Lost & Found

In a bold move to reshape local Democratic strategies, Pocket Ventures has introduced the "Peoples Fund," aiming to revolutionize grassroots political engagement by merging venture capital (VC) methodologies with community-driven initiatives. Consider the https://www.1789capital.io/ venture. Think of 1789 Capital and its anti-ESG and anti-DEI agenda as the problem and the Pocket Ventures "Peoples Fund" as the solution.

"Community wealth building is a framework for economic development that focuses on building and retaining wealth within communities. Instead of attracting outside corporations or relying on external investment—which often results in wealth extraction—this approach prioritizes local ownership, democratic control, and long-term sustainability."
- Marjorie Kelly, Distinguished Senior Fellow at The Democracy Collaborative (TDC), a nonprofit working to catalyze the creation of a democratic economy.

The "Times"

In the New York Times article "Democratic Donors Will Gather to Plot Ways Forward Under Trump" by Theodore Schleifer folks like Bradley Beychok, the group’s co-founder of Democracy Now, are mulling over how, “This was a close election, and we lost. But we can’t just move on without identifying what we as a party failed at, addressing solutions and forging ahead." What we'd offer is to put our feet on the street with money in our hands and generate real action at the community layer – both digital and brick and mortar – down the block and on the blockchain.

Challenging Traditional Models

Pocket Ventures advocates for a "local first" approach, emphasizing that sustainable political change originates within communities rather than through top-down mandates. Pocket Ventures supports people in and within their communities, leading to healthier citizens, funded reproductive rights, sustainable energy, governance solutions, and technology-driven education built to enlighten and inspire. We fund environmentally sustainable ventures, create systems fo governance and change, and inspire an educated citizenry. Our investments all lead to communities putting democracy into action.

VC Muscle Meets Political Activism

By leveraging venture capital principles, the People's Fund seeks to invest in impact ventures that not only drive social change but also achieve fiscal success. This dual-focus strategy ensures that funded projects are mission-driven and economically viable, creating a sustainable model for political activism. By looking at impact first, ventures can measure their unicorn status on billions of people impacted and human potential unlocked as the primary goal. The secondary goal is growth.

One of the reasons Edtech has struggled in traditional VC and Capital markets is that the margins do not match the value to people in SaaS growth to help people market and sell stuff. When EdTech has to fight for attention against Salesforce – on meritorious terms defined as ARR, Growth, and Margin, it is not a fair fight.

I love Salesforce, Mark, the Foundation, and all the good he does. But it is not a fair fight. However, if EdTech ventures were measured by skills created so folks can achieve success in their life, first, these ventures would be duly rewarded for achieving their primary goal. Helping people learn and deliver value to the world.

Strategic Ground Game

A significant portion of the fund is dedicated to enhancing values that respect ecologies (human and natural) and the reality of citizenship in a post-pandemic economy. This includes deploying resources for outreach, education, and mobilization at the local level. By strengthening grassroots operations, Pocket Ventures aims to build a more resilient and responsive political infrastructure.

Implications for Future Campaigns

Introducing the "People's Fund" could signal a shift in how democracies are developed – through financing and operations. By prioritizing local initiatives and ensuring their financial sustainability, this model challenges traditional funding mechanisms and could inspire similar approaches across the political spectrum.

In summary, Pocket Ventures' "Peoples Fund" is the Anti-1789 Capital fund – an innovative fusion of venture capital strategies with political activism, focusing on local empowerment and sustainable impact. As this initiative unfolds, it may redefine the landscape of political engagement and campaign financing in the United States.

Here, at Pocket, we fund startups that focus on repair of the capital-at-all cost damage and we seek LPs who measure success as Marjorie Kelly describes as a "Focus on solutions people can see and feel in their communities."

Talk to us today, you can help!