Organization · Micro VC
Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM
The Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM is a student-run impact investment fund based in New Haven, Connecticut. Launched in 2023, it focuses on early-stage for-profit ventures that aim to create social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
Overview
What Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM does
What Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM is
The Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM is a student-run impact investment fund based in New Haven, Connecticut. Launched in 2023, it focuses on early-stage for-profit ventures that aim to create social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and community capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Micro VC
- Founded
- Founded in 2023
- Approximate age
- About 3 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Community
- Last reviewed
- March 31, 2026
Official channels
Find Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM as a funder
Investment thesis
The Meng Impact Investment Fund aims to generate social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns through impact investing.
Focus narrative
The Meng Impact Investment Fund focuses on early-stage for-profit impact ventures across various sectors, including climate tech, education/workforce development, financial inclusion, and healthcare. The fund is driven by students who conduct due diligence and actively manage portfolio companies, ensuring alignment with its mission of generating meaningful impact.
Value beyond capital
The Meng Impact Investment Fund provides students with hands-on experience in impact investing, allowing them to conduct due diligence, present investment recommendations, and actively manage portfolio companies. This educational approach not only supports the ventures but also cultivates the next generation of impact investors.
Terms and economics
- Typical check
- $50,000
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed · Seed+
- Regions
- North America
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 3
Portfolio context
Notable portfolio companies include Ezra, a fintech company focused on financial inclusion, which received the fund's first investment of $50K. Other investments include Dopl and eMaisha Pay, both in the fintech space, further emphasizing the fund's commitment to financial inclusion.
Capability profile
Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM as a community
Community overview
The Meng Impact Investment Fund is associated with the Yale School of Management and is dedicated to impact investing, which seeks to generate social and environmental benefits alongside financial returns. Launched in 2023, it is the first student-run impact investment fund at Yale, made possible by a generous gift from alumnus Leon Meng. The fund builds on the advocacy efforts of a prior student organization, Fishbowl Ventures, founded in 2019, which aimed to establish a student-led investment initiative focused on impact ventures.
Community focus
The Meng Impact Investment Fund focuses on early-stage for-profit ventures that align with its mission of creating positive social and environmental impact. Each year, the fund selects specific sectors for investment, including climate tech, education and workforce development, financial inclusion, and healthcare.
Member value
Members of the Meng Impact Investment Fund gain hands-on experience in impact investing, conducting due diligence on potential portfolio companies, presenting investment recommendations, and actively managing investments. The fund also provides mentorship from faculty and alumni, enhancing the educational experience for its student members.
Membership
- Pricing models
- free
Format and cadence
- Modality
- in-person
- Schedule
- rolling-admissions
- Commitment
- light
Availability
- Membership state
- Accepting
Audience and fit
- Audience
- Students
- Benefits
- mentorship and network-access
- Program types
- community
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Regions
- United States
Community activity
Notable members
Leon Meng, Yale SOM Class of 1997, is the namesake and donor of the fund. The fund has roots in Fishbowl Ventures, a student-run organization advocating for impact investing.
Common questions
What to know about Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM
Upseed classifies Meng Impact Investment Fund at Yale SOM under the Micro VC organization type. Its current public profile includes funder and community capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 31, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.