Harlem Capital: Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship (B)

George  Serafeim; David  Freiberg

Supplement | HBS Case Collection | October 2019

Harlem Capital: Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship (B)

Abstract

The (B) case describes Tingle and Pierre-Jacques’ decision to commit fully to Harlem Capital as their post-graduation job. The case explores the results of their fundraising efforts, new strategic partnerships, and how they plan to “build the market” in order to achieve future, sustained success in building funds comprised of diverse entrepreneurs.

Keywords: impact investing; Gender bias; Gender Inequality; minority representation; entrepreneurial finance; investment management; Investing; inequality; Venture Capital; Entrepreneurship; Diversity; Gender; Equality and Inequality; Equity; Mission and Purpose; Investment Funds; Financial Services Industry;

Language: English

Format: Print

6 pages

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Citation:

Serafeim, George, and David Freiberg. "Harlem Capital: Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship (B)." Harvard Business School Supplement 120-041, October 2019.

Jarrid Tingle and Henri Pierre-Jacques had spent the summer between their first and second years of their MBA program fund raising for their start-up venture capital (VC) firm, Harlem Capital Partners. Harlem Capital was founded upon the principle that addressing the VC funding gap for minorities and women—who received only 3% of total VC funding—could produce superior returns. Tingle and Pierre-Jacques were passionate about the mission of Harlem Capital to change the face of entrepreneurship. However, despite generating significant media attention, Harlem Capital had only raised a few million dollars over the summer, not nearly enough for the fund to be financially viable as a career path for Tingle and Pierre-Jacques.
Should Tingle and Pierre-Jacques commit to Harlem Capital despite the serious roadblocks on their path? Or should they capitalize on their pre-MBA private equity experience and attempt to be impactful through a more traditional career post-MBA graduation?

We develop a methodology that calculates the impact that organizations have on the environment through their water consumption relating to water stress risk. Using the methodology, we derive estimates for four companies that show how assumptions on the geographic location of the water withdrawal and use of different prices for water across geographies lead to variation in these estimates. We conclude with a framework guiding a user to understand the conditions under which a methodology might lead to over- or underestimation of water costs.

Impact transparency will reshape capitalism. By shifting the pursuit of profit away from negligently creating problems to purposefully creating valuable solutions for the world, it will redefine success, so that its measure is not just money, but the positive impact we make during our lives.

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Harlem Capital: Changing the Face of Entrepreneurship (B)

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