Social venture capital

Last updated

Social venture capital is a form of investment funding that is usually funded by a group of social venture capitalists [1] or an impact investor [2] to provide seed-funding investment, usually in a for-profit social enterprise, in return to achieve an outsized gain in financial return while delivering social impact to the world. There are various organizations, such as Venture Philanthropy (VP) companies and nonprofit organizations, that deploy a simple venture capital strategy model to fund nonprofit events, social enterprises, or activities that deliver a high social impact or a strong social causes for their existence. There are also regionally focused organizations (both for-profit and nonprofit) that target a specific region of the world, to help build and support the local community in a social cause. [3]

Contents

Investment criteria

Apart from the traditional venture capitalists focusing on just the financial profit, social venture capitalists believe in achieving financial success through social impact to the world. [4] Beside, those Venture Philanthropy (VP) funds such as Venture Philanthropy Partners initiate investment in a high-performing nonprofit organization, [5] the following criteria that social venture capitalists generally assess on social venture companies for funding: [6]

Types of funding and growth support

For-profit

Social venture accelerators

Social venture accelerators is a form of seed accelerators that fixed termed, cohort-based entrepreneurial development programs designed to transform validated idea of the social startups companies to seed funding. Hence, increase the outcomes for sustainability and growth of startup companies that have potential to scale (usually tech-based companies). Such programs allows startup companies to gain exclusive visibility to early- stage investors and other resources such as providing initial investment, technical facilities/development, to office accommodation and under the guidance of experienced mentors, all of which in return of a minor share in the invested startups companies, [7] or under grant funding to support participating companies. [8] Seed accelerator companies will assess based on startup companies' business model and ensure market/customer sector validated, to develop a commercial validity of the social startup companies to investment ready and prepare to scale their impact. [9]

Social incubators

Business incubators usually provide business with facilities and funding with the help of external management team to manage an idea that was developed internally. Given the intense efforts involved, the incubator period usually lasted longer the seed accelerator, and takes up a much larger amount of equity than Seed Accelerator as well. [10]

Social incubator fund

As part of effort of UK Government to support social ventures from a grassroots level to deliver positive social and environment impact, a £10 million Social Incubator Fund, which was launched on 24 July by Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd. The fund run by Big Lottery Fund will increase the amount of money available at the early stages of projects where the financial return is too low [11] while Big Society Capital invests social investment intermediaries that carries higher financial risk. [12] However, such funds doesn't indicate free funding, as incubators such as Social Incubators North, a social business incubator [13] provided a repayment interest free loan of £25k to successful applicant. On the other hand, newly launched Non-For-Profit incubator Halcyon Incubator targeting on the social impact that the social ventures deliver, does not require equity in the fellow's venture, but only a commitment to growing ideas to achieve social change. [14] [15]

Non-profit oriented funding and support

Venture philanthropy deploys simple venture capital strategy model to fund non-profits events/social enterprises/activities that deliver high social impact or a strong social causes for its existence. Organization such as Amanter Social Venture provides such services focusing on social principles as main assessment criteria and running programs to help existing social organization/enterprise through capacity building and executive training to deliver a multiplier effect to the next beneficiary organizations. [16] The classic example of Benetech, a non-profit organization, shows that the proceeds gained were being used to create a handful of new social enterprise patterned. [17]

Regionally-focused organizations such as Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP), the European Venture Philanthropy Association (EVPA) and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), are associations that covers venture philanthropy funds targeting certain regions such as the National Capital Region in the US, Europe and Asia that finance charities, revenue generating social enterprises and socially driven business. [18]

Forms of social ventures funding

Social ventures unusually face a ranges of funding options not limited to the common ones such as debt capital with participation rights, mezzanine financing (quasi equity) or license fees. [19]

Debt capital + Mezzanine capital

Common forms of funding such as debt capital + capital. Such funds supports the social ventures with invested capital that must be repaid either in short or long period of time, in additional with an agreement amount of interests. These raised capitals are usually secured with the assets of the company, by the lenders from banks and venture capital companies. [20] In other words, if the company failed to repay their debt capitals, would results their ownership and equity interest to be liquidized. Noted, that mezzanine financing usually blinded with a high returns of 20% to 30%. [21]

Equity investments

Social venture capital companies will usually make equity investment and co-investments, when an anticipated exit strategy of the company is foreseeable. [22] Such investment are made through preferred shares which commonly entitled the lenders a fixed dividend that takes priority over that of ordinary share dividends, usually without voting rights. [23]

Investment approach

To effectively maximize the fund's capital to deliver social impact, social venture companies are attracted to successful financing social enterprises that show growth and financial sustainability, usually when anticipated exit strategy of the company is foreseeable, [24] especially for young venture capital firms to minimize their exit from the invested companies, to maximize the opportunity of future fund raising, especially, when prospect of exits beyond the 7 year periods decreases for companies going for initial public offering (IPO) and merger and acquisition. [25]

Investor tax relief scheme

Venture capital scheme

Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS)

The Enterprise Investment Scheme is a tax advantaged scheme designed to help companies that are at their early growth stage to raise equity finance from investors. Through this scheme, qualifying investors are able to claim income tax relief of 30%, plus exemption from capital gains tax when enterprise investment scheme shares are disposed of. [26]

Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS)

The Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme is a tax advantaged scheme designed to encourage investment from investor in higher-risk small companies that are in their early growth stage to raise equity finance. With contrast the existing Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS), the SEIS allows qualifying investors can claim income tax relief of 50%, plus capital gains tax relief. [27]

Venture Capital Trust (VCT)

The Venture Capital Trust Scheme is a tax advantaged scheme designed for a HMRC-Approved VCT company to chip in for shares in, lends money to small unquoted companies. Under scheme, the VCT companies itself exempt from CT on chargeable gains and their investors can claim income tax relief on subscriptions of up to £200,000. [28]

Social investment tax relief

Social investment tax relief scheme is designed to encourage more social investments from investors to support social enterprise by introducing a range of tax relief schemes such as Income Tax relief, capital gains hold-over relief and capital gains disposal relief. SITR covers investments made on or after 6 April 2014. [29] It means that debt investments into asset-locked bodies (like community interest companies) can now be made on the same tax relief terms as the Enterprise Investment Scheme for equity investments.[ citation needed ]

Income tax relief

Investors (need not to be UK resident) who subscribed to qualifying shares or make qualifying debt investments in the social enterprise that meet SITR requirement, are able to calm at 30% of the amount they invested, to a maximum investment of £1,000,000 up to 5 years after the 31 January following the tax year in which the investment was made. [30]

Capital gains hold-over relief

Investors are able to defer the payment of tax on a capital gain of any kind of disposed asset, when the capital gains are reinvested in the share or debt investment which qualify for SITR Income Tax Relief. However, it must arise in the period from 6 April 2014 to 5 April 2019. The SITR qualifying investment must be made in the period one year before or three years after the gain arose. [31]

Capital gains disposal relief

Any gain on the investment that is disposed after it has been held for at least three years, are free from Capital Gain Tax, in addition to the Income Tax Relief coverage on the cost of the investment. [32]

Alternatives funding

Business angels/angel finance

Business angels are usually a group/single individual investors with a high-net-worth pool of investments looking for opportunities to invest in an enterprise, to achieve a reasonable amount on return of investment. As business angel funding involves investors injecting funds into a startup/private company in return for a share in its ownership, businesses that operate as sole traders or partnerships are usually not eligible for such financing. [33]

Crowdsourcing

Crowdsourcing is a practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people, typically via the internet. For-profit fundraising companies using strategies such to charge a premium on "keep what you raise” model or a minor charges on an "all-or-nothing funding approach" [34] However, particularly for Social Crowdsourcing, non-profit organization such as razoo to help social enterprise or non-profit, student organization to raise fund for event or charitable causes. [35]

Examples of social venture capital firms

See also

Related Research Articles

An individual savings account is a class of retail investment arrangement available to residents of the United Kingdom. First introduced in 1999, the accounts have favourable tax status. Payments into the account are made from after-tax income, then the account is exempt from income tax and capital gains tax on the investment returns, and no tax is payable on money withdrawn from the scheme. Cash and a broad range of investments can be held within the arrangement, and there is no restriction on when or how much money can be withdrawn. Since 2017, there have been four types of account: cash ISA, stocks & shares ISA, innovative finance ISA (IFISA) and lifetime ISA. Each taxpayer has an annual investment limit which can be split among the four types as desired. Additionally, children under 18 may hold a junior ISA, with a different annual limit.

United Kingdom corporation tax UK tax on UK-resident companies and companies with permanent establishments in the UK

Corporation tax in the United Kingdom is a corporate tax levied in on the profits made by UK-resident companies and on the profits of entities registered overseas with permanent establishments in the UK.

Taxation in the United Kingdom Overview of taxation in the United Kingdom

Taxation in the United Kingdom may involve payments to at least three different levels of government: central government, devolved governments and local government. Central government revenues come primarily from income tax, National Insurance contributions, value added tax, corporation tax and fuel duty. Local government revenues come primarily from grants from central government funds, business rates in England, Council Tax and increasingly from fees and charges such as those for on-street parking. In the fiscal year 2014–15, total government revenue was forecast to be £648 billion, or 37.7 per cent of GDP, with net taxes and National Insurance contributions standing at £606 billion.

The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) is a series of UK tax reliefs launched in 1994 in succession to the Business Expansion Scheme. It is designed to encourage investments in small unquoted companies carrying on a qualifying trade in the United Kingdom.

An investment club is a group of individuals who meet for the purpose of pooling money and investing; members typically meet on a periodic basis to make investment decisions as a group through a voting process and recording of minutes, or gather information and perform investment transactions outside the group. In the US the upper limit for the value of an investment club's worth is $25m. There is no lower limit. Investment clubs provide members a means to learn about markets, while meeting and working with people who have similar interests.

A self-invested personal pension (SIPP) is the name given to the type of UK government-approved personal pension scheme which allows individuals to make their own investment decisions from the full range of investments approved by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

A personal pension scheme (PPS), sometimes called a personal pension plan (PPP), is a UK tax-privileged individual investment vehicle, with the primary purpose of building a capital sum to provide retirement benefits, although it will usually also provide death benefits.

A venture capital trust or VCT is a tax efficient UK closed-end collective investment scheme designed to provide venture capital for small expanding companies, and income and/or capital gains for investors. VCTs are a form of publicly traded private equity, comparable to investment trusts in the UK or business development companies in the United States. They were introduced by the Conservative government in the Finance Act 1995 to encourage investment into new UK businesses.

Venture philanthropy is a type of impact investment that takes concepts and techniques from venture capital finance and business management and applies them to achieving philanthropic goals. The term was first used in 1969 by John D. Rockefeller III to describe an imaginative and risk-taking approach to philanthropy that may be undertaken by charitable organizations.

The Share Incentive Plan (SIP) was first introduced in the UK in 2000. SIP's are an HMRC approved, tax efficient all employee plan, which provides companies with the flexibility to tailor the plan to meet their business needs. SIPs are becoming increasingly popular with companies that want to engage their workforce and recruit and retain key employees. From 6 April 2014, HMRC approval will no longer be required for a SIP to obtain tax benefits. Instead, an employer is required to self-certify that the SIP meets the requirements of the relevant legislation. Accordingly, from 6 April 2014, a SIP may no longer be referred to as an HMRC approved plan.

Small Self Administered Scheme (SSAS) is a type of UK Occupational Pension Scheme.

Impact investing refers to investments "made into companies, organizations, and funds with the intention to generate a measurable, beneficial social or environmental impact alongside a financial return". At its core, impact investing is about an alignment of an investor's beliefs and values with the allocation of capital to address social and/or environmental issues.

A Tax Transparent Fund (TTF) - also known as an Authorised Contractual Scheme (ACS) Fund - is the proposed authorised collective investment scheme structure in the United Kingdom once the UK Finance Bill 2012 becomes an act and when the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the Corporation Tax Act 2010 are amended, sometime mid-2012. TTF’s will then have the option to be based in the UK rather than in competing European domiciles. Both Luxembourg and Ireland have already introduced such structures, formally known as the Fond commun de placement (FCP) and the Common contractual fund (CCF).

A patent box is a special very low corporate tax regime used by several countries to incentivise research and development by taxing patent revenues differently from other commercial revenues. It is also known as intellectual property box regime, innovation box or IP box. Patent boxes have also been used as base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) tools, to avoid corporate taxes.

Pension Led Funding (PLF) is a financial services product offered in the United Kingdom (UK) that raises funds for businesses based upon the use of pension benefits accrued by owners or directors of the business they control. The money can then be used for the provision of a secured commercial loan, the purchase of commercial property, *the purchase of intellectual property assets, or the purchase of share capital.

Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credits are a UK tax incentive designed to encourage companies to invest in R&D. Companies can reduce their tax bill or claim payable cash credits as a proportion of their R&D expenditure.

The Research and Development Expenditure Credit (RDEC), introduced in 2013, is a UK tax incentive designed to encourage large companies to invest in R&D in the UK. Companies can reduce their tax bill or claim payable cash credits as a proportion of their R&D expenditure.

Research and Development Capital Allowances, also known as RDAs, are a tax relief for businesses in the United Kingdom. They provide a 100 per cent first year capital allowance for research and development (R&D) capital expenditure. RDAs are the capital expenditure equivalent to the R&D tax relief scheme.

Angels Den is the Europe's first and largest online investment platform that connects businesses with angel investors. It was founded in 2013 and is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

A Social Impact Contractor is a corporate body which holds a contract with a public body to provide goods or services with defined outcomes intended to achieve a community or environmental benefit.

References

  1. ↑ Ganti, Akhilesh. "Venture Capitalist – VC Definition". Investopedia. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  2. ↑ Thegiin.org. Global Impact Investing Network [Internet]. 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.thegiin.org/cgi-bin/iowa/resources/about/index.html Archived 2015-04-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Haque, Maryam. "National Venture Capital Association – NVCA" . Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  4. ↑ "15 Social Venture Capital Firms That You Should Know About | Cause Capitalism" . Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  5. ↑ Vppartners.org. About Us | Venture Philanthropy Partners [Internet]. 2014 [cited 26 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.vppartners.org/about-us
  6. ↑ Socialventurefund.com. Investment Criteria [Internet]. 2014 [cited 26 October 2014]. Available from: "Investment Criteria". Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  7. ↑ "GoodCompany Group". goodcompanyventures.org. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  8. ↑ wedc. "Wisconsin Development Programs | WEDC Programs". WEDC. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  9. ↑ "GSBI". Miller Center. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  10. ↑ DesMarais, Christina (2012-02-07). "Accelerator vs. Incubator: What's the Difference?". Inc.com. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  11. ↑ Gov.uk. Social Incubator Fund - Growing the social investment market - Policies - GOV.UK [Internet]. 2013 [cited 26 October 2014]. Available from: "Social Incubator Fund - Growing the social investment market - Policies - GOV.UK". Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  12. ↑ Gov.uk. Social Incubator Fund - Growing the social investment market - Policies - GOV.UK [Internet]. 2013 [cited 26 October 2014]. Available from: "Social Incubator Fund - Growing the social investment market - Policies - GOV.UK". Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  13. ↑ Socialincubatornorth.org.uk. Social Incubator North | Helping Businesses Grow [Internet]. 2014 [cited 26 October 2014]. Available from: http://socialincubatornorth.org.uk/ Archived 2014-10-26 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ Slade, Hollie. "New Incubator Aimed At Social Entrepreneurs Launches In Washington D.C." Forbes. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  15. ↑ "Halcyon Incubator". Halcyon. 2017-06-08. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  16. ↑ "Amanter Social Ventures". amanter. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  17. ↑ Alter K, Shoemaker P, Tuan M, Emerson J. When is it Time to Say Goodbye? Exit Strategies and Venture Philanthropy Funds [Internet]. 1st ed. United States of America: Virtue Ventures, Social Venture Partners and The Roberts Foundation; 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2014-10-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ↑ Haque, Maryam. "National Venture Capital Association – NVCA" . Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  19. ↑ info@socialventure.de S. Forms of funding [Internet]. Socialventurefund.com. 2014 [cited 25 October 2014]. Available from: "Forms of funding". Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  20. ↑ "M&A Advisor". articles.elitemanda.com. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  21. ↑ Hayes, Adam. "The Truth About Mezzanine Financing". Investopedia. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  22. ↑ "Forms of funding". Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  23. ↑ Ganti, Akhilesh. "Preference Shares Definition". Investopedia. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  24. ↑ Socialventurefund.com. Investment Approach [Internet]. 2014 [cited 25 October 2014]. Available from: "Investment Approach". Archived from the original on 2014-10-25. Retrieved 2014-10-25.
  25. ↑ Espenlaub, Susanne; Khurshed, Arif; Mohamed, Abdulkadir (2011). "1" (PDF). Manchester: 4.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ↑ Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) Guidance [Internet]. 1st ed. United Kingdom: HM Revenue & Customs; 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/eis/guidance.pdf
  27. ↑ Seedrs.com. Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) [Internet]. 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: https://www.seedrs.com/seis_eis_tax_relief
  28. ↑ "VCM50010 - Venture Capital Schemes Manual - HMRC internal manual - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  29. ↑ Social Investment Tax Relief - Gov.uk. Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) [Internet]. 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/298220/Social_investment_tax%5B%5D
  30. ↑ Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) - investors [Internet]. 1st ed. United Kingdom: HM Revenue and Customs; 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sitr/investors-guide.pdf
  31. ↑ Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) - investors [Internet]. 1st ed. United Kingdom: HM Revenue and Customs; 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sitr/investors-guide.pdf.
  32. ↑ Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) - investors [Internet]. 1st ed. United Kingdom: HM Revenue and Customs; 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/sitr/investors-guide.pdf.
  33. ↑ "Getting Started With Angel Investing". Entrepreneur. 2010-08-17. Retrieved 2019-09-06.
  34. ↑ 27. Oxforddictionaries.com. crowdfunding: definition of crowdfunding in Oxford dictionary (American English) (US) [Internet]. 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/crowdfunding
  35. ↑ Razoo.com. Nonprofits -- Raise Money for Your Cause with Razoo's Social and Commerce Tools - Razoo [Internet]. 2014 [cited 27 October 2014]. Available from: http://www.razoo.com/p/nonprofits
  36. ↑ Agdevco.com. About Us [Internet]. 2014 [cited 28 October 2014]. Available from: "About Us". Archived from the original on 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
  37. ↑ Gbfund.org. About Us | Grassroots Business Fund [Internet]. 2014 [cited 28 October 2014]. Available from: "About Us | Grassroots Business Fund". Archived from the original on 2014-10-28. Retrieved 2014-10-28.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.