Redefining Growth
What it takes for startups, systems, and capital to grow for lasting impact
This year’s report explores why today’s growth logic is failing – and what’s possible when capital supports resilience and long-term value instead of endless expansion.
Discover the entrepreneurs reshaping climate resilience, food systems, financial inclusion, and more – and the evidence behind our community-centered investment model.
From our CEO, Ellen Brooks:
"Redefining ‘growth’ means recentering our values and moving away from the idea of endless expansion towards true sustainability, where well-being, fairness, and long-term value creation outweigh short-term metrics.
It means aligning capital with resilient and regenerative systems that allow people and the planet to thrive. It means building economic sovereignty that is locally anchored, financially sustainable, and designed to last."
By the Numbers
For over 15 years, Village Capital has unlocked social and financial capital for founders building solutions that matter. In 2025, we reached new cumulative milestones that reflect the scale of our work:
A New Chapter in Ecosystem Building
Unicorns dominate the headlines. But real innovation is happening in communities often left out of the story. At Village Capital, we’re building ecosystems that give these founders a fair shot at capital — and a pathway to scale solutions grounded in local needs.
2025 marked an evolution in how we strengthen those ecosystems. Our locally rooted partners didn’t just learn from our global tools — they shaped them. That insight led us to co-deliver training, share decision-making, and deploy capital together, all while continuing to refine our direct support for founders. Read more
