Healthcare & Education, and Economic Opportunity & Justice. This broad yet targeted approach allows SustainVC to back innovative solutions addressing critical global challenges, from renewable energy and sustainable agriculture to equitable access to healthcare and educational advancements.

Since its inception with the launch of its first fund in 2007, SustainVC has established itself as a consistent player in the impact investing landscape. The firm typically participates in Seed and Series A funding rounds, providing crucial early-stage capital to promising startups. Their investment strategy involves a thorough due diligence process to ensure alignment with both financial performance expectations and measurable impact metrics.

SustainVC's commitment to its mission is evidenced by its robust portfolio, which comprises over 60 companies across its three funds. The firm's typical initial investment ranges from $500,000 to $1,000,000, indicating a focus on meaningful early-stage contributions. Most recently, SustainVC successfully closed its SustainVC Impact Fund III in 2020, raising $25 million to continue its mission of backing ventures that drive positive change alongside financial growth. This fund further solidifies their capacity to support a new cohort of impact-driven enterprises.

Investor Profile

SustainVC has backed more than 24 startups, with 0 new investments in the last 12 months alone. The firm has led 5 rounds, about 21% of its total and boasts 3 exits across its portfolio.

Investment Focus Highlights

  • Concentrates on Seed, Series A, Series Unknown rounds (top funding stages).
  • Majority of deals are located in United States.
  • Strong thematic focus on Software, EdTech, Education.
  • Typical check size: $500K – $1M.

Stage Focus

  • Seed (33%)
  • Series A (33%)
  • Series Unknown (13%)
  • Series B (13%)
  • Convertible Note (4%)
  • Pre Seed (4%)

Country Focus

  • United States (100%)

Industry Focus

  • Software
  • Edtech
  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Saas
  • E-learning
  • Medical
  • Artificial Intelligence (Ai)
  • Financial Services
  • Fintech
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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn who this investor regularly partners with—both firms and angels—and explore their latest activity.

Who does SustainVC frequently co-invest with?

AF
North America, Colorado, United States, Denver
Co-Investments: 1
Bonsal Capital
North America, Maryland, United States, Baltimore
Co-Investments: 2
Clean Energy Venture Group
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Brookline
Co-Investments: 2
JV
North America, Massachusetts, United States, Boston
Co-Investments: 2
SE
North America, Indiana, United States, Indianapolis
Co-Investments: 2
Impact Engine
North America, Illinois, United States, Chicago
Co-Investments: 2
American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact
North America, Wisconsin, United States, Madison
Co-Investments: 2
Next Wave Impact
North America, Colorado, United States, Denver
Co-Investments: 2
Lumina Foundation
North America, Indiana, United States, Indianapolis
Co-Investments: 2
Cherrystone Angel Group
North America, Rhode Island, United States, Providence
Co-Investments: 2

Which angels does SustainVC often collaborate with?

KD
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
Shared Deals: 1
FD
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1
EA
North America, Colorado, United States, Denver
Shared Deals: 1
AH
North America, Nevada, United States, Las Vegas
Shared Deals: 1
MD
North America, California, United States, Emeryville
Shared Deals: 1
JS
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
SR
North America, California, United States, San Francisco
Shared Deals: 1
CN
North America, Florida, United States, Miami
Shared Deals: 1
LY
North America, New York, United States, New York
Shared Deals: 1

What are some of recent deals done by SustainVC?

Honeycomb Credit

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Honeycomb Credit is a developer of a peer-to-peer lending platform designed to allow friends and family to fund small businesses.

FinanceFinancial ServicesFinTech
SeedJun 11, 2024
Amount Raised: $6,000,000
Conservation Labs

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Conservation Labs is a smart water meter that provides consumption insights, custom conservation recommendations, and leak detection.

Software
Series AFeb 21, 2024
Amount Raised: $7,500,000
SHARE Mobility

Columbus, Ohio, United States

SHARE Mobility provides transportation solutions for companies.

Employee BenefitsFleet ManagementRide SharingSmart CitiesTransportation
Series AJun 21, 2022
Amount Raised: $12,000,000
Elemeno Health

Oakland, California, United States

Elemeno Health is a team-based medical information platform—a personal assistant for doctors and nurses.

Emergency MedicineHealth CareMedicalSoftware
Series AMay 12, 2022
Amount Raised: $7,000,000
Beem

San Francisco, California, United States

Making life affordable for all using AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Auto InsuranceHealth InsuranceInsuranceLife InsuranceMachine LearningPersonal FinancePersonalizationPrimary and Urgent CareSocial Impact
SeedMay 2, 2022
Amount Raised: $7,000,000
Upswing

Austin, Texas, United States

Upswing provides colleges and universities with an integrated student services platform to increase student retention.

EdTechHigher EducationSoftware
Series AMar 30, 2021
Amount Raised: $5,000,000
Cecelia Health

New York, New York, United States

Cecelia Health is a health-tech company that connects clinical coaching and proprietary technology with people living with diabetes.

DiabetesHealth CareWellness
Series BAug 13, 2020
Amount Raised: $13,000,000
Yellowdig

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Yellowdig is an online learning experience driven by peer collaboration, gamification, and data science.

E-LearningEdTechEducationHigher EducationKnowledge ManagementSaaSSoftware
Series UnknownJul 15, 2020
Amount Raised: $1,500,000
Solstice

Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

Solstice provides turnkey customer solutions for shared solar.

Clean EnergyCleanTechEnergySaaSSolar
Convertible NoteJul 1, 2020
Amount Raised: $3,100,000
Reconnect

Cumberland Center, Maine, United States

Reconnect improves outcomes and provides ongoing support during pretrial, reentry, and recovery.

Information TechnologyPublic SafetySoftware
SeedJun 25, 2020
Amount Raised: $3,700,000