U-M Ross School of Business starts Social Venture Fund

The Social Venture Fund, the newest seed funding source from the University of Michigan, is looking for a double bottom line.That’s the buzz term that means an investment provided both a financial and societal return. The Social Venture Fund plans to invest in for-profit start-ups that make a positive impact on society. The idea is to reflect the broader sentiment of a student body receiving a liberal education.The new $200,000 fund will be run by students at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “We are very committed to action-based learning for our students,” says Gautam Kaul, a finance professor at U-M and managing director of the Social Venture Fund.A student-led committee will run the fund, doing everything from finding potential investees to determining which ones are ultimately worthy of funding. The fund expects to make it first investment before the end of the academic year.Source: Gautam Kaul, managing director of the Social Venture FundWriter: Jon Zemke