We’re incredibly proud to have been awarded Good Investor of the Year at Foundervine‘s Future Awards.
This prestigious recognition celebrates entrepreneurship within underrepresented communities and Kindred, alongside BlaST and Innervision, were acknowledged for our commitment to responsible and impactful investing.
Joanne Anderson, founder of BlaST, expressed her gratitude, saying: “A massive thank you to Izzy Obeng and Cecil Adjalo, whose leadership and vision inspire us every day.” She also highlighted the importance of the collaboration, adding, “This achievement is only possible thanks to our incredible team at Kindred and the dynamic network of socially-trading organisations across the Liverpool City Region. Being nominated alongside incredible organisations like the Pathway Fund makes this recognition even more meaningful.”
Foundervine is a dynamic community that accelerates the growth of entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. It connects founders to each other and to supportive networks, playing a crucial role in fostering an inclusive ecosystem where game-changers and community leaders can thrive.
At Kindred, we’re proud of the work we do with BlaST and Innervision to support Black- and women-led social traders. 25% of our investment goes to Black- and Ethnically-Minoritised-led social trading organisations (STOs), and 49% to women-led organisations. These efforts stand in stark contrast to the broader investment landscape. Research from 2009-2019 reveals that all-ethnic teams received just 1.7% of venture capital, with Black-led organisations getting only 0.24%. Black female entrepreneurs received a mere 0.02% of total venture funding during this period.
Kindred was designed by social businesses, not bankers, and that’s what sets us apart – this shift in perspective is changing the social investment frame. Thanks to support from the Pathway Fund, we’ve been able to raise investments for Black-led funds, enabling us to direct resources into areas that are often overlooked by traditional investors.
The Good Investor of the Year award is a testament to the collective work of the Kindred team, BlaST, and Innervision, as well as the broader network of STOs driving change across the Liverpool City Region. We couldn’t have achieved this without the support of our partners, funders and supporters, including Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.
In our recent impact report, Mayor Steve Rotheram commented, saying, “This is devolution in action, enabling local businesses to build a fairer, more inclusive economy, and I’m proud that Liverpool City Region is leading the way.”
The social economy in Liverpool is thriving – but there’s more work to be done. While 25% of Kindred’s investment go to BlaST’s network, these organisations receive just 4% of other grants and follow-up investments. Liverpool City Region is making strides to support these businesses, but for real growth to occur, other investors must step up and commit to funding Black-led STOs that are demonstrating real impact.