ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we describe elea as an example of an active investment organization in the field of philanthropic impact investing. Starting with the founders' motivations and intentions, we explore how its purpose was defined and how key decisions regarding its set up were made; this includes taking a deep dive into the underlying ethics of elea, with its virtues and the derived guiding principles. In a second section, we describe how the three major components of elea's operating model (investment management, investors' circle, and professional development) work and reinforce each other like a flywheel. We also analyze in great detail how new investments are sourced and evaluated, how due diligence is done, and how investments are structured. Finally, we review how elea supports the process of impact value creation and discuss what it takes to successfully exit investments after a certain period of active involvement.
