A Time for Reflection and Goal Setting

It’s that important time of year again, when we reflect on what has passed and set goals for the future. As 2016 is newly minted, the RENEW team wants to highlight some of our favorite moments of 2015:

This past May, members of the Impact Angel Network (IAN) and distinguished guests met at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C. for the first annual National Gathering. The entire evening was filled with meaningful connections and memorable conversations for guests and members alike. Attendees were given the rare treat of hearing the former Director of the CIA, and now Chair of KKR's Global Institute, General (ret.) David H. Petraeus, share stories and insights on leadership, investing, Africa and Ethiopia.

RENEW and the IAN were featured in two major media publications this past year. Thomas Heath of the Washington Post highlighted RENEW LLC and the compelling story of its founders, Matthew and Laura Davis, while Anne Fields of Forbes highlighted the particulars of how the IAN is making financial and social impact in Ethiopia. If you haven’t already, be sure to check both articles out - we promise they are great reads!

This past July, RENEW’s Laura Davis spoke on a panel on Crowdfunding and Angel Investing at the 6th Annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES), held in Nairobi, Kenya. It was the first time RENEW participated in GES, and Laura left Nairobi reinvigorated about America’s role in the world. The President made a commitment six years ago to, in summary, export the American spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation; an idea that RENEW and the IAN support every day by facilitating impact investments in small to medium sized enterprises in Ethiopia.

RENEW and the IAN now have seven companies under management, making us one of the largest foreign investors in Ethiopia by number of transactions. In December 2015, RENEW announced that members of the IAN invested in Desta PLC (Desta), a textile and apparel manufacturing company located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The IAN anticipates that the investment in Desta will create significant social impact in Ethiopia by adding more than 100 jobs to the local economy and supporting several hundred existing jobs, many for women, and will positively impact the burgeoning textile sector in Ethiopia.

While there is much to be thankful for in 2015, there is also much to look forward to this upcoming year:

This is and will always be RENEW’s number one priority. In 2016, we look to strengthen the services we offer our portfolio companies. Stay tuned!

It seems like more and more individuals these days are realizing the positive benefits of “doing well by doing good”, causing the IAN to grow and expand into new cities across the States. The RENEW team and members of the IAN continue to look forward to spreading the word about how impact investing combines the best of both traditional investing and philanthropy by not only providing financial returns, but social impact as well.

RENEW and the IAN are excited for the second annual National Gathering, which is to take place in Washington, D.C. We look forward to our members connecting with each other and gaining deeper insights into angel and impact investing from experts in the field.

The RENEW team can’t wait to host investors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia this upcoming February. Several members of the IAN will be participating in a RENEW Econ-Tourism Trip. During their time in Ethiopia, members will have the opportunity meet with the entrepreneurs of our portfolio companies, tour their facilities, and help choose the next set of investment opportunities for the IAN.

We are filled with great anticipation for all the growth we are planning for in 2016! We wish you a year of health, connection to the things that matter and deep sense of fulfillment, as you look at what has been in your life and what is to come.