If it works in Africa, it will work anywhere. - Erik Hersman
Anthemis intends to set up a foundation focused on supporting initiatives that promote financial literacy, open and free markets, access to ICT and encouraging entrepreneurs - especially women - amongst less privileged communities in developed countries and in developing countries, particularly in Africa and the Indian sub-continent.
We see this as aligned with our investment philosophy and complementary to our commercial activities. We are motivated by our belief in the transformative power of information and communication technologies and the fundamental importance of financial services to free and prosperous economies. Our intent is that a certain percentage of the revenues and/or profits of Anthemis will automatically be donated to the foundation and that over time the Foundation will be able to tap into our skills and networks, in particular with respect to funding and developing social venture capital projects within the Foundation’s areas of focus and expertise.
Obviously in order to succeed in this, we need to succeed first in building Anthemis Group, but in the mean time we welcome your ideas and thoughts on how we might approach this project in a couple years time.