Investments

For Ventures

We need great organisations to accelerate our progress towards realising children’s rights and the SDGs. You have the innovations!

Our funds provide patient capital along with Save the Children’s deep expertise. We want to be that strategic investor that helps you refine your products, expand networks and reach the most beneficiaries.

Together, we will bring solutions at scale to the issues facing children.

Pitch us!

Pitching to Save the Children

We know that running a startup is hard, and attracting funding can be harder.

We look at everything that comes across our desks, and we try to get back to everyone. That said, we are impact first and need to ensure these key questions are a “yes” to begin considering the commercial potential of an investment:

  • Is your targeted impact something that Save the Children has programs for? These include:
    • Under 18 education
    • Child and Maternal Health
    • Child Protection and Empowerment
    • Disaster Response
    • Livelihoods & Financial Inclusion
    • Climate Change Adaptation for Communities
  • How can Save the Children uniquely further your impact faster and more equitably?
  • Is impact aligned with the business model (i.e. does more revenue = more impact)?
  • How bright does your fire burn for the impact you hope to achieve?
  • Is your impact measurable?

To make it easier for us to say yes, some key points to have in your deck when you reach out include:

  1. Founding team, Executive team and Board
  2. Key Product / Service and USP
  3. Business model, including traction to date
  4. Impact Theory of Change
  5. Current and target markets (and domicile if different)
  6. How much you’re raising

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you invest?

We have a focus on Australia and Asia-Pacific, but can and have invested globally.

What types of investment do you make?

We can provide debt (including convertible notes) or equity (including SAFEs).

What kind of organisations do you invest in?

Scaling impact is our north star, and we are most interested in the solutions and innovations to achieve it. If you have a benefit to children or families, we'd like to hear from you.

As a commercial-returns fund, we do need to see a pathway to profitability that achieves a competitive return to our investors.

That said, we have supported a range of business models. We've helped establish a depth of impact where none existed before and helped build a reach in the millions of children. In investor language, our target is late-seed to early-growth stage companies.

How big is your fund?

Fund I has capital commitments of AU$7.425M.

Our investments have ranged in size from AU$200,000 to AU$750,000.

Fund II is targeted at AU$ 25M, with an investment size range of AU$500k to $2M.

Are you an accelerator or incubator?

Though we have relationships with accelerators and incubators, we are not resourced or positioned to offer support at the these stages of a startup's journey.

How long do you take to decide?

We perform daily screens on incoming investments. If there's not a good portfolio fit, we will let you know ASAP and try to explain why.

Once initial fit is confirmed, prior to making an investment, we complete detailed due diligence and obtain approval from our Investment Committee and Board of Directors.

This process can take between 2-6 months, depending on the information provided and complexity of the organisation.