In recognition of ALIVE’s comprehensive approach to impact investing, the Latin American Impact Investing Forum awarded ALIVE its “Outstanding Capital Investment Prize” last week during its annual gathering in Mérida, Mexico.
The event, which is the largest impact investing conference of its kind in the region, brings together leading impact investors, entrepreneurs, and other practitioners in the region for three days of workshops, panels, and other interactive spaces.
ALIVE’s Co-founder and Managing Partner, Santiago Alvarez, accepted the award on behalf of ALIVE’s team after also participating in a panel discussion during the event.
Continue reading to learn more about the prize, our comprehensive approach to impact investing, and our experience at the Forum this year.
At the Forefront of Impact Investing in Latin America
Months prior to the event, FLII (its acronym in Spanish) announced a series of awards recognizing excellence in impact investing in the region across a variety of categories.
ALIVE was announced as a finalist prior to the event, along with 11 other organizations across the Prize categories. On the closing day of the conference, after three days of voting by FLII attendees, ALIVE was awarded the prestigious distinction.
The “Outstanding Capital Investment” category specifically recognizes:
A Fund or Financial Entity that has demonstrated relevant actions to advance the state of development of impact investment in Latin America, new actors entering the sector, significant growth of existing actors, and expansion to geographies in which impact investing is still nascent.
FLII organizers, and attendees who voted during the event, recognized ALIVE for our innovative approach and our results to date, summarized below.
Our approach
Investing in extraordinary entrepreneurs tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing low-income communities in the region (with a focus on Colombia and Peru).
Applying a gender lens at every step of the investing process
Employing a comprehensive impact measurement and management approach
Conducting hands-on technical assistance projects (measuring impact, implementing gender-smart practices, tailored business development advising, and more).
Aligning the fund’s compensation structure to impact results
An active commitment to ecosystem building
Seeking attractive, risk-adjusted returns for our investors
Our results
ALIVE has launched 2 funds and has USD $70M in AUM, making it the largest impact fund manager in the Andean region
USD $2.5M raised between 2 Technical Assistance Facilities (one for each fund) and more than 20 technical assistance projects conducted
More than 10 million lives impacted
On average, 55% of customers reached by portfolio companies are from low-income communities
100% of Fund 1 companies are 2X compliant (we have just begun investing our second fund)
Published numerous case studies about the results of our impact and gender work. You can find some of these studies here: 2X Global, Impact Alpha, Latimpacto, and LAVCA.
ALIVE’s work, as well as that of the other finalist in our category, Dalus Capital, and other finalists across all categories, is a sign of the growing momentum, and impact, of Latin American impact investing.
This momentum was tangible during the whole three days at FLII, including during a panel discussion on leveraging technology to improve education outcomes across the region, in which ALIVE's Co-founder and Managing Partner, Santiago Alvarez, participated.
Advancing Innovation in Education at FLII
Santiago participated in a panel discussion titled "Disruptive Education: How Technology is Creating New Learning Opportunities." He was joined by industry peers, Ana María Aristizabal of Winnipeg Ventures and Yesenia Gallardo of Potencia Ventures, as well as Juan Pablo Mena, the Founder and CEO of ALIVE portfolio company, uPlanner.
During the discussion, the panel expanded on the role of technology in reshaping educational paradigms across Latin America.
Santiago in particular emphasized the need for a nuanced approach to educational reform while acknowledging the diverse challenges present in the region, and how ALIVE’s strategy seeks to find a balanced blend of strengthening traditional educational frameworks while also leveraging technology to better address existing gaps and enhance learning outcomes.
Through investments in companies like Slang, ALIVE aims to tailor educational interventions to individual needs, thereby fostering inclusivity and reducing inequality in the region.
He also spoke to the importance of collaboration between private entities and governmental bodies to drive meaningful change within the education sector and how the accelerated adoption of virtual learning spurred by the pandemic presents an opportune moment for stakeholders to align efforts towards bridging educational divides and reaching underserved communities effectively.
As we look ahead, ALIVE remains committed to leveraging technology and other game-changing innovations to improve access to quality education across Latin America and to generate positive impact across our investment themes.
A Collective Effort Towards a Shared Vision
The recognition ALIVE received at FLII 2024 represents the collective effort of ALIVE’s team and its stakeholders, and the ongoing commitment to a shared vision to use impact investing as a tool to transform lives and reduce systemic inequality across Latin America.
As the impact investment landscape continues to evolve, so will the challenges of vulnerable communities in the region. Looking to the future and the work still to be done, ALIVE recognizes we must continue learning, improving, sharing our insights, and contributing to ecosystem building, as we continue to leverage the power of impact investing to catalyze meaningful change for some of the region's most vulnerable.