Sonen Capital
Sonen Capital is a San Francisco-based, SEC-registered Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and impact investment advisor serving foundations, family offices, individuals, and institutional clients globally with custom impact-aligned portfolios and a $10M minimum account size.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sonen Capital does
Sonen Capital is a San Francisco-based impact investment management firm operating as an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and SEC-registered investment adviser. Founded in 2015 (with B Corporation certification dating from February 2015 and UN PRI signatory status since 2014), the firm partners with foundations, family offices, individuals, and institutional advisors globally to construct and manage custom impact-aligned investment portfolios. Its core offering is a framework-driven impact investment process comprising board-level education, co-creation of impact investment policy statements, rigorous due diligence across public and private markets, and award-winning impact measurement and reporting; the underlying "technology" is a proprietary impact investment portfolio construction and management methodology organized around thematic Impact Frameworks (Water, Energy, Sustainable Infrastructure, Sustainable Real Estate, Sustainable Agriculture, Financial Inclusion, Health, Just Transition), delivered entirely as a service rather than as a software product.
The business model is recurring asset-based: advisory fees of up to 2.0% per annum on assets under management, supplemented by negotiated fixed-fee arrangements, with a cumulative minimum account requirement of $10 million that effectively restricts the client base to institutional-scale relationships. Go-to-market is consultative and relationship-driven, supported by thought leadership content, an active industry conference presence (SOCAP, GSG Impact Summit, GIIN Forum, Confluence Philanthropy, Impact Minds), and the proprietary Impact Investing Podcast featuring founder Raúl Pomares. The firm is led by founder Raúl Pomares alongside CEO Bob Goldstein, Chief Growth Officer Simone Balch, CFO Dion Griffin, MD/Head of Research Carolyn Ezelino, MD of Private Investments Sandra Sainz, and Head of Impact Engagement Amanda Feldman, with a board that includes former PIMCO/Generation IM and Omidyar Network executives.
In October 2023, Macquarie Asset Management made a strategic minority investment, providing growth capital and institutional validation. Sonen Capital has accumulated a dense credential stack (UN PRI signatory, B Corp with a 149.6 score, multiple Best for the World honors) and a multi-year awards track record (Family Wealth Report, GSG Impact, Real Leaders, Wealth for Good, ThinkAdvisor). Recent operating moves — executive hires, board expansion, and a deliberate push into Latin American impact investing via ALIVE Ventures, BIOMAKERS, and the White House Americas Partnership pledge — point to a firm in active scaling mode, though revenue and AUM are not publicly disclosed and the firm remains privately held with 11–50 employees.
Sonen Capital firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sonen Capital
- Legal name
- Sonen Capital LLC
- Website
- https://sonencapital.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Sonen Capital is a San Francisco-based, SEC-registered Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and impact investment advisor serving foundations, family offices, individuals, and institutional clients globally with custom impact-aligned portfolios and a $10M minimum account size.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sonen Capital industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investment Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Other Financial Vehicles (52599), Other Financial Investment Activities (5239)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- OCIO Providers (Outsourced CIO) (FSAAAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family Office Advisory & Outsourced CIO (OCIO) (FSAAADAC), Multi-Asset Solutions for Institutional (Pensions/Endowments/Sovereigns) (FSAAAJAJ), Institutional Consulting RIAs (OCIO/Endowments/Foundations/Pensions) (FSAAACAG), Endowment / OCIO-Style Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAG), Portfolio Construction & Asset Allocation Advisory (FSAEAAAC)
Keywords
Where Sonen Capital is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sonen Capital business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Asset Under Management (AUM) Fees: Fees are generally based on the value of assets under management, ranging up to 2.0% per annum depending on the type and complexity of the investment management strategy employed as well as the size of the account or overall client relationship.
- Fixed-Fee Arrangements: Sonen has entered into negotiated, fixed-fee arrangements with clients where the level of fixed-fees charged varies based on the scope of services provided.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Asset-based fee structure |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels7 records
Sonen Capital product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sonen Capital operates as an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and Investment Advisor, partnering with families, foundations, and institutional investors globally to build tailored impact investment portfolios. The firm co-creates impact investment policy statements with clients, implements custom portfolios across public and private markets, and applies a framework-driven process with rigorous due diligence and award-winning impact measurement and reporting.
Product overview
Sonen Capital is a financial services firm providing Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and investment advisory services. The firm offers custom investment portfolio management focused on impact investing, serving foundations, family offices, and institutional investors globally. Services include investment policy development, portfolio construction, impact measurement, and reporting. The firm does not offer a software platform, technology product, or digital product suite — its offering is entirely service-based, centered on bespoke investment advisory relationships and portfolio management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) Services OCIO service where Sonen Capital acts as the outsourced chief investment officer for clients, taking ownership of investment policy development, portfolio construction, and ongoing portfolio management. Designed for families, foundations, and institutional investors globally seeking a single point of accountability for their investment program.
- Impact Investment Advisory Services
- Custom Impact Investment Portfolios
- WomenInvest InFaith Portfolio
- Impact Measurement and Reporting
Companies that use Sonen Capital
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Sonen Capital technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sonen Capital partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- UN Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)coreSonen Capital has been a signatory to UN PRI since 2014. PRI is an independent nonprofit that encourages investors to use responsible investment to enhance returns and better manage risk.
- B CorporationcoreSonen Capital is a certified B Corporation since February 2015, last rated in June 2022 with a score of 149.6. The firm has received multiple Best for the World honors.
- GSG ImpactcoreSonen Capital won GSG Impact's Impact Asset Manager of the Year award in 2019 and participates in GSG Impact Summits and initiatives.
- 2X GlobalcoreSonen Capital is a member of 2X Global, a global industry body focused on increasing the volume and impact of capital directed towards women's economic empowerment worldwide.
- LatimpactocoreSonen Capital maintains affiliation with Latimpacto, a network supporting impact investing in Latin America. The firm participates in Latimpacto events and investments across the region.
- Confluence PhilanthropycoreSonen Capital is affiliated with Confluence Philanthropy, a community of foundations and advisors advancing mission-aligned investing. The firm is a lead sponsor of the annual Practitioners Gathering.
- Mission Investors Exchange (MIE)coreSonen Capital is a member of Mission Investors Exchange, participating in their national conferences and engaging with foundation impact investing initiatives.
- GIIN (Global Impact Investing Network)coreSonen Capital participates in GIIN events including the Investor Forum and contributes to impact investing industry development through thought leadership.
- SOCAP (Social Capital Markets)coreSonen Capital actively participates in SOCAP conferences as speakers and sponsors, engaging with the broader impact investing ecosystem at this major industry event.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Sonen Capital competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- CapShift: CapShift is an impact investing platform offering OCIO and custom impact portfolio services to foundations and family offices. Comparable as a smaller, impact-only OCIO competitor with a similar foundation-centric go-to-market and impact mandate focus.
Direct peers
- Generation Investment Management: Generation IM is a pure-play sustainable investment manager focused on long-term equity and credit strategies for institutional clients. Comparable to Sonen as a values-driven, impact-led investment management firm with global institutional reach and similar board pedigree connections.
- Boston Common Asset Management: Boston Common is an impact-focused investment manager managing global equity and fixed-income portfolios for institutional and individual investors. Comparable to Sonen as a values-aligned, impact-led boutique manager pursuing similar foundation and family-office clients.
- Trillium Asset Management: Trillium is a Boston-based impact-focused investment advisor managing customized equity and fixed-income portfolios for foundations, endowments, and high-net-worth individuals. Closely aligned with Sonen's mission-driven, custom-portfolio approach for foundations and family offices.
- Glenmede: Glenmede is a Philadelphia-based OCIO and investment advisor serving foundations, endowments, and family offices with both discretionary portfolio management and impact/ESG capabilities — directly comparable to Sonen's OCIO-plus-impact value proposition for institutional and HNW clients.
Broad incumbents
- Russell Investments: Russell Investments provides institutional OCIO and multi-asset solutions to foundations, endowments, and corporate pensions globally. Comparable as an OCIO provider competing for the same foundation and endowment mandates, but with vastly larger scale and broader capabilities.
- Meketa Investment Group: Meketa is an investment consulting and OCIO firm serving public pensions, corporate pensions, endowments, and foundations. Comparable as an OCIO competitor for institutional clients, particularly public and corporate plan sponsors adjacent to Sonen's foundation and endowment segment.
- Verus: Verus is an institutional investment consulting and OCIO firm serving pensions, foundations, and endowments with a growing ESG/sustainable investing practice. Comparable as an OCIO competitor targeting institutional clients with developing impact capabilities.
- Cambridge Associates: Cambridge Associates is a global investment consulting and OCIO firm serving foundations, endowments, pensions, and private clients. Comparable as a large-scale OCIO competitor for high-end foundation and endowment mandates, though much broader in scope than Sonen's boutique impact-only approach.
- Nuveen (TIAA OCIO): Nuveen is a large-scale asset manager with an institutional OCIO practice serving pensions, endowments, and foundations, including dedicated impact strategies. Comparable as an OCIO competitor to foundations and endowments, but at much greater scale and with broader asset-class coverage than Sonen's boutique offering.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Sonen Capital social profiles
Digital presenceSonen Capital compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Sonen Capital financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sonen Capital leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Sonen Capital funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sonen Capital M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments3 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Sonen Capital
What does Sonen Capital do?
Sonen Capital operates as an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) and Investment Advisor, partnering with families, foundations, and institutional investors globally to build tailored impact investment portfolios. The firm co-creates impact investment policy statements with clients, implements custom portfolios across public and private markets, and applies a framework-driven process with rigorous due diligence and award-winning impact measurement and reporting.
Is Sonen Capital a public or private company?
Sonen Capital is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Sonen Capital founded?
Sonen Capital was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Sonen Capital based?
Sonen Capital is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does Sonen Capital make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Asset Under Management (AUM) Fees are the primary driver. The others are fixed-Fee Arrangements.
Who are Sonen Capital's main competitors?
CapShift is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Generation Investment Management, Boston Common Asset Management, Trillium Asset Management and Glenmede. Broad incumbents are Russell Investments, Meketa Investment Group, Verus, Cambridge Associates and Nuveen (TIAA OCIO).
Does Sonen Capital have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sonen Capital.
What industry is Sonen Capital in?
Sonen Capital's product category is Impact Investment Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAGAH, OCIO Providers (Outsourced CIO), with a secondary code of FSAAADAC, Family Office Advisory & Outsourced CIO (OCIO). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.