Kirchner Impact Foundation continues to work with local organizations to enhance the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mexico
San Francisco del Rincon, Guanajuato México and Birmingham, Alabama – October 16 2019 –Kirchner Impact Foundation, one of the ‘returning arms’ of traditional merchant bank Kirchner Group, is pleased to announce a collaboration with Centro Fox, to offer a new ‘boot camp’ model of its Kirchner Investment Academy in central Mexico.
The Kirchner Investment Academy is an intensive, 25-hour program for groups and individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the relevance and process of venture capital allocation in developing entrepreneurial ecosystems. This Academy will follow an intensive incubator-type model, where entrepreneurs from the region will learn about investment from the perspective of investors. The training will take place December 6–8 at Centro Fox, an innovation and leadership campus founded by former president of Mexico Vicente Fox and his wife, Marta Sahagun. “At Centro Fox we wake up vocations and promote leadership, and this program will help us in this mission,” mentioned Vicente Fox.
The program has been developed and implemented by the Kirchner Impact Foundation and the investment professionals of Kirchner Group. The program will be guided by professionals with regional experience promoting Kirchner´s iconic vision of creating value while promoting values. Attendees will learn investment vocabulary, the basics of how to evaluate possible investments as well as develop criteria to attract and structure investments for projects and startups. The program also introduces the importance of capital efficiency and sustainability within a socially aware context.
“This program was designed to bring much needed expertise to rural and underserved regions,” added Blair G. Kirchner, co-head of impact activities at Kirchner Group. “We are excited to further enhance and expand our impact activities locally and internationally.”
The academy was originally formed as part of the larger collaboration between the Kirchner Impact Foundation and the State Government of Guanajuato and the City Government of Leon, which launched the Central Mexico cohort of the Kirchner Food Fellowship. In addition, Kirchner hosted the “2019 Mexico AgTech Competition,” and the inaugural Kirchner Investment Academy earlier this year.
“The interest in the inaugural Kirchner Investment Academy was so high that we had to open additional spaces to accommodate more students,” mentioned Adrian Garcia, Ph.D., acting Kirchner Group Country Leader, Kirchner Investment Academy Instructor and Fellowship Director. “The Academy model is very flexible and accommodates participants from any background.”
Discussions are underway with various organizations about additional academies, including a potential program in South Africa early next year. In addition presentations based on the academy content have been conducted in Monterrey Mexico as part of a bio-entrepreneurship conference and in Trinidad & Tobago as part of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsored Agripreneur Mastermind Programme for local entrepreneurs. In addition, early discussions are underway to conduct the program in other international regions over the coming months.
Adriana Ruiz, Leon Municipality Entrepreneurship Director added, “The comprehensive knowledge that Kirchner brings with this course elevate the profile of the whole regional entrepreneurship ecosystem.”
For more information on the Kirchner Investment Academy, contact Adrian Garcia: agarcia@fundthefood.com
Kirchner Impact Foundation
Kirchner Impact Foundation (KIF), is a non-profit organization that serves as one of the “returning” arms of Kirchner Group. KIF harnesses the positive power of enterprise to make a difference in addressing some of the most important issues of today and reflects our belief that all businesses should contribute to a positive human future.
Through the Kirchner Impact Model (“returning” with head, hip and heart), the foundation promotes capital efficiency and sustainable enterprises. KIF activities aim to generate a measurable, social and/or environmental benefit, primarily across four sectors: Agriculture/Food, Health/Life Science, Energy/Resources and Education. www.kirchnerimpact.com/impact-model/
Steve Dauphin | Director | +1 205.602.9845| sdauphin@kirchnergroup.com
Centro Fox
Centro Fox has opted for the formation of compassionate leaders for creating a better world. They believe that we are all leaders and we can provide that leadership at various times in our lives and be that little difference that makes big changes. Their goal is to contribute to the formation of new leaders through social values that promote equity, thus promoting the ideas and actions of our people, projecting it nationally and internationally. They work with great enthusiasm and commitment to each of their projects because they are convinced that we all have tremendous potential to help us build a country and a better world. www.centrofox.org.mx
Gabriela Gonzalez | gabriela.gonzalez@centrofox.org.mx
Kirchner Group
Kirchner Group was founded in 1985 as a boutique firm and today operates various subsidiaries, providing advisory services (M&A, assessments, diligence) and operational support (interim management, workouts, turnarounds) as well as asset management (dedicated, portfolio optimization) — all leveraging a proprietary approach that dovetails domain and process expertise.
Throughout the decades Kirchner Group has been internationally recognized for its unique business model centered around creating value while promoting values: “earning while returning.” The firm has also established an iconic reputation for building and rebuilding important business and social paradigms based on its deep entrepreneurial orientation.
Kirchner Group’s clients and partners include early stage to mid-market companies, venture capital and private equity firms, as well as family offices and some of the world’s largest insurance companies, commercial banks and institutional investors. www.kirchnergroup.com
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Blair Kirchner | Managing Director & Co-Head of Impact Activities | Kirchner Group | 902.817.2405 | bgkirchner@kirchnergroup.com