Investments
Upstart Co-Lab is demonstrating that the U.S. creative economy can deliver market rate returns alongside positive social impact.
Upstart Co-Lab’s Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy is the first impact investing vehicle for the U.S. creative industries.
The Strategy’s portfolio approach invests in both emerging funds and early-stage companies, and targets market rate returns. Learn about the current portfolio.
Upstart’s approach prioritizes BIPOC and women entrepreneurs, and delivers people-focused impact: quality jobs, vibrant communities, and sustainable creative lives. To learn more about the impact that investing in the creative economy can create, please read Upstart’s Impact Report.
In tandem, Upstart conducts an influence strategy focused on unlocking artists, art patrons and endowed cultural institutions as a new cohort of impact investors, and the creative sector as a new source of impact capital. The first museum to commit to Upstart’s Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy is the Toledo Museum of Art; read about their commitment here.
The Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy is accepting program-related investments from foundations; recoverable grants from donor advised funds; and mission-related investments from endowed nonprofit arts and culture organizations through December 2025.
Upstart Co-Lab’s Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy is supported by ImpactAssets.
To learn more about participating in the Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy and to receive access to our data room, please email info@UpstartCo-Lab.org.
Webinar: Investing in an Inclusive Economy
An introduction to Upstart Co-Lab and our new Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy. Learn how — by investing in creative industries like fashion, film & TV, video games and more — you can prioritize BIPOC and women entrepreneurs, provide quality jobs, anchor vibrant communities, and enable sustainable creative lives. Hear about how Upstart will partner with ImpactAssets using their multi-funder pooled structure to launch the first impact investing vehicle for the U.S. creative economy.
Upstart Co-Lab Investment Pipeline
The Inclusive Creative Economy Strategy will invest in impact funds with creative economy exposure, and make direct investments in seed/early-stage companies in the creative industries.
We expect the majority of funds will be “emerging funds”, i.e. first- and second-time funds, raising $20-$100 million, and led by women and BIPOC managers. We are targeting seed and early-stage companies that are already generating revenue; raising up to $10M; and led by women and BIPOC founders including artists, designers and creatives.
If you are a fund manager investing in food, fashion, media and other creative industries or an entrepreneur growing a creative sector business, you can learn more about Upstart Co-Lab’s assessment criteria, and share information about your fund or business here.