Joel Solomon
Joel has always followed his passion for investment, justice, and the environment, becoming a leader in Canada in advancing impact investment and catalyzing a shift in how we can use money to make positive change. Joel took an early role implementing a unique investment strategy at the Endswell Foundation and Renewal Partners with business partner Carol Newell, providing funding for organizations with a social and environmental agenda. With Carol and Paul Richardson, Joel launched Renewal Funds in 2008, growing to become one of Canada’s largest mission venture capital firms, with over $240 million assets under management invested in companies like Seventh Generation, Prana, and Miovision.
His work has launched several prominent organizations, including the Social Venture Institute, MakeWay, and Hollyhock’s Leadership Institute. As a member of the University of British Columbia’s board of governors, Joel helped catalyse a unanimous vote to make a commitment to full divestment of climate-damaging companies and sectors from university endowment. His book, “The Clean Money Revolution: Reinventing Power, Purpose & Capitalism,” is a call to action to take interest in where your money is going and who it benefits, arguing that society must move trillions of dollars from damage to regeneration to counteract climate change.
