CSD Social Venture Fund

What CSD Social Venture Fund does

CSD Social Venture Fund (SVF) is a US-based, non-profit impact investment fund established in 2017 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, that deploys capital, mentorship, and programmatic resources to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing entrepreneurs and to early-stage technology startups prioritizing digital accessibility. The fund operates two primary investment vehicles: the Deaf Entrepreneurs Fund (DEF), which supports small businesses across sectors including food service, financial services, mental health, film production, travel, pet products, and craft brewing, and the Accessible Tech Fund (branded TechClusion), which targets early-stage to Series A startups with accessibility-first product design. The fund is wholly backed by Communication Service for the Deaf (CSD), a 50-year-old non-profit, and its portfolio of eight companies spans Mozzeria, DeafTax, National Deaf Therapy, Bus Door Films, Hands On Travel, 4Legz, Lochiel Brewing, and Gridcheck.

The fund generates economic returns through equity investments and debt financing in portfolio companies in exchange for ownership stakes, complemented by ancillary programming such as the 16-week ASL Entrepreneurship Certification Program introduced in 2023 and an expanded mentorship program launched in 2024. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct outreach, referrals within the Deaf community network, and applications processed through Gust.com, with eligibility requiring applicants to be US-based and (for the Inclusive Tech track) to maintain at least 10% Deaf employees. Reporting is structured around social-impact metrics rather than conventional financial KPIs, with disclosed outcomes including 90% portfolio business survival, 100% portfolio social-impact generation, 94% average annual revenue growth across invested businesses since 2021, a 9.5 NPS, and 110+ jobs created.

Operationally, the fund is small (1–10 employees) and leanly staffed by a Division President, Senior Director of Finance, Fund Manager, Program Manager, and Marketing Director. There is no proprietary technology platform — the underlying "product" is the combination of investment capital, community-network access, and educational programming delivered in American Sign Language. Fund economics (management fees, carried interest, AUM, fund size, LP base) are not publicly disclosed, consistent with its non-profit structure and primary reliance on CSD as institutional backer.

Name

CSD Social Venture Fund

Legal name

CSD Social Venture Fund

Website

https://csdsvf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CSD Social Venture Fund is a US-based, non-profit impact investment fund established in 2017 that deploys capital, mentorship, and programming to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing entrepreneurs and to accessibility-focused tech startups, backed by Communication Service for the Deaf.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Impact Investment / Venture Capital

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Social Impact & Inclusive Finance Funds (FSANAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Impact investment fund
• Deaf entrepreneurship
• Accessibility-focused startups
• Venture capital funding
• Entrepreneur mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Investment Returns: CSD SVF generates returns through strategic equity investments and debt financing in Deaf-owned businesses and tech startups. The fund provides capital, mentorship, and resources to portfolio companies in exchange for ownership stakes or investment returns.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CSD Social Venture Fund (CSD SVF) is an impact investment fund that provides strategic equity investments, debt financing, mentorship, and resources to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing entrepreneurs and accessibility-focused tech startups. It operates two investment vehicles — the Deaf Entrepreneurs Fund (DEF) for Deaf-owned businesses and the Accessible Tech Fund (TechClusion) for accessibility-first tech startups — and offers supporting programs including a 16-week ASL Entrepreneurship Certification Program and an expanded mentorship program.

Product overview

CSD Social Venture Fund is a venture capital fund that provides strategic investments and impact-driven support to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing entrepreneurs. The fund operates multiple investment vehicles including the Deaf Entrepreneurs Fund (DEF) for early-stage Deaf-owned businesses and the Accessible Tech Fund for tech startups prioritizing digital accessibility. Supporting services include a 16-week ASL Entrepreneurship Certification Program and an expanded mentorship program. The fund has a portfolio of 8 invested businesses spanning diverse industries including restaurants, travel, film production, financial services, pet products, craft brewing, mental health services, and scheduling technology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TechClusion: An accessible and inclusive technology fund focused on supporting tech startups prioritizing digital accessibility for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing communities.
• Deaf Entrepreneurs Fund (DEF)

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of invested businesses still thriving
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• TPG Rise Fund: TPG Rise is a large, mainstream impact investing platform under TPG with multi-billion dollar AUM. Comparable to CSD SVF as an impact investment platform pursuing measurable social outcomes, though much larger, broader in theme, and operating as part of a major alternatives manager.
• Omidyar Network: Omidyar Network is a philanthropy and impact investment firm funding for-profit and non-profit ventures driving social impact at scale. Comparable to CSD SVF as an impact-first funding entity combining grants and investments, though far larger and broader in thematic scope.

Direct peers

• Conscious Venture Partners: Conscious Venture Partners is an impact venture fund focused on underrepresented founders, particularly Black and Brown entrepreneurs. Comparable to CSD SVF as a community-rooted impact fund targeting demographic-specific deal flow and combining capital with founder support.
• Unshackled Ventures: Unshackled Ventures backs immigrant-founded startups in the US with capital and a network built around the immigrant-founder experience. Comparable to CSD SVF as an early-stage fund investing in founders from a specific underserved community, with wraparound support services beyond capital.
• Kapor Capital: Kapor Capital is a venture firm investing in tech startups led by underrepresented founders, with explicit focus on closing opportunity gaps. Comparable to CSD SVF because it pairs early-stage capital with non-financial support (mentorship, networks) for mission-aligned founders in inclusive tech.
• Echoing Green: Echoing Green is a non-profit that identifies and invests in emerging social impact leaders through fellowships and seed funding. Comparable to CSD SVF as a mission-driven non-profit deploying capital and capacity building to underrepresented leaders building social enterprises.
• BBG Ventures: BBG Ventures is an early-stage fund backing female founders. Comparable to CSD SVF as a thesis-driven, niche impact fund investing in structurally underserved founder populations with a community-led deal sourcing motion.
• Acumen: Acumen is a global impact investment fund deploying patient capital into businesses serving low-income communities. Comparable to CSD SVF as an impact-first investment vehicle combining capital, capacity building, and measurable social outcomes for underserved populations.
• Backstage Capital: Backstage Capital is a venture fund focused specifically on backing underrepresented founders (women, people of color, LGBTQ+). Directly comparable to CSD SVF as a niche, community-anchored impact fund serving a structurally underserved entrepreneur demographic with capital plus mentorship.

Regional players

• Capital Factory: Capital Factory is an Austin, Texas-based accelerator and venture fund. Comparable to CSD SVF as an early-stage investor located in Austin serving a similar entrepreneur base, though broader in theme and focused on Texas ecosystem acceleration rather than a specific community.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/csd_svf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCfY_uBhH841gxpS0FhUqzvw
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSDSVF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csdsvf
• Instagraminstagram.com/csd_SVF

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about CSD Social Venture Fund