NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

By Stephen Timm

Philanthropic impact investor Omidyar Network has invested close to $1.3-billion in non-profit and for-profit ventures globally since it was founded in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar.

But an investment principal at the fund confesses that the funder’s “patient” approach to funding means it has made few exits so far.

“We are early-stage, impact investors and, because we have only one funder, our capital is patient.

“So when we look at investments, the total value creation of a company for us is comprised of financial returns, social impact, and its effect on the sector as a whole,” Ameya Upadhyay, an investment principal at the fund told Ventureburn.

Upadhyay oversees the portfolio of over $200-million the organisation has invested in financial inclusion.