The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF)

What The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF) does

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF) is a Brooklyn-based impact venture capital firm founded in 2012 that invests in early-stage companies serving underserved populations in the United States. The fund concentrates on three thematic verticals: FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work. Its portfolio of 15+ named companies spans consumer financial inclusion (Petal, Cushion, Finhabits, Angaza), health access (Foodsmart, Twentyeight Health, Clinicas del Azucar, Wellth), workforce and education (Climb Credit, EnGen, Key), and adjacent tools (Findhelp, Stoovo, Driver Technologies, ConnexUs), reflecting a thesis that financial services, healthcare delivery, and economic mobility for low- and middle-income Americans represent structurally underserved markets.

TSEF operates a traditional venture fund business model: it raises capital from limited partners, deploys that capital into early-stage portfolio companies, and earns returns through management fees during the fund life and carried interest on successful exits. The fund has produced multiple named exits (Foodsmart, Climb, Petal, Driver Technologies, Connext), and in 2026 TPG invested $250 million in TSEF portfolio company Findhelp, a social safety net technology platform, signaling institutional validation at scale. The firm is led by Founder and Managing Partner Liz Luckett, with Terry Cheyney as CFO, Sofia Chen Ma as Associate, and additional senior leadership including Managing Director Lara Metcalf and Associate Michael Presser.

The firm is privately held, employs between 1 and 10 people, and does not publicly disclose AUM, fund size, or revenue. There is no technology platform or proprietary product — the firm's product is its investment process, portfolio support, and LP relationships. Competitive positioning rests on sector specialization in impact-driven FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work rather than differentiated technology infrastructure.

Name

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF)

Legal name

The Social Entrepreneurs' Fund

Website

https://tsef.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF) is a Brooklyn-based impact venture capital firm, founded in 2012, that invests early-stage capital in FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work companies serving underserved populations in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Impact Investment / Venture Capital

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Inclusion & Consumer Empowerment (Banking Access, Credit Building) (BPAGALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Venture capital fund
• Impact investing
• Social entrepreneurship
• Mission-driven investing
• Early-stage investments

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

TSEF is a venture capital fund that invests capital in mission-driven founders building scalable businesses in FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work sectors. The fund targets solutions that increase access to financial products, improve healthcare quality and social determinants of health, and expand meaningful employment for underserved US populations. Since 2012, TSEF has been deploying capital and providing scale support to portfolio companies while protecting their mission-driven vision.

Product overview

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF) is a venture capital fund, not a product company. TSEF operates as a single unified investment offering rather than a platform architecture. The fund has been active since 2012 and invests in founders working across three focus areas: FinTech (increasing access to financial products), HealthTech (improving healthcare quality and social determinants of health), and Future of Work (increasing access to meaningful employment). The fund's portfolio includes companies such as FindHelp, Wellth, Key, Finhabits, Stoovo, EnGen, Cushion, Foodsmart, Climb Credit, Petal, Driver Technologies, Clinicas del Azucar, Twentyeight Health, Angaza, and ConnexUs. TSEF supports its portfolio companies by protecting their mission-driven vision while helping them scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TSEF Investment Platform TSEF Investment Platform is the fund's venture capital offering that deploys capital into mission-driven founders building scalable companies in FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work sectors that increase access, opportunity, and shared prosperity for underserved US populations. The offering includes capital deployment, scale support, and mission-protection partnership with founders.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Acumen: Acumen is a pioneering impact investment fund investing in companies serving low-income communities across emerging markets and the US. Directly comparable to TSEF in dual-mission impact VC thesis, though operating at much larger scale.
• Omidyar Network: Omidyar Network is an impact-focused investment firm deploying philanthropic and investment capital into companies addressing social issues. Closely comparable to TSEF in combining impact mission with venture-style investing.
• Kapor Capital: Kapor Capital is an impact VC fund focused on closing gaps of access for underrepresented communities, investing in FinTech, HealthTech, and Future of Work startups. Direct peer to TSEF with nearly identical thematic focus and target demographics.
• SJF Ventures: SJF Ventures is an impact VC fund investing in high-impact companies across cleantech, education, health, and sustainable economy. Comparable to TSEF as a mission-driven VC with portfolio support approach.
• New Markets Venture Partners: New Markets Venture Partners is an impact VC investing in education and workforce startups serving underserved communities. Overlaps with TSEF on Future of Work thesis and underserved-market focus.

Broad incumbents

• Bain Capital Double Impact: Bain Capital Double Impact is the impact arm of Bain Capital, deploying capital into companies addressing social and environmental challenges. Comparable impact VC strategy but operates as a much larger, more institutionalized platform than TSEF.
• TPG Rise (TPG): TPG Rise is TPG's impact investing platform that invested $250M into TSEF portfolio company FindHelp. Directly relevant as an LP/co-investor relationship and as a much larger peer in impact VC.
• Revolution (Rise of the Rest): Revolution's Rise of the Rest fund invests in startups outside of traditional VC hubs with focus on underserved geographies. Comparable to TSEF in mission to broaden economic opportunity, though broader in scope.

Emerging players

• Impact America Fund: Impact America Fund is a US-focused early-stage VC backing companies addressing economic opportunity gaps. Comparable to TSEF in US-only underserved-market thesis, though at an earlier stage.

Others

• Mission Investors Exchange: Mission Investors Exchange is a network of foundations deploying impact capital. Relevant ecosystem peer for TSEF as a potential LP source and signal of the broader impact-investing market TSEF operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments38 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Social Entrepreneurs Fund (TSEF)