TELUS Launches Investment Fund Geared Toward Sustainable Startups

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TELUS has announced the launch of its new TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, a $100 million social impact investment fund created to power the biggest, boldest, bravest ideas in new responsible and sustainable startup businesses. The fund will invest in entrepreneurs building solutions aimed at improving healthcare, furthering social and economic inclusion, ensuring sustainable food production, and reducing our environmental footprint. The TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good will fuel greater social innovation in Canada through investments in companies that generate both financial and social returns benefiting our society.

TELUS remains committed to helping Canadian businesses and entrepreneurs adapt and navigate the massive social and economic disruptions posed by COVID-19. The TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good claims it will help scale early-stage companies and invest in tackling societal challenges, delivering value to communities, and fueling economic growth. Investments will focus on for-profit companies and founders committed to driving social innovation and economic growth in the following four areas:

• Transforming healthcare: Digital solutions that make safe and quality physical and mental healthcare accessible and efficient for all Canadians.
• Enabling inclusive communities: Startups building solutions to further social and economic inclusion and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to reach their full potential.
• Supporting responsible agriculture: Companies providing innovative technology-first solutions that empower the agriculture industry to improve Canada’s food systems.
• Caring for our planet: Companies and entrepreneurs building solutions to better the planet and reduce our environmental footprints.

An advisory board of entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders with expertise across the impact areas is being formed to advise on strategy, markets, and deal sourcing. Early-stage companies receiving investment will benefit from the insights and expertise from TELUS’ depth and breadth of resources, including the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, TELUS’ Community Boards, TELUS Health, Sustainability, and TELUS Ventures with its broad-reaching network within the venture capital space, to drive meaningful social impact in Canada.

The TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good is proud to announce three cornerstone partnerships:

• Windmill Microlending is Canada’s largest microlending program, offering microloans and individualized learning plans to help skilled immigrants and refugees continue their careers in Canada. On average, clients’ incomes increase 3.4x upon completion of the learning plan.
• Rhiza Capital is a Sunshine Coast-based impact investment fund that invests in B.C.-based companies that drive both social and economic impact within the regions that they serve.
• Tidal Vision is a US-based company that has developed a proprietary process for upcycling crustacean shells to develop a non-toxic, zero waste biopolymer that has applications across many industries, including textiles, agriculture, and wastewater treatment.

The company says its new TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good is an extension of its continued commitment to lead the charge in social capitalism through new investments in socially innovative and responsible products to drive financial return and economic growth.