More from these Authors

• Article | Journal of Economic Perspectives | Summer 2020

  Venture Capital's Role in Financing Innovation: What We Know and How Much We Still Need to Learn

  Josh Lerner and Ramana Nanda

  Citation:

  Lerner, Josh, and Ramana Nanda. "Venture Capital's Role in Financing Innovation: What We Know and How Much We Still Need to Learn." Journal of Economic Perspectives 34, no. 3 (Summer 2020): 237–261.  View Details

  CiteView DetailsFind at Harvard Read Now

  Related

• Working Paper | 2020

  Anchors Aweigh: Analysis of Anchor Limited Partner Investors in Impact Investment Funds

  Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, Heather McPherson, Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, Heather McPherson, Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama and Heather McPherson

  This note describes results from a survey of “anchor investors” in impact funds. Anchor investors are described as “generally the first investor to make a substantial capital commitment to a fund,” (according to the Global Impact Investing Network, “GIIN”) and their role is often thought to be an important determinant of the fund’s ultimate ability to raise meaningful amounts of investable capital. We survey 13 fund managers, who collectively provide information for 28 funds. We also conduct qualitative interviews with six anchor investors. We find the following: the average number of anchor investors per fund is one; however, 16 out of 28 funds report having no anchor investor; anchor investors invest $8 million into funds on average whereas non-anchors invest $4.5 million. We also note that reinvestment rates seem relatively low: anchor investors reinvest in subsequent funds in 8% of cases, while non-anchors reinvest 17% of the time. We show that the type of investors who are anchor investors is similar to that of non-anchor investors. Our results suggest that anchor investors can play a valuable market-building role for impact fund managers. The large investments anchors make may be particularly helpful to new fund managers who might have limited distribution and sales capacities. Interviews with anchor investors also suggest a catalytic “halo” effect for funds receiving anchor investments, as funds benefit from an early endorsement by a respected investor.
  
  A limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size, which precludes us from investigating potentially interesting relationships. We nevertheless believe this note has value, as this is perhaps the first and only investigation of the role of anchor investors in the formation of new funds. Many larger investors have articulated a desire not just to invest for impact, but to seed and support the industry.

  Keywords: impact investment funds; anchor investors; Investment; Surveys; Analysis;

  Citation:

  Cole, Shawn A., Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, and Heather McPherson. "Anchors Aweigh: Analysis of Anchor Limited Partner Investors in Impact Investment Funds." Working Paper, May 2020.  View Details

  CiteView Details

  Related

• Working Paper | 2020

  Anchors Aweigh: Analysis of Anchor Limited Partner Investors in Impact Investment Funds

  Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, Heather McPherson, Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, Heather McPherson, Shawn A. Cole, Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama and Heather McPherson

  This note describes results from a survey of “anchor investors” in impact funds. Anchor investors are described as “generally the first investor to make a substantial capital commitment to a fund,” (according to the Global Impact Investing Network, “GIIN”) and their role is often thought to be an important determinant of the fund’s ultimate ability to raise meaningful amounts of investable capital. We survey 13 fund managers, who collectively provide information for 28 funds. We also conduct qualitative interviews with six anchor investors. We find the following: the average number of anchor investors per fund is one; however, 16 out of 28 funds report having no anchor investor; anchor investors invest $8 million into funds on average whereas non-anchors invest $4.5 million. We also note that reinvestment rates seem relatively low: anchor investors reinvest in subsequent funds in 8% of cases, while non-anchors reinvest 17% of the time. We show that the type of investors who are anchor investors is similar to that of non-anchor investors. Our results suggest that anchor investors can play a valuable market-building role for impact fund managers. The large investments anchors make may be particularly helpful to new fund managers who might have limited distribution and sales capacities. Interviews with anchor investors also suggest a catalytic “halo” effect for funds receiving anchor investments, as funds benefit from an early endorsement by a respected investor.
  
  A limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size, which precludes us from investigating potentially interesting relationships. We nevertheless believe this note has value, as this is perhaps the first and only investigation of the role of anchor investors in the formation of new funds. Many larger investors have articulated a desire not just to invest for impact, but to seed and support the industry.

  Keywords: impact investment funds; anchor investors; Investment; Surveys; Analysis;

  Citation:

  Cole, Shawn A., Rob T. Zochowski, Fanele Mashwama, and Heather McPherson. "Anchors Aweigh: Analysis of Anchor Limited Partner Investors in Impact Investment Funds." Working Paper, May 2020.  View Details

  CiteView Details

  Related