DBL Partners: Double Bottom Line Venture Capital

Shawn  Cole; Mark  Kramer; Tony L. He

Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2016 (Revised August 2018)

DBL Partners: Double Bottom Line Venture Capital

by Shawn Cole, Mark Kramer and Tony L. He

Abstract

This case explores the origins and current practices of DBL, a San Francisco–based venture capital fund and one of the first impact investment funds to achieve significant financial returns to scale. This case allows for a competitive analysis of DBL's investment strategy as it seeks to deploy $400m, as well as the opportunity to evaluate a specific investment in a solar power company targeting low-income consumers in Tanzania.

Keywords: Venture Capital; Investment Funds; Financial Strategy; Financial Services Industry; Tanzania;

Language: English

Format: Print

28 pages

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Citation:

Cole, Shawn, Mark Kramer, and Tony L. He. "DBL Partners: Double Bottom Line Venture Capital." Harvard Business School Case 217-022, September 2016. (Revised August 2018.)