Florian Kemmerich of Bamboo Capital Partners: Leveraging Capital As A Force For Good

Episode 37,   Jul 31, 2020, 11:00 AM

Florian Kemmerich is Managing Partner of Bamboo Capital Partners, Founder of Ryan-Kay and Board Member of numerous organisations. 

Florian leverages his extensive background on start-ups, fundraising, and transactions in healthcare and life science to invest in, build, and (re-)position organisations in the competitive global marketplace.

In particular, his passion is around impact investment and effective personal development methodologies to create high-performance teams, whereby many members have become successful executives and entrepreneurs themselves. In addition, Florian founded a medical education foundation in Mexico while supporting many NGOs, patient advocacy groups, and extramural surgery programs in Central-America’s most remote locations. As an active member of the Young Presidents’ Organization he is Chair of the Impact Networks Council.

Florian previously held C-level positions at Parter Capital, Olympus, SBi (Stryker), and B|Braun. 

Highlights:
  • Jean-Philippe de Schrevel founding Blue Orchard and pioneering microfinance
  • Bamboo Capital funds include:
    • Oasis Fund - high risk first generation energy access fund - open ended
    • BEAM - closed Off grid energy in Sub-saharan Africa and Asia
    • World Bank mandate energy access solutions in Haiti and Madagascar
  • “As we move from baby boomers to millennials, the quest for purpose is a big theme.”
  • “Big asset managers are doing sustainability, further ESG and impact investing. This shouldn’t be just storytelling, we make sure that the money resolves issues around the world.”
  • SDG500, the impact investing partnership platform:
    • 6 Impact Funds
    • Targeting $500m
    • Missing middle finance - beyond microfinance and below where banks would lend, areas with no angel investors. 
    • First loss catalytic capital from non-profit. 
    • Adjust risk and reward. 
    • Clear theory of change on the ground
  • There were initial challenge to raise funds because of perceived risk
  • It is important to be scaling based on the need of the ground vs scaling based on the need of investors
  • Exit scenarios can come in the form of selling back to the principal, or have the industrty coming in and following on or other funds coming in and following
  • Impact measurement - There is a balance between investing in impact measurement system and keeping it simple
  • Investors need to embrace all the SDG not just their chosen SDG, and invest in the real needs on the ground.
  • Don’t just teach people how to fish, but invest in their fishing companies.

Time Stamp:
[03:20] What is impact investing?
[04:50] What does Bamboo Capital do?
[07:45] Jean-Philippe de Schrevel pioneering impact investing with microfinance
[13:40] SDG500, impact investing platform
[21:00] What is the target audience?
[25:00] What it means to have catalytic first loss 
[28:00] How Bamboo Capital differs from other private equity funds
[30:00] Examples of investees - BBOXX
[34:30] Lessons learned on measuring impact
[40:00] Final advice

Useful links:
BlueOrchard https://www.blueorchard.com/
BlueOrchard, CEO - Patrick Scheurle -  Impact Leaders Episode #25https://bit.ly/ILBOPS 
Bamboo Capital Investees http://www.bamboocp.com/investees/
BBOXX https://www.bboxx.com/
Private Equity Impact Funds - recent fundraising closes - Unquote report

SDG500 webinar: Importance of SME Financing to COVID-19 Response and Recovery Efforts - YourTube replay
UNCDF news: Government of Cote d'Ivoire Commits EUR 5 Million to SDG 500
SDG500 Webinar - the impact investing partnership platform - takeaways :
  • SDG 500 is a “historic First”
  • 6 Impact Funds
  • 30 African States
  • 12 years life
  • 14 of 17 SDGs
  • Targeting $500m
  • First ABS SDG related for Emerging Markets
  • 3 different tranches 
  • Ticket sizes as low as $250k
  • Public funds multiply x 2.5

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Connect with JP Dallmann on Linkedin, Twitter, or Instagram.
Contact us to help you transition into Sustainable & Impact Investing - ILA & Partners
How to incorporate SDGs into your business model - Fast Forward 2030
Impact Leaders is produced by Podcast Publishing

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