Chilasa Venture Philanthropy Information

Chilasa was founded in 2012 as a pioneering venture to design, validate, and scale a new and disruptive solution to poverty. Our investments are financed by the Chilasa Angels, a selected group of focused investors with a heart for the poor. The Problem: Without employment and livelihood opportunities, people are dependant on charity and government subsidies. 70% of small enterprises in India lack access to growth finance and face major problems with poor infrastructure, human capital, access to markets, and business development support. Current solutions fall short or do not directly address the problem: - Traditional charity is focused on interventions like healthcare and education - Micro-finance is suitable for consumption loans but too limiting for business growth - Private Equity sector average deal sizes are too big for small enterprises in rural towns - Banks serving small enterprises are too few and penetration into rural areas is low The Solution: Investment Ecosystem Creating productive jobs and generating economic growth is the most effective way to help families, communities, and even countries lift themselves out of poverty. The Chilasa solution: An investment ecosystem offering 4 integrated services for small enterprise: - Access to capital - Access to capacity building - Access to markets - Access to research & development Chilasa is targeting direct social impact through the creation of quality low and semi skilled jobs in underserved communities. We have a special interest in women entrepreneurs. Geographic Focus: Chennai India operations, with focus on Tier 3 & 4 small cities and towns. “Our name: Chilasa” is the name of a family of butterflies native to South and South East Asia. The butterfly’s “journey” from egg-lava-chrysalis to adulthood symbolizes transformation, hope, and freedom. This journey expresses Chilasa’s vision for the impact we aim to create through our social investment activities.