According to BCG global assets under management are about $100 trillion, but only $715 billion, or less than 1%continues what you might call “impact” companies or projects to address the world’s biggest environmental and social problems.
Now Klarna’s founder plans to create what he calls a “Nobel Prize for impact.” Niklas Adalberth co-founded Klarna in 2005, but left in 2015 and established the Norrsken Foundation in 2016, contributing $20 million to the startup and an additional $62 million in 2017.
Now, the organization’s new initiative will be the Norrsken Impact100, an annual list of the “world’s most promising impact companies” to shine a light on founders working in this space.
Companies that will make it to the final 100 (announced this month) will be nominated by several partner organizations, including the Obama Foundation, Softbank Investment Advisers, World Fund, Katapult, BMW Foundation, Leaps by Bayer, Summa Equity and several others.
In a statement, Adalberth said: “We believe that entrepreneurs who build rapidly scalable businesses are our best bet for solving the world’s toughest and biggest problems…Unicorns are typically companies valued at over $1 billion, but we want to recognize the unicorns with potential impact – the ones that will positively impact 1 billion people.
The Impact 100 will be judged by a panel including Adalberth as well as Ulrika Modéer, UN Assistant Secretary-General; Matt Miller, Sequoia Partner; and Carl Mane, co-founder of Mojang.
Winners will be announced at Impact Week in Stockholm this fall.
The Norrsken Foundation operates Norrsken House in Sweden, a hub for impact entrepreneurs, and incubates Norrsken VC, a $130 million impact VC. He also manages Norrsken 22, a US$200 million growth fund for African startups.