About YSVC

Youth Social Venture Capital (YSVC) is an experiential learning program organized by Youth Entrepreneurship and Finance Association (YEFA) to provide students at high school a real market education in impact investing. 

Impact Investing

According to Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), Impact investments are investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. The growing impact investment market provides capital to address the world’s most pressing challenges in sectors such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, conservation, microfinance, and affordable and accessible basic services including housing, healthcare, and education.

YSVC Program Overview

This program trains the next generation of impact investors by providing them with the opportunity to fundraise, source, do due diligence and present early-stage impact investment ideas to an expert investment committee. During this process, students will learn about how to grow a social business from regular meetings with the investee company. This program also includes an opportunity to travel to the country of the selected investee company.

Program Description

  • Join Zoom sessions that provides guidance through the sourcing and diligence process
  • Submit deliverables and selecting a see-stage company for potential impact investment
  • Present the selected company to an investment committee of industry experts and compete for an up to $10,000 investment into the company
  • Meet with the selected company regularly to understand how the investment is spent

Curriculum & Timeline

  • Feb – Intro to Impact Investing
  • Mar – Investment Thesis, Deal Sourcing, Due Diligence, Pitch to Investment Committee
  • Apr – Term Sheet and make the $10,000 Investment
  • May to July – Monthly check with the investee company
  • Aug – Trip to the country of investee company, conclude with an impact report

Social Venture Startup Criteria

  • Target: Seed Investment Opportunity
  • Region: Emerging markets and underdeveloped countries
  • Sector: SDG related themes, such as climate/environment/education/financial inclusion
  • Type: Startups that has a business model and has the potential to make social impact
  • Stage: Startups that has existing product and already in operations, has potential to grow and fundraise in the upcoming year

Key Deliverables

  • Reflection paper on the market opportunities and challenges in impact investing
  • Due diligence report on the financial and social performance of potential opportunities
  • Investment memo presentation on selected company
  • Impact report

Learning Outcomes

  • Participate in a full lifecycle of impact investing
  • Gain skills of fundraising, deal sourcing, due diligence, investment research
  • Build professional networks for VCs and social businesses
  • Engage closely with the investee company and learn how to grow a social business
  • Be able to make impact through investing and engaging in social ventures

Fund Stage

YSVC Fund I is closed. If you would like to join YSVC fund II, we are currently accepting enrollment.

For details, please contact fengwei.zou@allianceforimpact.org.