For the past six years, I have proudly sponsored the MBA Impact Investing Network & Training (MIINT) program at Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  MIINT attracts bright young minds from around the world to participate in a year-long program where they learn about social and environmental impact investing, an inspiring concept to me personally.

The program culminates in a competition where teams pitch a seed-stage company they’ve identified. Their pitch must outline the positive impact the company will have on their community, as well as the expected financial returns.

I’m pleased to share that The University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton team placed 2^nd in this highly competitive program earlier this month!  The Wharton team chose to pitch Oko, who use mobile and satellite technologies to bring crop insurance to underserved smallholder farmers in emerging markets. The insurance provides financial security for farmers when they yield little or no crops during dry periods or when crop production is unreliable.

Doing the proper due diligence on these projects is a huge undertaking and I congratulate all the students on their efforts to bring a greater focus on social impact investment. I also offer my congratulations to the winners Yale School of Management for EVmatch – a peer-to-peer electric vehicle charging app.

Both Oko and EVmatch have a clear vision to foster a positive change within their communities, while also developing a successful business model. The Moelis Family Foundation is proud to invest in both Oko and EVmatch and support them in their continued success.