Foresta Capital

Foresta's founding team developed the company at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. Consisting of six teammates from both the Americas and Europe, the project successfully competed in several business plan competitions. In November 2008, the plan and accompanying financial model were submitted to the Sumaq Alliance's annual Social Enterprise Business Plan Competition held in cooperation with Net Impact. The plan competed with dozens of proposals from Sumaq's eight member schools, all aiming to generate "social and/or environmental impact as a central component of the enterprise" while simultaneously achieving profitability. Plans ranged the gamut from micro-finance, environmental mapping, and Fair Trade marketing and distribution, among many others. Foresta was awarded first place.The award was conferred by founder and chairman of Solarcentury, Jeremy Leggett. Andrew Miller, Foresta founder, remarked, "The Foresta team was extremely pleased to be named award recipient in the 2008 Social Enterprise contest. The quality and diversity of competing projects was extremely high, both in terms of social and financial value creation. We are honored to be recognized. This was truly a team effort on the part of the founding team and all the faculty members and outside advisors who took the time to tighten Foresta's model and core strategy." The award includes a 3,000€ cash prize which the company will invest in it fundraising efforts in 2009.