Ulupono Initiative is an impact investment firm focusing on sustaining Hawai‘i through large-scale for-profit and non-profit investments that produce more local food; increase clean, renewable energy; and reduce waste. The company strives to double local food production, decrease reliance on imported fossil fuel by 70 percent by the year 2030 and decrease waste by 30 to 40 percent. eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam established Ulupono Initiative in 2009 based on their conviction that every person has the power to make a difference. After each spent parts of their childhood in Hawai‘i, they returned to live there and saw an opportunity to make values-driven community investments and contributions that would sustain the land and stimulate the economy.
Policy work is helping to shape and influence state and county measures and amendments that they believe will make a meaningful impact in Hawai‘i.
The research Ulupono conducts to help inform this work is shared to help the community in its efforts, including a local food market demand study of O‘ahu shoppers to gauge consumer demand, studies about grass and water for grass-fed productivity and more.
Ulupono aims to play a catalytic role with its investments, typically focusing on several investments each year of $1 million to $3 million in key mission-focused projects. The company works closely with its investees to help them achieve their goals, seeking a governance role where appropriate. As of December 2014, Ulupono invested more than $44 million toward achieving its mission and goals.
Portfolio
Because Ulupono is focused on creating impact for Hawaii, the company looks carefully at companies and organizations that will help achieve its goals in its sectors of interest. The company finds there is often crossover within sectors, but ultimately, it invests in organizations that are working to produce more locally grown food, more renewable energy and/or reduce waste. Ulupono seeks to invest in and help grow local organizations involved in clean/renewable energy, diversified agriculture, and use waste as a resource that have high potential for creating large-scale social impact in an innovative and sustainable manner, and where its involvement will be catalytic in achieving that outcome. Ulupono has invested in companies including several farms, Bikeshare Hawaii, the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, and Sopogy.
Ulupono Initiative, as well as all of The Omidyar Group entities do not invest in, patronize, or support any organization, company, or product that is known to have slavery or human trafficking in its supply chain or anywhere else in its operations. If they learn of such labor practices across any of its organizations or investments — including subcontractors — the company takes immediate action to help ensure the situation is corrected. If this is not possible, Ulupono terminates its involvement. Ulupono requires those it works with to make themselves thoroughly familiar with this policy and to agree to upholding these practices.
Policy
Ulupono Initiative believes transformation can be achieved at a policy level through the support of state and county measures and amendments. The company collaborates with likeminded organizations to advocate for policies that will make a meaningful impact in Hawaii. Most notably, Ulupono Initiative was a strong advocate of a Hawaii state constitutional amendment to allow farmers, ranchers and owners of other agricultural endeavors to request special purpose revenue bonds.
