Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at MPower

As an ESG-integrated fund, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are embedded in our DNA. We believe that companies that put DEI at the top of their agenda will be more successful in the long run and we seek to partner with ventures and teams who share this perspective. 

We also believe that it is our responsibility to put this point of view at the core of all aspects of how we operate, from our investment activities, to our community and ecosystem involvement, and to how we compensate and reward our employees.

We know that progress on DEI requires both commitments and concrete actions. Here are ours:

Investment process and portfolio support

DEAL SOURCING: 

VCs continue to underinvest in female founders as well as those from other underrepresented groups. We invest in the most promising innovations and teams, irrespective of background or other personal characteristics. An expanded network is what’s needed to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive venture ecosystem, and we aim to be leaders in this effort.

We encourage any founders of startups that provide technology-enabled solutions to societal challenges, are aligned with our fund’s ESG mission, and have already raised a first round of funding, to reach out to us. 

PORTFOLIO COMPANY DEI SUPPORT: 

Awareness of DEI as a core driver of business value has grown significantly in recent years. While there has been progress, startup ecosystems globally continue to lag on various key DEI indicators. We believe that this problem is not simply rooted in constrained resources but rather a general lack of knowledge on which concrete strategies and actions will yield the best results. 

We actively support our portfolio companies to identify ways to make their management team, boards, and employee base more diverse and their work environment more equitable and inclusive. Some examples include supporting initiatives to identify and cultivate diverse independent board members and senior management members, and providing resources for DEI training. 

Internal operations

TEAM: 

DEI continues to be a challenge for the tech industry and, particularly, venture capital. We are committed to hiring promising, diverse talent from all backgrounds to our own team. We strive to achieve this through an open, inclusive recruitment approach, while considering proven techniques such as blind interviews, public job postings, and recruiting from non-traditional networks or sources. Interested candidates can reach out to us here. 

We also seek to create a truly inclusive work environment. We take a flexible approach to work location, hours, and time off, so our employees can better balance their work and home life. 

MEASUREMENT AND TRANSPARENCY: 

As we believe that you can’t manage what you don’t measure, we have identified and regularly track metrics to support an inclusive work environment and investment strategy. We maintain the utmost confidentiality when gathering and managing the data we use to track our progress. Consequently, we only share consolidated information when sharing information publicly. 

Commitments are only the first step in building a truly diverse, equitable, and inclusive business. We believe that taking action and instilling a culture of transparency is critical. Thus, we take concrete steps to do this by ensuring that DEI features prominently in both our regular reporting to our LPs and periodic updates to the broader community. 

Ecosystem engagement

DEI IN THE VENTURE ECOSYSTEM: 

With the rising focus on DEI in recent years, VC funds around the world have stepped up their DEI pledges and financial commitments. There has been a notable increase in thematic funds led by or investing in women and other underrepresented groups. However, there continues to be a significant gender and diversity gap within our industry, particularly at the investment team level. Evidence shows that diverse teams drive stronger business results. VC is no different. 

We aim to do our part in making DEI the norm in the venture ecosystem. We are also a vocal advocate for progress on this topic via our thought leadership and in our engagements with fellow VCs in Japan and elsewhere. And, to ensure more diverse investors are brought into deals, we continue to build-out our peer network to include VC funds with diverse GPs as well as those with similar DEI ambitions and commitments to ours.

To that end, we want to ensure that the numerous venture-related events are diverse and inclusive. We will speak at conferences where the total percentage of diverse speakers (defined as women, LGBTQ+, foreigners, persons with disabilities) is at least 20%. For events that do not achieve this threshold, we are eager to support the organizers in reaching this level by helping them identify diverse speakers. 

While 20% may not seem like an ambitious target from a global perspective, the unfortunate reality is that it is still a challenge for many Japanese startup-related events. We hope to be a catalyst for change, and will work towards ensuring more diverse representation within the overall ecosystem. In addition, we plan to raise this threshold in the coming years.

EDUCATION AND AWARENESS: 

We are committed to being DEI change agents within the global venture ecosystem. We actively seek opportunities to lend our voice through public advocacy, including speaking engagements, thought leadership, and collaborations with key stakeholders. 

Finally, it is important to stress that we do not tolerate any discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, race, religion, physical resources, age, sexual identity or any other form of identity;  whether it comes from our employees, investors, or our portfolio companies.