The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is a venture capital impact investment fund wholly owned by Danone S.A., providing patient capital, technical expertise via the Impact3 employee volunteer program, and networking to social enterprises addressing safe water access and nutrition in developing markets across 15+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund
- Legal name
- Danone S.A.
- Website
- https://danonecommunities.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is a venture capital impact investment fund wholly owned by Danone S.A., providing patient capital, technical expertise via the Impact3 employee volunteer program, and networking to social enterprises addressing safe water access and nutrition in developing markets across 15+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Impact Investment Fund
- NAICS
- Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure) (FSAAALAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance) (BPAGALAA), Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)
Keywords
Where The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: Danone Communities generates returns through equity investments and debt financing in social businesses. The fund supports companies until they reach impact and financial viability, then exits to reinvest in new projects. Returns are reinvested into new impact investments.
- Impact Measurement Services: The fund provides impact measurement and reporting services aligned with Danone's mission, contributing to the parent's broader sustainability reporting.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is a venture capital/impact investment fund that provides patient capital (equity and debt), expertise sharing via the Impact3 employee volunteer program, and networking support to social businesses addressing safe drinking water access and nutrition for vulnerable populations in developing markets. The fund invests in early-to-growth stage enterprises and supports them until they reach impact and financial viability, then reinvests returns into new projects.
Product overview
Danone Communities is an impact investment fund (Venture Capital fund) investing in social businesses that address health impacts for vulnerable populations. Rather than a unified product platform, Danone Communities' offering consists of capital investment and operational support for a portfolio of social enterprises. The portfolio is organized around two core focus areas: Water (safe drinking water access) and Nutrition (malnutrition access). Portfolio companies include water purification technologies (F Cubed, Aqua Clara, Nazava, Drinkwell, Cova, 1001fontaines, dloHaiti), nutrition solutions (Grameen Danone Foods, Lucky Iron Fish), and agricultural value-chain innovation (RESAN). Danone Communities provides patient capital, expertise sharing through programs like Impact3, and networking support to help these social businesses scale their impact.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Patient Capital Investment Provision of patient equity and debt capital to early-to-growth stage social businesses in the water access and nutrition sectors in developing markets, with returns reinvested into the mission upon exit.
- Impact3 Expertise Sharing Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 1+ million people provided with safe drinking water through 1001fontaines portfolio company
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Aqua (Danone subsidiary)coreAqua, a Danone subsidiary operating in Indonesia, partners with Nazava to install water filters in schools, benefiting over 76,000 students. This partnership leverages Aqua's local presence and distribution capabilities to scale Nazava's impact.
- Impact3 (Danone Employees)coreImpact3 is Danone's employee volunteer program that mobilizes Danone staff to provide expertise to portfolio companies. Employees contribute skills in marketing, logistics, finance, strategy, sales, and other areas through structured assignments.
- Dacca WasasupportingWater utility in Dhaka, Bangladesh that partners with Drinkwell through public-private partnership model for water kiosk deployment in urban areas.
- UNICEFsupportingUNICEF partners with Drinkwell in Bangladesh, including kiosks in Khulna serving 2,785 low-income households with 100 ultra-poor families receiving free water.
- Agri-éthique FrancesupportingFair trade certification body that labeled RESAN's 'J'achète Fermier' brand, recognizing the initiative's commitment to fair farmer compensation.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Acumen: Acumen is a nonprofit impact investment fund that deploys patient capital into early-stage social enterprises addressing poverty in Africa and South Asia. It is one of the most direct comparables to Danone Communities given its similar patient-capital model, thematic focus on poverty alleviation, and hands-on support to portfolio companies.
- Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P): I&P is a family of impact investment funds dedicated to financing African small and medium enterprises. Its focus on early-stage patient capital in underserved African markets overlaps directly with Danone Communities' impact mandate.
- Bridges Fund Management: Bridges is a UK-based impact investment fund manager running multiple sustainable private-market strategies. As a specialist impact PE/VC manager, Bridges is a direct peer in the impact-PE category represented by Danone Communities.
- Omidyar Network: Omidyar Network is a philanthropic impact investment firm founded by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar. It makes both grants and impact investments across emerging markets, with a similar blend of capital and non-capital support — making it a closely comparable peer to Danone Communities.
- Bamboo Capital Partners: Bamboo Capital is an impact-focused private equity firm investing in early-stage social enterprises in emerging markets. Its thematic focus on underserved populations and emerging-market exposure aligns closely with Danone Communities' mandate.
- Shell Foundation: Shell Foundation is a UK-registered charity established by Shell that supports social enterprises addressing energy access and development challenges. As a corporate-affiliated impact foundation deploying patient capital, it shares Danone Communities' corporate-parent model and emerging-market orientation.
- LeapFrog Investments: LeapFrog invests in financial services and healthcare businesses serving emerging-market consumers. Its focus on healthcare access and emerging markets, combined with a model of scaling social businesses, is highly comparable to Danone Communities' nutrition and water access focus.
Broad incumbents
- Water.org: Water.org is a major nonprofit focused on global water access through microfinance-based WaterCredit and partnerships. While not a VC fund, it is a major incumbent in the same water-access space that several Danone Communities portfolio companies (Nazava, Drinkwell, 1001fontaines) operate in.
- FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank): FMO is the Netherlands' development finance institution, providing capital to enterprises in developing markets. It is a major incumbent in the same financing-for-development space and has co-invested with many of the same counterparties as Danone Communities' portfolio.
Emerging players
- Kiva: Kiva is a nonprofit that enables crowdfunded microloans to borrowers in underserved communities globally. While not a fund manager, Kiva is a thematic peer in the social-finance/water-and-nutrition space and intersects with Danone Communities' mission of financial inclusion for vulnerable populations.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund social profiles
Digital presenceThe Danone.Communities Mutual Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund
What does The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund do?
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is a venture capital/impact investment fund that provides patient capital (equity and debt), expertise sharing via the Impact3 employee volunteer program, and networking support to social businesses addressing safe drinking water access and nutrition for vulnerable populations in developing markets. The fund invests in early-to-growth stage enterprises and supports them until they reach impact and financial viability, then reinvests returns into new projects.
Is The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund a public or private company?
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund founded?
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund based?
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are impact Measurement Services.
Who are The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Acumen, Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P), Bridges Fund Management, Omidyar Network, Bamboo Capital Partners, Shell Foundation and LeapFrog Investments. Broad incumbents are Water.org and FMO (Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank). Kiva is listed as an emerging player.
Does The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund.
What industry is The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund in?
The Danone.Communities Mutual Fund's product category is Impact Investment Fund. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAALAG, Sustainable Private Markets (Impact PE/VC, Private Credit, Infrastructure), with a secondary code of BPAGALAA, Impact Investing & Social Finance (Funds, CDFIs, Microfinance). Its NAICS code is 525910 and its SIC code is 6282.