2020 Letter from Founder
The year of 2020 will be remembered. For the first time in the last 18 years, I can’t fly across Atlantic to celebrate my son’s birthday. Christmas will not be white this year. Yes, COVID-19 ravaged our life, business, and cast doubts in the future: will the world really never be the same?
In contrary to a pessimistic business forecast at beginning of the year, Venture Avenue, however embraced maybe the busiest year since 2009. The number of projects (and proceeds) has hit historical high, recurring business from previous partners reached 50%, and most importantly, VA family is getting its prime: the number of full-time consultants reached 17, the transformation toward “teal organization” is under way, as young people continue driving VA’s future strategy.
Two years ago, Venture Avenue strategized to invest on our commitment to environment, children and digital technology. In 2020, we are thrilled to see some encouraging results.
After WWF, we supported 3 global and domestic environment conservation leaders on their strategy development.
In November, we concluded a study on digital strategy for Chinese crop and horticulture growers, engaged by an international agribusiness conglomerate.
VA’s “Project of Year 2020” goes to our independent evaluation on One Foundation’s “Child Service Center” and “United Philanthropy”. It was One Foundation that “incubated” Venture Avenue 11 years ago, and now we are happy to reconnect our common mission to offer quality services to disadvantaged children and scale up philanthropy partner network with a better infrastructure. In the past 6 months, VA team traveled to over 10 provinces, visited over 30 project sites and interviewed more than 100 partners. As projects are approaching the end, we are about to picture how philanthropy will empower the future of disadvantaged children and collaborative partners.
Looking forward to 2021, I have to remind everyone in VA family that people are the core of Venture Avenue. While our mission is to empower philanthropy, our real business is to find people who embrace boldness to change, develop them into capable calibers, and wish them success in fully relishing their energy.
What am I most proud of at this moment? Our alumni who are working with what they enjoy, seeing what seems invisible, changing what seems impossible, and making their jobs an integral part of their wonderful life.
Last but not least, I want to express my sincere thanks to our 2020 partners who have made this year more than a “survival” but a year of wonders: YouChange, WWF, NRDC, Conservation International, CSAF, BAC, Lao Niu Foundation, One Foundation, Vanke Foundation, Harmony Community Foundation, Dulwich College, Paradise Foundation, UNICEF, Eye Love, GoalBlue, Shell, Mercedes Benz, and Bayer.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Robin