Commitment: 1 academic year, 8 hour per week each semester.  Fall Fellowship dates: October 8 – December 10, 2018.  Spring Fellowship dates: January 16 – May 1, 2019 (dates subject to change).

Keywords: Impact Investing, Due Diligence, Deal Sourcing, Valuation, Venture Capital

Background

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) recognizes the vital role that traditional capital markets and business can play in tackling the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.  WSII has a strong focus on impact investing—a strategy for generating positive social and environmental impact alongside financial returns.  WSII, through a new impact investing project, is looking to leverage its institutional knowledge and networks to immediately source and execute real impact investments, and over time, to create a best-in-class impact investing vehicle.

Project Description

The Wharton Impact Venture Associates (“WIVA”) project is an exclusive program involving a small cohort of high performing students. It will mirror typical investment fund activities, based on the life cycle of the investment vehicle. In line with mirroring a typical fund, there is a high bar in terms of quality of work that is expected. Fellows will have access and exposure to deals, investors, faculty, and other partners. The project is managed by a full-time WSII staff member and Wharton alum with significant investing experience. Teams will consist of primarily MBA students, with a selection of undergrad students.  The main activities will be:

• Deals (Primary activity): Sourcing, conducting due diligence (financial due diligence, including financial analysis and basic valuation models; legal due diligence), and executing impact investments.
• Strategy: Provide input on creating a “best-in-class” impact fund.
• Fund Raise: Conducting a segmentation of Impact Investing LP base, assisting on Fund Raise.

Fellows will be expected to accomplish the following throughout the course of the project:

• Actively and independently source transactions
• Conduct due diligence on deals, and negotiate investment terms
• Prepare investment presentations
• Advise on, and conduct impact assessments
• Present viable investments at Investment Committee meetings
• Draft fund marketing documents
• When required, interact and correspond with senior executives at funds (LP and GP), partner institutions and business executives

The team of WISE Fellow(s) will have ample opportunity to interface with WSII staff who will lead the project. Project activities will occur like a typical impact investment fund – with a mix of remote work, as well as work in the WSII offices or an allocated space. There will be mandatory weekly check-ins and training sessions with the project leader and other project Fellows.

Qualifications: We are seeking a diverse range of candidates that meet most/all of the following attributes and skills:

Graduate Students (MBA/PhD)

• Current Wharton/Penn student
• 2+ years of investment experience preferred
• Experience in conducting due diligence (financial modelling, valuation, legal due diligence etc.) and / or strong management consulting experience
• Ability to commit a minimum of 8 hours a week to this project (required)
• Strong research, written, and verbal communication skills
• Strong time management and interpersonal skills

Undergraduate Students

• Current Wharton/Penn student
• Previous finance experience (internship or Fellowship) preferred
• Ability to commit a minimum of 8 hours a week to this project (required)
• Strong research, written, and verbal communication skills
• Strong time management and interpersonal skills

Fellowship Award & Requirements:

• Fellows are eligible for a taxable Fellowship award
• $1,000/semester for graduate students
• $12/hour for undergraduate, with a maximum of $1,500/semester

Participation in the WISE Fellowship and receiving the financial award is contingent upon the following:

• Successful completion of the project activities listed above
• Participation in WISE Fellowship programming
• Completion of the end-of-semester survey for each semester participating in the WISE Fellowship
• Will work with WSII staff to write 600-word blog post or other form of media on any social impact topic, to be potentially published on the WSII website

To apply: We will be accepting applications and conducting interviews on a rolling basis.  Submit your resume via this application by 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.  Only candidates moving to the interview round will be notified.  We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

About Wharton Social Impact Initiative

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) advances the science and practice of social impact through rigorous academic research and training opportunities. As the leading research-led business school in the world, Wharton is building the evidence base for impact investing and more. And, through experiential learning, training opportunities, and thought leadership, we are growing the talent pipeline for social impact business leaders of the future—and today.

Commitment: 8 hours per week from October 8 – December 10, 2018

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Technology Start-ups, Due Diligence, Impact Investing, Gender Lens Investing, Data Collection

Background

What will it take to invest $1 billion dollars of capital in the fastest growing segment of the entrepreneurial market?

iNTENT Manifesto is an intentional social campaign to support, invest, and celebrate women of color (“WOC”) tech entrepreneurs.  Launched earlier this year with major support from JPMorgan, iNTENT Manifesto is an investment education platform based on a new approach to investing in an innovative future and changing market realities for women of color tech startups.

Now the second phase is being launched, a Women of Color Tech Fund to transform how we deliver returns to investors and capitalize on the financial market’s inefficiencies and blindspot – women of color (“WOC”) tech entrepreneurs. Women are solving big market/consumer problems, building and running healthy companies, and attracting top talent. In 2017, five million WOC-led companies generated over $360 Billion in revenue. Unfortunately, most smart investors did not share in their success and growth.

We are a group of women (& cool dudes) who believe that investing in women is not only impactful but more importantly, it is smart, profitable, and will drive innovation and economies globally. We represent 85+ years of collective experience in finance, business, and entrepreneurship among our partners. This Fall we are in startup mode as we market the fund to investors, lock-in and test our investment process, as well as research, source, and due diligence amazing women tech startups in areas of blockchain, crypto, healthIT, Fintech, etc. We believe impact happens on both sides of the equation, the investments we make and people making the investments.

Join us in researching startups, blockchain opportunities, and crypto funds, and help us change the market realities for VC, investors, blockchain, tech, and women of color startups.

Project Description

WSII will hire up to 2 WISE Fellows, who will have ample opportunity to interface with the Fund’s CEO and Founder as they complete their projects.

The Fellows will complete their project scopes remotely, with weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with WSII staff and the client’s Fellowship manager.

This project consists of two areas of research:

• Project 1 – Finding WOC Unicorns: Optimal investment process for VCs
  • Fellow will assist the Fund in greater identification of superior investments by assessing their current investment process. Which came first? The founder? Or the unicorn? Fellow is empowered to research, explore, test, and recommend new, unique ways to identify awesome founders, technologies, and startups.  The Fellow will provide recommendations for optimizing and operationalizing the current methods (i.e. pitch competitions and accelerators), and identifying non-traditional, unique methods for sourcing emerging founders, new startups (meetups, higher ed, etc). Think global!
• Project 2: Blockchain market research
  • We want to see more women using blockchain technology to build companies and solve big market problems. Help us build a roadmap of sectors/market problems that can benefit from blockchain, key players, conferences, new resources and then help us get the word out to excite and inform entrepreneurs and us. Specifically, Fellow will create a strategic plan with overview of blockchain technology, developments, recent trends, and recommendations of a) blockchain opportunities/sectors; and b) key players and resources.

At the conclusion of the project, Fellows will submit their deliverables to the client and WSII.

Activities will include:

• Participating in primary and secondary source data collection
• Synthesizing and analyzing data
• Writing report(s) on findings
• Creating presentation(s) on findings
  • Finding WOC Unicorns – target audience is venture partners, advisory board, investors
  • Blockchain –public dissemination via social media, website, blog
• Providing strategic recommendations to the client

Qualifications: We are seeking a diverse range of candidates that meet most/all of the following attributes and skills:

• Current Wharton/Penn graduate student
• Must be able to work independently to complete the project scope
• Passion and excitement for investing, startups, diversity, new areas of technology
• Strong research skills – ability to think through new avenues of research, resources when not immediately obvious
• Knowledge and experience performing due diligence of companies
• Proactive, self-direction – ability to organize work, work product/deliverables so they are client-ready and able to be shared with our Advisory Board
• Confident voice, ability to develop a point of view, and defend ideas and thoughts
• Willingness to learn new technologies and markets – blockchain, cryptofunds, etc.
• Venture, investing, portfolio management experience a plus
• Strong project management experience and relationship management skills

Fellowship Award & Requirements:

• Fellows are eligible for a taxable Fellowship award
• $1,000/semester for graduate students
• $12/hour for undergraduate, with a maximum of $1,500/semester

 

Participation in the WISE Fellowship and receiving the financial award is contingent upon the following:

• Successful completion of the project scope
• Participation in WISE Fellowship programming
• Completion of the end-of-semester survey for each semester participating in the WISE Fellowship
• Will work with WSII staff to write 600-word blog post or other form of media on any social impact topic, to be potentially published on the WSII website

To apply: We will be accepting applications and conducting interviews on a rolling basis.  Submit your resume via this application by 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.  Only candidates moving to the interview round will be notified.

Questions: Contact Yuri Seung at syuri@wharton.upenn.edu.

About Wharton Social Impact Initiative

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) advances the science and practice of social impact through rigorous academic research and training opportunities. As the leading research-led business school in the world, Wharton is building the evidence base for impact investing and more. And, through experiential learning, training opportunities, and thought leadership, we are growing the talent pipeline for social impact business leaders of the future—and today.

About iNTENT Manifesto

iNTENT Manifesto is being launched to transform how we support, invest, and celebrate women of color (“WOC”) tech entrepreneurs. We know that women can solve big market/consumer problems, build and run healthy companies and attract top talent. Unfortunately, the majority of the public do not know this and as a result are not fully engaged in their success.

iNTENT Manifesto is being formed to build a movement and an investment platform to drive $1 Billion in investment into women of color technology founders globally.

We are iNTENT on changing the market realities for women startups globally.

Commitment: 1 academic year, 8 hour per week each semester.  Fall Fellowship dates: October 8 – December 10, 2018.  Spring Fellowship dates: January 16 – May 1, 2019 (dates subject to change).

Keywords: Big data, Analytics, Public Policy, Philadelphia, Social Impact, Research, Urban Innovation, Statistics

Background

The Wharton Social Impact Initiative is working with Associate Professor Shane Jensen to understand how integrating big business and city data into decision-making can increase safety and contribute to vibrancy and inclusive economic development.

Project Description

We will hire 1 WISE Fellow to work in a multidisciplinary team of students on the Urban Analytics project. The Fellow will support the team by continuing research on a specific topic:

• School locations and crime: it is hypothesized that proximity to schools is a contributor to crime, especially when schools let out for the day. Does our crime data in Philadelphia support this idea? If this effect does exist, how much does it vary by the types of businesses around schools?

This semester, the Fellow will examine the spatial association between crime incidents and school locations and evaluate how much this association varies depending on time of day especially surrounding school hours. 

This research builds on existing work done by Dr. Jensen and his team by helping get their insights into a form most useful for practitioners and decision-makers. The project will also create new insights to support ongoing work in this area.

Activities include:

• Participating in primary and secondary source data collection
• Synthesizing and analyzing data
• Writing report(s) on findings
• Engaging with industry leaders, government officials, and regional experts

The student team will work closely with WSII staff and will interface directly with Dr. Jensen and his research team. Candidate must commit to on-site meetings/activities and weekly team check-ins. Fellows will also be invited to special activities hosted by WSII, including lunches, speaker series, trainings, and group meetings.

Qualifications

We are seeking a candidate that meets most/all of the following attributes and skills:

• Current Wharton/Penn graduate student OR highly qualified Wharton undergraduate student with strong experience and/or experience with statistical analysis and research
• Must be able to work independently or with other Fellows to complete the Fellowship Project Scope
• Knowledge of statistical software (ideally, R) and/or a programming language (e.g., Python or C++) preferred (an upper undergraduate-level, or graduate-level statistics methods course also encouraged)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management experience and relationship management skills
• A student who can commit to the project for a full academic year is preferred

Fellowship Award & Requirements:

• Fellows are eligible for a taxable Fellowship award
• $1,000/semester for graduate students
• $12/hour for undergraduate, with a maximum of $1,500/semester

Participation in the WISE Fellowship and receiving the financial award is contingent upon the following:

• Successful completion of the project activities listed above
• Participation in WISE Fellowship programming
• Completion of the end-of-semester survey for each semester participating in the WISE Fellowship
• Will work with WSII staff to write 600-word blog post or other form of media on any social impact topic, to be potentially published on the WSII website

To apply: We will be accepting applications and conducting interviews on a rolling basis.  Submit your resume via this application by 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2018. Only candidates moving to the interview round will be notified. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible.

 Questions: Contact Yuri Seung at syuri@wharton.upenn.edu. 

About Wharton Social Impact Initiative

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) advances the science and practice of social impact through rigorous academic research and training opportunities. As the leading research-led business school in the world, Wharton is building the evidence base for impact investing and more. And, through experiential learning, training opportunities, and thought leadership, we are growing the talent pipeline for social impact business leaders of the future—and today.

Commitment: 8 hours/week for 10 weeks from October 8 – December 10, 2018

Keywords: Entrepreneurship, Technology Start-ups, Data Collection, Metrics, Water, Cleantech

Background

We Think Global, Inc. (WTG) has acquired the license to a European de-centralized water reuse technology. This innovation is patented in Europe, India, and the USA. The technology, WTG BOX, has been invented by the Swedish company Waterneer. We have piloted the technology in Central California and will be commercializing in that region first. This is a high value proposition that is applicable around the world.

Project Description

WTG BOX technology is a patented water de-centralized water reuse technology that was invented in Sweden, and WTG has the exclusive license for commercialization in the USA. BOX applications include high-value applications in the cleanup of lead, heavy metals, groundwater pollutants, and recycle uses in areas with much drought in the USA. We are piloting in California and believe that our results will enable us to commercialize around the world. On site clean up leading to potable water is a key differentiator for our product and addresses a huge unmet need.

WSII will hire 1-2 Wharton Impact Student Experience (WISE) Fellows to assist in scoping the US market for the top 5 uses of WTG BOX innovation:

• Water reuse in California Agriculture
• Uses of WTG BOX for enhancing rural municipality infrastructure
• Uses of the technology in cleaning up lead, arsenic, and heavy metals in otherwise potable water
• River and old mine cleanup
• Use in urban settings for water storage, recycle, reuse, and as pre-treatment to central wastewater treatment plants

The Fellow will also propose potential impact metrics that can measured in the communities where this technology could be deployed.

The Fellow(s) will have ample opportunity to interface with WTG’s CEO and Founder. Project scope activities will be completed remotely, with weekly or bi-weekly check-ins with WSII staff and the client’s Fellowship manager.

At the conclusion of the project, Fellows will submit their deliverables to the client and WSII.

Activities will include:

• Participating in primary and secondary source data collection
• Synthesizing and analyzing data
• Writing report(s) on findings
• Creating presentation(s) on findings
• Providing strategic recommendations to the client

Qualifications: We are seeking a diverse range of candidates that meet most/all of the following attributes and skills:

• Current Wharton/Penn graduate student
• Must be able to work independently to complete the project scope
• Passion and excitement for investing, startups, diversity, new areas of technology
• Experience in investment principals, social entrepreneurship, or social impact is preferred
• Strong research, written, and verbal communication skills
• Strong project management experience and relationship management skills

Fellowship Award & Requirements:

• Fellows are eligible for a taxable Fellowship award
• $1,000/semester for graduate students
• $12/hour for undergraduate, with a maximum of $1,500/semester

Participation in the WISE Fellowship and receiving the financial award is contingent upon the following:

• Successful completion of the project scope
• Participation in WISE Fellowship programming
• Completion of the end-of-semester survey for each semester participating in the Fellowship
• Will work with WSII staff to write 600-word blog post or other form of media on any social impact topic, to be potentially published on the WSII website

To apply: We will be accepting applications and conducting interviews on a rolling basis. Submit your resume via this application by 11:59pm on Tuesday, September 18, 2018. Only candidates moving to the interview round will be notified.

Questions: Contact Yuri Seung at syuri@wharton.upenn.edu.

About Wharton Social Impact Initiative

Wharton Social Impact Initiative (WSII) advances the science and practice of social impact through rigorous academic research and training opportunities. As the leading research-led business school in the world, Wharton is building the evidence base for impact investing and more. And, through experiential learning, training opportunities, and thought leadership, we are growing the talent pipeline for social impact business leaders of the future—and today.

About We Think Global, Inc.

We Think Global, Inc. was founded in the year 2000 and has been involved in the renewable energy, health, emerging markets and other impact fields for most of the years. Our specialty is commercializing novel technologies by creating partnerships, attracting investors, entrepreneurial operations, creating business plans, developing financial models and some supporting sales and marketing. In short, the types of activities that are required to get a beginning initiative to get off the ground successfully.