Builders Vision

Builders Vision is an American investment and philanthropy platform founded in 2018 by Lukas Walton. Headquartered in Chicago with an additional office in San Francisco, the organization describes itself as deploying flexible capital — including grants, direct investments and fund investments across public and private markets — to grow and transform markets that generate financial returns while driving sustainable outcomes. Its stated mission is to build a more resilient future by scaling and accelerating innovative solutions in three interconnected sectors: food & agriculture, energy and oceans. The platform combines investing and philanthropy under one roof. Its investment team manages over $15 billion across seven portfolios, including a taxable multi-asset class portfolio, a $3 billion foundation endowment, donor-advised funds (DAFs) and Builders Bridge, a catalytic investment LLC. According to the organization, it deploys capital to over 100 funds and more than 50 portfolio companies, aiming for both strong financial returns and sustainable outcomes. Its philanthropy is described as market-building, nurturing innovations at their earliest stages and fostering the conditions they need to thrive. Builders Vision frames its work around a systems approach to change, seeking to shift entire sectors onto a more impact-friendly footing rather than simply picking individual investments. It supports partners by deploying capital, providing critical support such as expertise and convenings, and advocating for their success by connecting them with influential stakeholders. Examples of its activity include investing with Clean Energy Transition, a public markets firm focused on the clean energy transition, and serving as an anchor investor in T. Rowe Price's Emerging Markets Blue Economy Bond Fund. The organization has offices in Chicago and San Francisco and describes its team as entrepreneurs, asset allocators, philanthropists and engineers backed by data science, communications and advocacy.

Builders Vision was founded in 2018 by Lukas Walton, inspired by the belief that philanthropy and investing together can shift capital markets toward sustainable solutions. The organization was established as an investment and philanthropy platform with offices in Chicago and San Francisco. From its inception, it sought to combine flexible capital — grants, direct investments and fund investments — with market-building philanthropy to accelerate sustainable solutions. The platform organizes its work around three interconnected sectors: food & agriculture, energy and oceans. Its investment team manages over $15 billion across seven portfolios, including a taxable multi-asset class portfolio, a $3 billion foundation endowment, donor-advised funds (DAFs) and Builders Bridge, a catalytic investment LLC. It deploys capital to over 100 funds and more than 50 portfolio companies. Builders Vision has pursued partnerships and investments aligned with its systems approach. It invested with Clean Energy Transition, a public markets investment firm accelerating the transition to a clean energy future, in a strategy that since 2017 has invested in publicly-traded companies navigating the changing global energy landscape. It also served as an anchor investor in T. Rowe Price's Emerging Markets Blue Economy Bond Fund. The organization has hosted convenings during New York Climate Week, bringing together investors, innovators, philanthropists and corporate leaders. Its approach has been featured in the Financial Times, which described Walton's theory of change as requiring a 'systems approach' that pulls in reform-minded organisations to collectively shift sectors onto a more impact-friendly footing.

• 2018

  Builders Vision founded by Lukas Walton.

• 2017

  Clean Energy Transition strategy, in which Builders Vision invests, begins investing in publicly-traded companies navigating the changing global energy landscape.

An impact investment and philanthropy platform that uses flexible capital and a systems approach to transform markets in food & agriculture, energy and oceans.

• Grants

  Philanthropic grants to nurture innovations at their earliest stages.

• Direct investments

  Direct investments in companies scaling sustainable solutions.

• Fund investments

  Investments in public and private market funds.

• Donor-advised funds (DAFs)

  Donor-advised funds managed as part of the platform's portfolios.

• Builders Bridge

  A catalytic investment LLC.

1. 1Builders Vision - Investing Innovative Capital to Build a More Resilient Futurebuildersvision.com
2. 2Who We Are - Builders Visionbuildersvision.com
3. 3What We Do - Builders Visionbuildersvision.com
4. 4Energy - Builders Visionbuildersvision.com
5. 5Builders Visionwikidata.org