Jacqueline Novogratz - Founder & CEO, Acumen
Professional Overview
Jacqueline Novogratz is the Founder and CEO of Acumen, a pioneering nonprofit venture capital fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to tackle global poverty. With over two decades of experience in impact investing and social enterprise development, Novogratz is a recognized leader in the field of sustainable and inclusive capitalism.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Founder and CEO of Acumen since 2001, Novogratz has led the organization in investing over $100 million to deliver affordable services like healthcare, water, housing and agriculture to low-income communities across Africa, Latin America, South Asia and the United States. Under her leadership, Acumen has positively impacted over 308 million lives and catalyzed over $1.2 billion in additional capital for social enterprises.
Career Progression
Prior to founding Acumen, Novogratz worked at the World Bank, Rockefeller Foundation, and as a banker in Mexico and East Africa. She has served on the advisory boards of the Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative, the Oxford Said Business School, and the Harvard Kennedy School. Novogratz is a sought-after speaker, writer, and thought leader on issues of sustainable development, patient capital, and market-based approaches to alleviating global poverty.
Academic Background
Novogratz holds a BA in Economics and International Relations from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Areas of Expertise
- Impact investing
- Social entrepreneurship
- Sustainable development
- Nonprofit organization management
- Global poverty alleviation
- Inclusive capitalism
Professional Impact
In addition to founding and leading Acumen, Novogratz is the author of the best-selling books "The Blue Sweater" and "Manifesto for a Moral Revolution." She has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers by Foreign Policy magazine and one of the 25 Smartest People of the Decade by the Huffington Post. Novogratz has also received numerous awards, including the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Award and the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship.
Conclusion
With her visionary leadership, innovative approach to social change, and unwavering commitment to addressing global poverty, Jacqueline Novogratz continues to shape the field of impact investing and advance sustainable solutions for some of the world's most pressing challenges.
