Envisioning Partners is an impact investment firm that focuses on investing in companies addressing important challenges of our time and transforming them into opportunities for the future market.

Envisioning Partners

인비저닝 파트너스는 임팩트 벤처캐피털로서 어려운 사회적 문제를 큰 시장의 기회로 전환하는 스타트업에 투자합니다.

아산기업가정신리뷰에 인비저닝의 포트폴리오 기업 중 하나인 RECO의 사례가 촘촘히 담겼습니다.

Approximately 17% of the world's food production is wasted annually. Out of this total waste, 13% occurs during distribution, amounting to 120 million tons per year. Despite this significant wastage, around 10% of the global population continues to suffer from hunger, a number that has unfortunately risen since 2020 due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. In light of these challenges, it is imperative not only to produce food sustainably but also to actively address the disparity between food production and consumption. Efforts to reduce food waste are critical not just for environmental sustainability but also for ensuring food security and combating hunger globally.

Uglyus (어글리어스) offers consumers a diverse range of eco-friendly produce that would typically be discarded due to cosmetic imperfections, delivered through a subscription service. Recognizing the longstanding challenge of reducing wasted non-grade produce with limited success, Hyunju Choi, founder of Uglyus, envisioned the service's core value from a consumer's standpoint. Since its launch in July 2021, Uglyus has evolved into a robust platform, securing supply contracts with over 400 farmers nationwide. With a cumulative subscriber base exceeding 80,000, the service now delivers over 10,000 subscription vegetable boxes weekly as of March 2024. In May 2024, Envisioning Partners invested in Uglyus, which had grown a loyal customer base by reliably distributing produce that would otherwise go to waste.

You can read more about Uglyus’ unique value as a solution to the long-standing imbalance between food production and consumption in our investment story. 

Investment Story 

ENG. 
https://lnkd.in/gWHxQtrc

KOR. 
https://lnkd.in/gAqXnUg2


#envisioning #climatetech #sustainablefood #circulareconomy

인비저닝 파트너스에서 투자 운용역을 채용합니다. 

포지션: 투자팀 내 디렉터 및 수석심사역(1인) and/or 선임심사역(1인)

디렉터/수석심사역의 경우, VC 및 PE에서 5년 이상, 선임심사역의 경우 2년 이상 투자 운용역으로 일한 경험이 있어야 함
시장 및 기업 분석 능력 및 문서로 정리하고 소통하는 능력을 갖추어야 함
신뢰를 바탕으로 한 관계를 구축하고, 팀의 일원으로서 일하는 능력을 갖추어야 함
투자한 포트폴리오 기업과 단단한 관계를 맺고 적극적인 조력자로서 일하려는 능력과 의지를 갖추어야 함
영어로 소통하고, 미국 투자를 집행할 수 있는 언어 능력을 갖춘 사람을 선호하나 필수 조건은 아님


투자팀의 일원으로서 투자 기회 발굴 및 심사, 투자 이후의 포트폴리오 지원 및 사후관리, 회수 전략 수립 및 시행에 걸친 전 과정에 참여합니다. 
인비저닝 파트너스는 (1) one team spirit에 입각하여 투자 전 과정에 걸쳐 투명하게 소통하고, 팀 중심의 접근법을 취하는 것, (2) 투자 분야에 대한 전문성을 구축하고, 각 분야 내 investment thesis를 뾰족하게 정의하여 일관된 투자 철학과 전략을 유지하는 것을 중요하게 생각합니다. 이같은 철학에 공감하며, 팀의 구성원으로서 전문성을 쌓아나고자 하는 사람을 환영합니다.
HR@envisioning.partners 로 이력서를 보내주시면 됩니다. 지원에 관련한 사항은 모두 철저히 기밀로 유지됩니다. 간략한 소개글이나 지원 동기를 메일 본문에 써주시면 좋습니다. 

https://bit.ly/4dXEFkQ

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a versatile plastic type, has found widespread use across various products, such as food containers, owing to its attributes of non-toxicity, transparency, strength, and cost-effectiveness. Recognizing the imperative to curtail the production and disposal of fossil-fuel-based plastics, technologies for both mechanical and chemical recycling of PET have swiftly emerged, given its high market demand and relatively straightforward recyclability compared to other industrial materials. The global recycled PET (r-PET) market, valued at $10.8 billion in 2023, is projected to soar to $18.8 billion by 2028. Fueled by discerning consumers and ever-tightening plastics regulations worldwide, this surge is ushering in a new era in the decarbonization journey.

Established in Busan in 2021, Terracle stands out for its ability to produce top-tier recycled plastic materials through a continuous production process, yielding significant energy savings compared to conventional methods. Terracle has achieved a significant milestone by successfully commercializing high-purity recycled terephthalic acid (TPA) in Korea, setting a rapid pace of expansion compared to industry norms worldwide. 

TPA serves as a vital chemical material with diverse applications spanning packaging, textiles, films, engineering plastics, automotive, electronics, and beyond. Terracle specializes in the chemical recycling of diverse plastic waste types, including mixed plastics and textile waste, to produce renewable monomers like terephthalic acid (TPA) and ethylene glycol (EG). In 2023, during the Ministry of Environment's green technology certification process, Terracle not only met but exceeded the recycling conversion rate standard of 95%, achieving an impressive 97%. This exceptional performance earned Terracle the distinction of being the sole company in Korea to receive green technology certification for monomer production via chemical decomposition. Moreover, Terracle has showcased its superior product capabilities through technical demonstrations conducted in collaboration with various large-scale manufacturing entities in Korea. 

Witnessing Terracle's remarkable journey from its inception, Envisioning Partners spearheaded Terracle's Series A funding round in March 2024.

Check out further context behind our investment through the links below:  

English> 
https://lnkd.in/gqXjsuFz

Korean>
https://lnkd.in/gGBeKXCS

#envisioning #climatetech #circulareconomy #terracle

As decarbonization gains greater significance, technologies capable of removing carbon in substantial quantities, with traceability, and ensuring "permanent" removal, where the extracted carbon remains sequestered without re-entering the atmosphere, are increasingly vital. Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology is presently regarded as the sole option for large-scale carbon removal and is progressively being associated with technologies that extend beyond mere capture to ensure the permanent sequestration of carbon. 

However, the majority of first-generation technologies, characterized by significant energy consumption and extensive water usage, raise concerns about their ability to truly achieve carbon reduction. The consequential high energy consumption invariably escalates operational costs, prompting a consensus view that attaining economic viability for such technologies may prove challenging. To meet market expectations for long-term cost-effectiveness and establish DAC as a viable source of carbon credits, it becomes imperative to focus on the development of second-generation technologies capable of significantly reducing the cost of capture.

Established in June 2021 in California, Avnos, Inc. emerged as a second-generation Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology company. AVNOS has pioneered a distinctive technology designed to adsorb moisture from the air, producing water that is seamlessly reintroduced into the carbon capture and separation process. The water is generated by harvesting moisture from the air, subjecting it to low-energy drying in a vacuum. In the subsequent phase, carbon is efficiently separated using a unique adsorbent along with the previously produced water, eliminating the need for additional water. Due to innovative process design and implementation of moisture responsive sorbents, the system does not require any external heat input, enabling a substantial reduction in power usage when compared to existing technologies requiring high heat and pressure. Furthermore, the inherent characteristics of this method minimize the loss and damage of the adsorbent due to heat or pressure, facilitating ease of recycling.

In December 2023, Envisioning Partners invested in AVNOS's Series A round. Check out further context behind our investment through the links below:  

English>> 
https://lnkd.in/guSPgpDk

한국어>>
https://lnkd.in/gmzBRku2


#envisioning #impactinvesting #climatetech #carbontech #DAC

“As the economy enters a downturn and capital costs rise, many long-term goals that should be pursued may, in the short term, lose momentum. Many areas of focus in impact investing are likely to face such challenges. However, maintaining a consistent perspective and long-term vision enables impact investing to shine as a differentiated investment strategy, capable of generating excess alpha returns. Fortunately, our investments are geared towards a long-term horizon of at least five years. While there may be short-term fluctuations as societal issues requiring resolution evolve into more serious challenges, the impact investing market can only continue to grow.”  

“At Envisioning Partners, we have long upheld the principle of collinearity as pivotal in our impact assessments and investment strategies. Collinearity embodies the alignment between a business's core model driving financial growth and its mechanisms for generating impact, akin to interlocking cogs. This synergy ensures that solving a societal problem translates into positive impact through business success. Our approach to impact assessment revolves around comprehending the problem a business addresses, evaluating its societal significance, and gauging the viability and scalability of its solutions in the market. As we embark on our seventh year, we are poised to embrace the principles of "intentionality" and "additionality," alongside our longstanding commitment to “collinearity”. This entails a proactive stance in our post-investment role, where we sharpen our focus on our specific intentions as investors and strive to catalyze additional change after our investment. From our early emphasis on Series A investments, our strategy has evolved to encompass more mature stages, including Series B and beyond. With a growing portion of our portfolio dedicated to growth-stage ventures, we have pondered how we, as impact investors, should play a different role. This contemplation has led to such commitment.”

***

Here is an excerpt from the 'Impact Insights' article featured in the recent annual report published by Envisioning Partners. The full article can be found at the link below. We look forward to the addition of various opinions, and even deeper discussions progressing in relation to this. 

Check out the full content in English>> 
https://lnkd.in/dz7FQjMK

and in Korean>> 
https://lnkd.in/dqa5UGAJ

#envisioning #impactinvesting #esg

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Envisioning Partners