Here we are at the very beginning of 2022. All of the promise and potential of an entire new year. And yet, the shadow of COVID continues, binding us all in a shared experience of uncertainty.
The global pandemic of the last two years has reshaped how we work, live, and connect in ways we’re just starting to understand. The percentage of Americans working from home has increased from 5% pre-pandemic to 40% today. Many of us have fundamentally changed our daily habits. And many more of us have re-evaluated how we prioritize our family, our community, and our work.
The flip side of destruction is often creation. In 2022, we see this small virus continuing to drive radical changes, and in the process creating large opportunities. More entrepreneurs seem to be asking – if not now, when?
At Incite, we’re doubling down on our effort to support those builders who are using this period of disruption to start companies, nonprofits, and movements that do good. From startups tackling climate change like Monarch Tractor to companies building tools for financial inclusion like Petal, from nonprofits advocating for under-represented voices like Gold House to those advocating for paid family leave for Americans like PL+US, our portfolio organizations have been on the frontlines of building a better future during this pandemic. And Incite’s work to find and fund more of these change-makers continues in 2022.
We’re inspired by the entrepreneurs stepping up to build a new generation of impact-centered companies. We’ve invested in a number of them recently. Take Dispatch Goods, which Maia Tekle & Lindsey Hoell built to make it easy for your food to be delivered in reusable packaging, and to encourage creative reuse in response to our collective heightened awareness of climate change. Or take Kinfield, which Nichole Powell founded to make clean, effective products for outdoor recreational adventures – from park picnics to hikes to weekend retreats, each of which are growing in popularity as pandemic-friendly activities. Or take Skye, which Jessica Wolf launched to match users with a professional coach to accelerate their life and career, and to help people recalibrate their career plans in response to the Great Resignation.
We can’t wait to see what these leaders build in the years to come.
Here’s to a 2022 where we center impact and building what matters most as an antidote to these most uncertain times.
