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About LGT Venture Philanthropy

Founded by the Princely Family of Liechtenstein in 2007, LGT Venture Philanthropy is an impact investor supporting organizations with outstanding social and environmental impact. Our mission is to increase the quality of life of less advantaged people. To realize this mission, we support organizations with positive social or environmental impact through tailored financing, management know-how and relevant networks. Since inception, we have presence in six regions across the world and have supported 36 LGT VP portfolio organizations and improved the quality of life of more than 4.5 million less advantaged people. In 2012, LGT Venture Philanthropy launched the Accelerator Program, which aims to unlock the potential of social enterprises, create a strong deal pipeline for investors, and build ecosystems for impact investing in China.

In addition, we inspire and advise individuals and institutions in creating positive impact. We offer engagement solutions and implementation of impact investing and philanthropic engagement in a customized way.

Mentor Team

Crystal Ding
Crystal Ding is responsible for leading the business development and investment activities of LGT Venture Philanthropy in China. She is also an appointed Mentor for entrepreneurial education program in Tsinghua University. Ms. Ding has years of experience in private equity & venture capital investing, investment banking and management consulting. Prior to joining LGT VP, she worked as an Investment Director with CMIA Capital Partners, a private equity firm focused on growth capital opportunities in the agriculture, consumer and healthcare sectors. Before CMIA, she worked with Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), a venture capital fund focusing on early-to-growth stage investments in the new media and education sectors. Previously, Ms. Ding worked in the Telecom, Media and Technology Group under the Investment Banking division at Macquarie Bank. She also worked in the strategic investments team at Hewlett Packard, where she was responsible for strategic M&A activities for Hewlett Packard in Greater China. Ms. Ding started her career as a management consultant with KPMG Consulting.
 
Ms. Ding received an MBA from London Business School and a bachelor degree in Economics from Fudan University.

Clover Duan
Clover Duan is an Accelerator Manager with LGT Venture Philanthropy and is responsible for deal origination, due-diligence, and execution of early-stage social organizations in China, providing ongoing support of capacity building and help these organizations become eligible for larger investments. Before joining LGT VP, Ms. Duan worked as a business consultant with Accenture China, where she focused on financial services industry, and provided consulting services to large banks, insurance companies and financial groups.

Ms. Duan holds dual bachelor degree from Peking University, majoring in Management Information System and Economics, and is a Certified Trainer of Micro-finance (accredited by the China Development Bank, ADB Institute and the World Bank Tokyo DLC).

 

Investment Initiative

1)Project name: LGT VP Accelerator Program

2)Investment target
RMB 1 million for 1-2 selected social organizations

3)Investment principles
The goal of LGT Venture Philanthropy is to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged people, both in the long-term and with long-lasting effect. We achieve this through the support of organizations that are efficiently implementing an effective solution for a social or ecological problem.

Engagements: Financial support is provided in the form of either loan or equity investment.

4)Investment process
a) RMB 1 million to support 1-2 selected social organizations
b) Financial capital will be provided in the form of equity or debt, and investment amount and form will be determined based on the result of due-diligence and negotiation. Investment capital will be disbursed according to the investment agreement signed by both parties.

5) Exit option
For debt investment, exit would be the repayment of principle and interest. For equity investment, exit could be trade sale, MBO or IPO.

6) Focus area
We focus on organizations that provide products/services to less advantage people.

Our investment themes: agriculture & forestry, health & sanitation, education, renewable energy, and ITC (Information, Technology and Communication).

7)Selection criteria
a) A clear mission and values which are compatible with the principles of LGT Venture Philanthropy

b) An effective solution to a social and/or environmental problem which is efficiently implemented; A proven model that can be scaled or replicated with effective methods to evaluate results and the goal to significantly increase their social and/or environmental impact

c) A dedicated and professional management team with an excellent track record; The management team is willing to engage with LGT VP as a strategic partner and provide resources and time for close interaction with the LGT VP to work on agreed development goals

d) Strong operational efficiency and financial discipline

8) Advantage and successful investment cases
• LGT Venture Philanthropy is one of the leading impact investors across the globe, with successful track records and extensive resources, expertise and networks

• In the past 6 years, LGT Venture Philanthropy has built an effective regional network with most social entrepreneurs and partners in China. We aim to accelerate social innovation and bring China’s social sector to the next level through professional team, field experience, and PE/VC systems and processes 

• The ICats Program provides additional professional know-how to its portfolio organizations, alongside financial and social capital. The ICats Program matches experienced professionals with temporary positions at social ventures, and the ICats will work with organizations for at least one year on a full-time basis to provide a professional capacity building service that supports organizations to maximize their impact.

• The Accelerator Program was launched in 2012, which aims to unlock the potential of early-stage social enterprises and build ecosystems for impact investing in developing and emerging countries. Together with Transist and YBC, LGT Venture Philanthropy provided tailored mentorship and training to selected early-stage social ventures.

LGT Venture Philanthropy Portfolio

LGT Venture Philanthropy has invested in 36 organizations globally in the past six years. In China, we have supported the following organizations:

- Driptech:a social venture providing low-cost, effective drip irrigation system for subsistence farmers

- China Foundation Center (CFC): a platform organization in the foundation sector with the aim of creating a robust and transparent philanthropy industry in China through information disclosure 

- Shangrila Farms: a social enterprise providing market access to farmers in Shangri-La County by purchasing premium coffee beans and honey, organizing bee-keeping training and implementing drip irrigation projects

- Institute of Public & Environmental Affairs (IPE): a non-profit organization that aims to make communities fully understand pollution and associated environmental and health risks. IPE does this through information disclosure (Pollution Map), encouraging public participation in the environmental governance process (Green Choice Alliance) and working with companies to address their pollution practices