Your donation to Venture Studio from Crisis helps fund startups creating bold, long-term solutions to tackle homelessness.
We are creating a new model for impact on homelessness. Venture Studio’s mission is to fund and support sustainable businesses that are creating bold, long-term solutions to help end homelessness for good. We are seeking ambitious and visionary funders who are interested in tackling the systemic and root causes of homelessness.
Innovative approaches are needed now more than ever. With traditional fundraising declining, spiralling rents and an ongoing cost of living crisis, the lack of affordable housing is making it harder for many of us to find a safe, secure place to call home. Less than 3 in 100 private rented homes are affordable to people relying on housing benefit. And in some parts of England, the waiting list for a social home is now over 100 years.
This is where supporting impactful and mission aligned businesses can be part of the solution.
“I’m a big believer in businesses being able to solve social problems for profit and looking at new models for solving social problems beyond charitable giving. I joined the board to help shape the excellent work the Venture Studio is doing in this area.”— Sue Siddall, Advisory board member
To date, Agile Homes have built 21 high-quality, affordable homes using modern, rapid construction methods for those at risk of homelessness, with another 107 homes in the pipeline. They also participated in the prisoners building homes initiative, training 17 people released from prison on temporary license in offsite construction skills. One graduate said:
“This opportunity helped so much in the latter stages of my prison sentence. I have been able to pay for school uniforms, mortgage payments and provide for my family. I’m ready to go because I have got used to working again – getting in the right frame of mind.”
Venture Studio from Crisis is a philanthropic initiative. That means you’ll be supporting us with a charitable donation. By donating to the Venture Studio, you enable us to:
We know we can make a real difference if we work together.
Over the next three years, we have ambitions to raise £3m. This will enable us to grow capacity in the team and scale our efforts to invest in many more businesses. As well as providing a stronger proof of concept in order to demonstrate and learn from what works.
Over ten years we expect our portfolio of mission-led ventures will create better access to hundreds of thousands of social and affordable homes, and sustainably end or prevent the homelessness of up to 1 million people with their products and services.
Our investment approach is impact-first, but any financial returns that are realised will be reinvested back into our work to support more businesses ending homelessness, to further Crisis’ impact on homelessness.
All of our investments follow a thorough due diligence and governance process. This is led by Venture Studio team members that are highly experienced in impact investing, social impact measurement and entrepreneurship. We are also supported by a strategic advisory board, and external investment committee made-up of seasoned institutional investors.
You’ll receive regular updates and reports on the progress and impact of your donation.
Depending on the level of your donation and interest in our mission, there are various ways to get involved. This could involve, for example, meeting or mentoring portfolio company founders, attending our events, supporting an investment committee, or giving your time to help shape the future of the Venture Studio.
Book a call with Sarah Hopley, Head of Venture Studio to discuss engagement opportunities and learn how we’ll turn your investment into real impact.
"With basic living expenses continuing to outpace household incomes, through key charitable trusts we manage as sole trustee, we are happy to support the Venture Studio from Crisis in its aims to address housing need. We are excited by the potential impact their strategic approach will have on the systemic issues of homelessness, by investing in innovative housing solutions."— Ludlow Trust Company
