Explore our case studies below
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Giving a Voice to Gen Z: Building the Next Generation of Mental Health Support
Gen Z struggles with finding meaningful connections and comprehensive mental health support. Promly, a social enterprise, envisioned a world where young people have access to holistic support and resources. To achieve this, a WhiteLabel partner, first as a consultant, then as a fractional COO, embedded in Promly. As a hybrid organization, with both a non-profit (501(c)3) and Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), it can fundraise across the spectrum of capital, blending traditional grants with commercial investment matching its for-profit and non-profit work. WhiteLabel worked on finding the right fit for funding, creating compelling narratives tailored to a wide variety of investors and donors, often the same people. Understanding that lasting change requires systematic support, using their depth of experience in advocacy, WhiteLabel got Promly in front of advocacy and public affairs opportunities. WhiteLabel continues to partner with Promly. “They got our value proposition and helped us raise our brand awareness through a differentiated path — advocacy and public affairs. Operationally, they were able to upscale Promly’s business and organizational models, positioning us for sustainable, efficient growth. I could not recommend them higher,” said CEO Jen Libby.
ESG Finance Takes Root: Founding COO Drives 8x Growth for UN-backed Initiative
The United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) was just finding its feet. The nascent initiative lacked an operational foundation, a sustainable business model and a team to carry out its vital mission. A WhiteLabel partner was brought in as COO. Developing a scalable operational framework, a long-term strategic roadmap and a compelling go-to-market and global outreach campaign, which defined the value proposition around ESG and how the initiative was well-positioned to promote it, they were able to attract and engage potential members. The partner also identified and executed a transition to the initiative’s business model: moving it from voluntary donations to membership fees. Under his leadership, the firm tripled its membership, increased its revenues sevenfold and expanded staff by 12-fold. The UN PRI is one of the most powerful forces promoting responsible finance and ESG.
From NASA to the Market: Technology Transfer for Social Impact
BNNT, an advanced materials company with revolutionary potential, was struggling with the question of how do you raise capital for a company that has a world-changing product, tremendous promise, great research, and development partnerships, but was still in the product testing phase, and required much more patient capital than a traditional VC provides? Over two years, a WhiteLabel partner worked closely with BNNT's CEO on refining BNNT’s commercialization strategy and creating a disciplined fundraising plan. We started by defining our initial list of targets, focusing on firms and investors that would understand the sector, the company’s potential, and the time it needed to succeed. WhiteLabel and BNNT refined the story, building marketing materials and financial models, which also served a control function for the firm, beyond the capital raise. We tested assumptions through practice pitches with friendlies WhiteLabel brought in from our network. We launched a systematic outreach campaign. We worked on setting terms for firms that expressed an early interest. BNNT emerged with a clearer corporate strategy, a well-defined capital raising plan, and a more confident CEO.
Primer to Practice: Empowering Jordan’s Start-up Ecosystem
Like a lot of countries around the world, Jordan had caught the start-up bug. And, why not? It seems a powerful way to empower entrepreneurship and grow the economy. Jordan also wanted to attract investment. Looking to learn more about impact investment and private equity, the government turned to Expectation State, a development consulting firm, which turned to WhiteLabel. WhiteLabel launched a study, focusing on the intersection of private capital, impact investment and where investor wants might meet Jordan’s needs. WhiteLabel presented the findings to Jordan’s Ministry of Finance. As a follow-on activity, WhiteLabel was asked to lead an innovation sprint, working with first-time fund managers on developing investment theses and the operational skills needed to successfully raise capital and manage a fund. “WhiteLabel blends rich experience with an ability to deliver pragmatically in a consultancy setting, for a range of host government and international donor clients,” said Expectation State’s CEO Raymond Asfour. “And, they are a lot of fun to work with.”
Game Changer: Transformation, Growth, and Capital Raising for Social Purpose
One Earth Rising wants to change the way gaming works: It wants to turn the Metaverse into the Purposeverse. Given that gaming is the most popular activity on the planet, gaming and gamers should have a greater vision of how gaming engages with the planet. Looking to achieve that greater vision, One Earth Rising turned to WhiteLabel. Recognizing the potential, WhiteLabel proposed a pivot from developing games to becoming a platform for socially conscious game developers. Working with One Earth Rising, WhiteLabel helped the firm sharpen its long-term strategy, develop a streamlined operational structure, and create, and lead, a fundraising campaign, targeting socially responsible investors. To facilitate the structural changes, a WhiteLabel founding partner embedded in One Earth Rising, as COO. He liked the gig so much, he stayed.
Bridging the Knowledge Gap: M&A in Sustainable Finance
A leader in financial data caught the sustainability bug. Figuring it was a powerful market, from a financial and social perspective, it wanted to create a division focused on sustainable finance data. Problem was, it did not really understand the sustainability market, the regulatory landscape, and it almost completely lacked a framework or bedrock of knowledge to judge the risks and rewards. It reached out to a WhiteLabel partner, who was a pioneer in the space. After an initial assessment of the company, they suggested that instead of building a new division, the data provider buy an existing company—it would be cheaper. The partner was hired to lead the M&A assignment, developing the strategy, identifying, and screening, potential targets, leading the outreach campaign and initial meetings, helping perform due diligence and was part of the deal team that successfully negotiated and closed the transaction.
Pivot to success: A Business and Product Strategy for a Digital Media Company
ImpactAlpha's commitment to covering the world of impact investing wasn't matched by a sustainable business model. It faced the challenge of achieving financial stability while staying true to its mission. A WhiteLabel partner joined forces with the ImpactAlpha team to spearhead a strategic pivot. This involved deep collaboration to clarify the company's vision and ensure all stakeholders shared a common purpose. Together, they developed a revised business model and product strategy designed to attract a paying audience. Additionally, the WhiteLabel partner played a key role in securing philanthropic seed funding, providing much-needed support during this transition period. This strategic shift, combined with the crucial funding, proved transformative for ImpactAlpha. They successfully became a commercially viable platform, securing its first revenue streams. ImpactAlpha recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is the “platform of record,” a source for news, educational materials, convenings, and data essential for the impact economy.
Power up! Transformation and Funding for Clean Energy Start-up
A social enterprise with a charismatic leader was on a massive mission: she wanted to electrify Africa through pay-as-you-go solar. Finding early traction, investors and getting on the ground quickly, the firm was able to set up operations in Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Nigeria. The firm’s great work even garnered a profile in the New Yorker. While growth in product and execution was exceptional, financial operations did not keep pace. The organization partnered with WhiteLabel to address these issues, beginning by cleaning up five years' worth of financials, restructuring operations, and suggesting, and implementing a system of controls to promote better financial management, and a foundation for better decision-making. In tandem, the board was looking to structure a non-dilutive funding facility. Drawing on its significant experience, WhiteLabel quickly cracked the code, and worked with the firm’s CEO to gain approval from the Board. WhiteLabel then developed marketing materials, targeted investors, and structured the outreach campaign, meeting with investors across the spectrum of capital, from impact to commercial.
Understanding and Preparing for the Impacts of Megatrends in the Arab World
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) decided in 2021 to undertake a series of strategic analyses of some of the most important global “megatrends” and how these could impact the Arab region. The aim is to provide public sector and other leaders with an understanding of the benefits of these trends, including how they can contribute to improving economic growth, social equity, and sustainable development. A WhiteLabel partner is designing and directing these analyses. The first looked at alternative future pathways for electric vehicles and other forms of electric mobility in Middle East and North African countries, and the second looked at alternative futures for the Metaverse (3D VR environments and other forms of spatial computing for applications in healthcare, education, urban redevelopment, and other critical sectors. A third analysis on AI is underway. Each analysis provides concrete recommendations that can be undertaken in the near term to realize the benefits of the megatrends. Results to date include policy and investment actions now being evaluated for implementation by the Planning, Environment, Transportation, and other Ministries in 21 countries in the region.
Using Art to Initiate Activism: Combatting the Climate Crisis
We all – well, most of us – know that the climate crisis is real. A WhiteLabel co-conspirator is turning science into art, creating data visualizations, that make it tangible, and undeniable. That art has come to the aid of science: for the past five years, the WhiteLabel co-conspirator has been working with the International Arctic Buoy Programme, deploying instruments that provide vital weather and climate impact data for the Arctic Ocean and tagging 50 icebergs along the coast of Greenland to improve predictive modeling. Their custom-designed sensors have contributed over 22,000 lines of data to the primary weather and climate repository for the Arctic Ocean. They also participated with Public Sediment, a team of landscape architects, designers, civil and coastal engineers, on a project funded by the Rockefeller Foundation to transform river sediment, usually a source of environmental degradation, into a solution for sea-level rise adaptation in the San Francisco Bay area. The team collaborated with local government agencies and public stakeholders to connect Alameda Creek with the San Francisco Baylands, providing a sustainable supply of sediment to Baylands for sea-level rise adaptation, reconnecting migratory fish with their historic spawning grounds, and introducing a network of community spaces to reclaim the creek as a place for people.
From Family Offices to Subscription Models: Launching, Commercializing and Managing Venture Investment Funds
Over our 30-years in the financial markets, WhiteLabel has had the opportunity to launch, transform, manage, and commercialize venture capital operations at about a dozen family offices, hedge funds and corporations. Indeed, WhiteLabel’s initial co-founders met while running investment operations for RoseTech Ventures during the halcyon days of “Silicon Alley.” Over five years, they evaluated thousands of investment opportunities, made 15 investments, sat on the Boards of more than a dozen companies, and helped portfolio companies raise more than $50 million in follow-on investment. The portfolio had multiple successful exits including one 30X return. A WhiteLabel partner was also part of the successful launch of Alumni Ventures Group’s Columbia-focused fund, developing the investment strategy, raising capital, vetting hundreds of investments, and, investing in, to date, two unicorns. Other clients have included setting up venture arms for a MedTech firm, and an extremely large hedge fund focused on global investments.
Innovating Around Finance: Propelling Entrepreneurship in the Eastern Caribbean
After decades of economic underperformance and high unemployment, the World Bank wanted to launch a program aimed at improving access to finance for women and youth entrepreneurs in the Eastern Caribbean. Looking to understand the nexus between the area’s entrepreneurs, what was regulatorily possible, the amount of capital this small market could absorb, and what would engage, and excite potential partners in the initiative, it turned to a WhiteLabel partner. On the ground, WhiteLabel met with women and youth entrepreneurs, executives from banks, Central Bank governors and finance ministers, and a cadre of foundations and impact investors coming up with a list of pain points, which informed the structuring of an initiative to address, and alleviate, the issues. They then worked with the Bank on implementation: structuring the initiative, including a financial facility and educational program aimed at informing, and elevating the entrepreneurs; developing a primer on best practices related to the chosen financial structure; creating materials for outreach, and leading a roadshow around the project. The result: an initiative launched with participation from several leading foundations, including a $50 million financial facility and an operational support program for entrepreneurs.