CRUSA Foundation and Kirchner Impact Foundation looking to train the next generation of impact investors in Costa Rica
Three students will be selected to become impact investors for an academic year.
San José, September 19, 2022. The CRUSA Foundation and the Kirchner-Donovan Impact Initiative part of the Kirchner Impact Foundation invite Costa Rican university students to apply to the Kirchner Fellowship, a program that provides education and training in investment, for those interested in becoming impact investors.
Impact investors seek to generate a positive and measurable social and environmental impact along with a financial return.
The program seeks to contribute to the development of the impact investment ecosystem in Costa Rica. Its main mission is to bring together, educate and train outstanding university students, with minimal or no experience in the investment industry, through a practice model.
During one academic year and with the support of Kirchner Group’s network of professionals, the three chosen students will take part in a training process through a learning-by-doing methodology. The students will form and work as an investment committee to invest in a company with a focus on social and/or environmental impact.
This program has been implemented by the Kirchner Impact Foundation in other regions over the last 9 years and is recognized as a pioneering model for deploying capital more efficiently and effectively in emerging markets.
“We look forward to bringing our innovative Fellowship program to the country through this collaboration with CRUSA Foundation,” added Blair Kirchner, Executive Director and Co-Manager of the Kirchner Impact Foundation. “We strongly believe in the positive impact it can have on the local entrepreneurial and investment ecosystem by supporting the existing talent and innovation in the region“.
“Costa Rica’s experience in sustainable development and biodiversity conservation has positioned it as one of the reference models in the region. In addition, the development and launch of the National Bioeconomy Strategy make Costa Rica the ideal location for the first generation of the Kirchner Fellowship focused on bioeconomy,” said Abigail Napsuciale, Director of the Kirchner Fellowship Costa Rica. “Alongside CRUSA Foundation we seek to support the impact investment ecosystem and facilitate the capital continuum for bioeconomy companies.”
To date, the Kirchner Fellowship program has trained more than 40 people in 12 different cohorts, representing 14 countries and more than 50 academic institutions. This time the program comes to Costa Rica with a focus on bioeconomy businesses.
Flora Montealegre Guillén, Executive Director of the CRUSA Foundation, highlights Costa Rica’s ability to attract such renowned organizations as the Kirchner Impact Foundation, and thus jointly enhance the impact investment ecosystem in the country and the region.
“At the CRUSA Foundation, we recognize the value of entrepreneurship as a catalyst for growth as well as a generator of impact and general wellbeing. With this alliance we seek to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem, enabling the placement of capital into profitable companies with the clear expectation of environmental and social returns over the medium-term,” added. Montealegre Guillén.”
To apply for the program, interested parties may access the website www.kirchnerfellowship.com and fill out the application form. The application period will be open until November 6, 2022.
CRUSA Foundation
CRUSA Foundation is a Costa Rican, independent, apolitical, and non-profit organization that since 1996 contributes to improving the quality of life of people and sustainable development in Costa Rica. As part of the 22-27 Strategy, the Foundation is committed to boosting the entrepreneurial ecosystem to enable high-impact venture creation for more sustainable, prosperous, and inclusive growth. More information: www.comunidad.crusa.cr
Kirchner Fellowship
The mission of the Kirchner Fellowship is to strengthen impact investing ecosystems in areas underserved by capital markets through training and empowering a diverse next generation of investors to allocate equity investments into early-stage companies. Through the use of a “real world, real time, real money” model, the program has proven that it is possible for newly-formed investment teams to become effective capital allocators in a matter of months www.kirchnerfellowship.com
The Kirchner Fellowship is an initiative of The Kirchner Impact Foundation (501 (c) (3)) one of the “returning arms” of Kirchner Group, that focuses on harnessing the positive power of enterprise to make a difference in addressing some of the most important issues of today www.kirchnerimpact.com
Abigail Napsuciale Heredia | Director | abigail@kirchnerfellowship.com
Kirchner Group
Kirchner Group was founded in 1985 as a boutique advisory firm and today operates various subsidiaries, providing advisory services (M&A, assessments, diligence) and operational support (interim management, workouts, turnarounds) as well as asset management (dedicated, portfolio optimization) – all leveraging a proprietary approach that dovetails domain and process expertise.
Throughout the decades Kirchner Group has been internationally recognized for its unique business model centered around creating value while promoting values: “earning while returning”. The firm has also established a reputation for building and rebuilding important business and social paradigms based on its deep entrepreneurial orientation.
Kirchner Group’s clients and partners include early stage to mid-market companies, venture capital and private equity firms as well as family offices and some of the world’s largest insurance companies, commercial banks and institutional investors. www.kirchnergroup.com Stay up to date on our initiatives and activities by following us on LinkedIn.
Blair Kirchner | Managing Director | bgkirchner@kirchnergroup.com