Kirchner Impact Foundation and Centro Fox Host Highly Acclaimed Kirchner Investment Academy
By: Adrián García
Tags: Impact, Impact Investing, Entrepreneurship, Education, Investing

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 — February 19 2020–Kirchner Impact Foundation, one of the ‘returning arms’ of traditional merchant bank Kirchner Group, in collaboration with Centro Fox, is pleased to announce the success of their Kirchner Investment Academy hosted February 7–9, 2020.

This edition was held at Centro Fox, an innovation and leadership campus founded by former president of Mexico Vicente Fox and his wife, Marta Sahagun.

“Mexico needs to generate more local investment funds and projects and the view on business and knowledge that Kirchner brings with this academy will help develop the local investment ecosystem” mentioned Vicente Fox, Former president of Mexico and president of Centro Fox during a candid meeting over lunch where he got the chance to hear about attendees projects and reflect on his experience in public service and entrepreneurship. “We are very thankful to President Fox for our continuing and impactful collaboration with Centro Fox. The success of this Kirchner Investment Academy is a great illustration of our aligned desire to help the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Central Mexico,” mentioned Blair G. Kirchner, Managing Director and Co-Head of Impact Activities at Kirchner Group.

The Academy is an intensive, 25-hour program for individuals seeking to gain knowledge about the relevance, importance and process of venture capital allocation in developing and rural entrepreneurial ecosystems. The program seeks to demystify investment to entrepreneurs and dispel often perpetuated myths.

“This was the most precise financial course I have taken in relation to capital funding and startups, it is a course that every entrepreneur should take,” mentioned participant Sergio López, Entrepreneur founder of Rayo Bio-energía.

The program follows an intensive incubator-type model, where entrepreneurs learn about investment from the perspective of investors. During the three days more than 20 attendees learned 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 introduced the importance of capital efficiency and sustainability within a socially aware context, promoting Kirchner´s iconic vision of creating value while promoting values.

Complementing the 10 traditional modules included in the academy´s program attendees got the chance to participate in video presentations from international experts in topics like investor-entrepreneur dynamics, company mistakes and exit strategies. Thanks to a scholarship provided by the Innovation Secretary of the State of Guanjauato (Secretaría de Innovación, Ciencia y Educación Superior del Estado de Guanjuato -SICES) and promoted by NOVAERA all the attendees stayed at the beautiful Hacienda San Cristobal Hotel, where they got the chance to continue their networking outside of the program.

“It was a very useful bootcamp in which, in addition to networking with the participants and the organizers we gained very relevant knowledge on how to prepare and successfully complete a capital raising process for a Startup,” said participant Ramiro Quezada Diaz, Director of the Tec de Monterrey Entrepreneurship Institute.

The Academy is part of the Kirchner Impact Foundation’s continuing initiatives in the region that include the annual Mexico Agtech competition, this year on May 23rdin León, Guanajuato as well as their flagship Kirchner Food Fellowship program which will commence recruitment of university students on March 1st for their 2020–2021 programs.

To view a video recap of the academy click here.

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 González | 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

Stay up to date on the firm’s initiatives and activities by following us on LinkedIn.

Blair Kirchner | Managing Director & Co-Head of Impact Activities | Kirchner Group | 902.817.2405 | bgkirchner@kirchnergroup.com