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Impact Shakers

Impact Shakers addresses the systemic homogeneity in venture capital through a multi-entity structure that includes a €20 million for-profit fund, a microfund for early-stage democratization, and a non-profit for ecosystem building. Their core thesis posits that redirecting capital to diverse founders is the most potent leverage point for equitable and sustainable economic change. Central to their operations is the proprietary “Impact Readiness Levels” (IRLs) framework, which replaces static metrics with a dynamic, learning-oriented process, linking financial incentives (carry) directly to impact progress rather than just financial outcomes.

Systemic Lenses (Impact Approach)

Ecological The fund explicitly targets “Climate & Inclusion Tech,” viewing the lack of diversity as a barrier that constrains humanity’s problem-solving potential for complex global challenges like climate change.

Economic They intervene directly in the economic system by redistributing wealth and power, aiming to close the wealth gap by creating generational wealth for underrepresented founders.

Social The model relies on investing in founders with “lived professional and personal experience” who deeply understand their communities, thereby embedding community inclusion and empathy into governance.

Narrative / Belief Impact Shakers actively works to “unlearn” scarcity thinking and shifts industry narratives by open-sourcing their IRL framework and proving that diverse founders can deliver strong returns.

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