About Us
We unlock the potential of rural businesses and startups driving systemic change for
marginalized communities
We back ambitious founders who are challenging the status quo in developing and frontier markets.
Ground Up Investing (GUI) launched in 2017 as the impact venture arm of Corus International. As an impact-first agrifood systems investor, GUI funds early-stage businesses that improve economic prospects and support climate adaptation in smallholder farming communities.
GUI envisions a world in which biodiverse agricultural systems foster sustainable and equitable growth for hardworking families in Africa and Latin America.
Our Story
Our first investment was in Mountain Harvest, a smallholder farmer-focused specialty coffee processing company, which was established to step in and convert a struggling coffee cooperative into a successful enterprise in eastern Uganda. Lutheran World Relief had been supporting farmers in the region for several years prior, and many of the coffee farmers who were in the coop are now part of the supplier network at Mountain Harvest.
Through this investment, Ground Up Investing acquired deep expertise in processing specialty coffee and developing equitable trade relationships. We’ve since expanded our impact investing practice, building a portfolio across coffee, cocoa, and high-value crop value chains. These companies include vertically integrated agribusinesses, consumer products businesses, and tech-enabled service providers.
Our Team
Ground Up Investing is led by a management team with extensive and wide-ranging investing, entrepreneurial and economic development experience.
