ABSTRACT
At the beginning of this chapter, four diverse elea investment examples are described in detail. For each, the problem to be solved and the respective solution are articulated, followed by a profile of the entrepreneurs behind each and the elea investment characteristics. Thereafter, we assess their performance in terms of impact, financial returns, and innovation. In the second part of the chapter, based on both academic research and insights from practical experience, we explore relevant entrepreneurial qualities that characterize the profile of impact entrepreneurs. These include prosocial attitudes and a strong sense for seeing opportunities rather than problems, coupled with a differentiated approach to risk and an ability to manage tensions between social and economic goods. Criteria such as these that describe different aspects of entrepreneurship can help impact investors to better evaluate investment opportunities. They can also be useful to impact entrepreneurs for assessing the effectiveness of entrepreneurial leadership and taking measures for their further development.
