Impact Makers Founder and CEO Michael Pirron sits down with Elisa Miller-Out, Managing Partner of Chloe Capital, a seed-stage, movement-driven venture capital firm that invests in women-led tech innovation companies primarily through the lens of gender and diversity.
In this webinar, Miller-Out shares her thoughts on social enterprise as a for-profit business model that includes an environmental, financial, governmental, and/or social impact. She suggests that these businesses are not classified as non-profit by definition; however, due to their impact, they do not fully meet the traditional definition of a for-profit, either. By landing somewhere in the middle, social enterprises are in a unique position to generate considerable profit and growth while maximizing their impact in other meaningful ways, as well.
Miller-Out also shares her perspective on impact investing, as well as her thoughts on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors and socially responsible investing (SRI). While ESG and SRI often involve screening portfolios to avoid certain companies or industries, impact investing involves seeking out and investing in good companies that make a positive difference in the world. The conversation around impact investing leads to a further discussion on the B-Corp movement, the certification and assessment standards associated with it, the legal business structure associated with benefit corporations, and the impact the B-Corp community has had on her companies’ cultures, policies, and business practices for more than a decade.
In addition to the topics of social entrepreneurship and impact investing, Pirron explores how Miller-Out got involved in the social enterprise and B-Corp spaces, as well as her propensity for starting tech businesses and innovating in the investment space. We also discuss Chloe Capital’s mission, including their current programs, partnerships, and initiatives (including their Invest in Women Tour, Diversity in ClimateTech program, Investment in Women x Pittsburgh, and others), and their ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The conversation closes with Miller-Out’s vision for the future of Chloe Capital and how these concepts can translate to a global impact. Watch the full webinar above to listen to these diverse voices come together to generate innovative solutions for the world’s biggest problems.
