Reflections From Our 2021 Summer Associates
Quantified Ventures received more than 300 applications for our 2021 Summer Associate program. This impressive collection of applicants came from backgrounds ranging from business to environmental studies, public health, and more. The process of narrowing down and selecting just three Summer Associates from this group of highly qualified individuals was no easy task. Ultimately, three outstanding young professionals emerged to join us for an in-depth 12-week program.
As our 2021 Summer Associates wrap up their time at Quantified Ventures, we asked them to reflect on their experience in the program. We have enjoyed having this motivated group working alongside us and their diverse backgrounds and expertise have advanced a number of important projects.
Elizabeth Marotta will receive her MBA from Harvard Business School in 2022 and is working to leverage her experience in private equity to drive further social impact.
What interested you in Quantified Ventures? What did you hope to learn / develop as a Summer Associate?
Coming from a background in private equity before business school, I was really interested in learning more about the impact space, specifically outcomes-based models. I've seen the impact trend gaining steam in the last few years in the private markets and QV's use of outcomes-based financing seemed like a compelling way to drive impact. One thing I've heard a lot in the private investing world is how difficult it can be to truly measure impact; outcomes-based financing seemed like an interesting solution to that problem, which could hopefully attract more private capital. I've learned that QV has a unique approach to these problems and is able to bring together a multitude of stakeholders to creatively develop financing solutions.
What are one or two highlights from your experience thus far?
The highlight of the summer has definitely been the incredible people who work at QV. The passion everyone has for the work QV does is energizing and infectious, which is even more noteworthy considering the current remote environment. This was on full display during the all-staff meeting we had this summer where we got to learn about new and innovative offerings QV is pursuing. I've also been able to work on three different projects this summer, each with different team members. Getting to know them and learn from them has been one of the best parts of the summer. The projects themselves have also allowed me to apply my professional background and learnings from my first year of business school to complex and impactful problems.
Nishu Uppal is pursuing a dual MD-MBA at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School and is interested in further exploring the intersection of healthcare and innovative financing.
What interested you in Quantified Ventures? What did you hope to learn / develop as a Summer Associate?
In the past few years, I have noticed significant growth in the global impact investing market, and, as an aspiring physician, I have found it encouraging that the healthcare sector is garnering attention from values-driven investors. However, I have noticed that existing impact investment efforts in healthcare have largely been focused abroad, primarily in countries with underdeveloped health systems that would benefit from consistent access to basic medicines and vaccines. Research has shown that due to rising income inequality in the United States, healthcare access and outcomes for disadvantaged populations have failed to improve despite increased healthcare spending. For this reason, I strongly believe that there remain underserved healthcare markets in the United States that could benefit from outcomes-based capital that both scales critical services and aligns stakeholder incentives within a complicated healthcare ecosystem. I became interested in the Impact Investment Summer Associate program at Quantified Ventures because of the opportunity to learn how to construct financing solutions and strategic initiatives for organizations piloting programs that lower costs and reduce health inequity.
What are one or two highlights from your QV experience thus far?
I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know people at QV and learn more about each person’s unique background and often circuitous route towards impact-oriented work. It has been fascinating to see how QVers leverage their prior work in new, interesting, and often unexpected ways.
Robie Anson is a recent graduate of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with extensive experience working with the U.S. EPA on water quality and remediation projects. He worked onseveral of our environmental projects.
What interested you in Quantified Ventures? What did you hope to learn / develop as a Summer Associate?
I became interested in QV after reading about the Washington, DC, environmental impact bond while working on a stormwater-related project during my time at Chicago Booth. QV’s ability to align stakeholders in a way that made it possible to tap nontraditional sources of capital to address such a thorny environmental challenge was very exciting. As I learned more about the breadth of the projects that the company tackles, I became even more convinced that this was a place I would really like to work. When I applied to business school, I did so because I was interested in better understanding how environmental markets and other innovative approaches can be used to address persistent environmental challenges. I saw a Summer Associate position with QV as a natural extension of that path. I also recognized that working at QV would present a unique opportunity to apply my background in environmental science while continuing to build skills related to strategy, entrepreneurship, and finance. I was particularly interested in gaining more experience developing financial models, and my teammates have provided opportunities to do so. Last, I knew that working at QV would afford me the opportunity to get to know a crew of very smart people who would challenge me to think more creatively and with greater clarity.
What are one or two highlights from your QV experience thus far?
The people are incredible. They have been generous with their time, energy, and expertise, and the overall feel is universally positive. The team even sent a care package with a thoughtful card and delicious treats! I’ve been really impressed by how welcoming everyone has been. I’ve also really enjoyed the opportunity to immediately contribute to the success of my project teams. I’ve found the challenges that our clients face to be fascinating and am grateful for the chance to learn more about them. I’ve had the opportunity to build a financial model that evaluates the costs and benefits of controlling an invasive species, develop and apply a framework for identifying stakeholders that benefit from groundwater conservation, and do a deep dive evaluating the state of carbon offset markets and where they may be headed. The work has been diverse, challenging, and I’m excited to dive in each day.