TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good

TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good Research Overview TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good is a $100 million corporate impact fund and the strategic investment arm of TELUS Communications. Part of TELUS Global Ventures, the Pollinator Fund represents one of the world's largest corporate social impact investment vehicles. Founded with the mandate to refuse to compromise between doing good and delivering strong financial and commercial returns, the fund prioritizes impact as a core investment thesis rather than as a secondary consideration. Investment Thesis The Pollinator Fund for Good believes that the best companies combine purpose-driven missions with strong commercial viability. Rather than viewing impact and returns as opposing forces, the fund invests in entrepreneurs solving major societal and environmental challenges while building scalable, profitable businesses. The fund leverages TELUS's extensive commercial networks, data-rich platforms, and deep expertise to provide portfolio companies with unfair competitive advantages as they scale. Sector Focus The fund concentrates on four high-impact investment areas that align with TELUS's core capabilities: Climate Resilience & Adaptation : Supporting technologies that protect communities from climate extremes and restore ecosystems. Investments include wildfire detection and disaster response platforms, climate intelligence and predictive modeling solutions, and digital infrastructure to scale carbon removal and sequestration solutions. Sustainable Agriculture : Field-to-fork supply chain solutions leveraging robotics, data analytics, and sustainable practices to improve agricultural productivity while reducing environmental impact. Women's Health & Equity : Digital health solutions, reproductive health technology, and women-focused healthcare innovations that address healthcare disparities and improve outcomes. Aging & Longevity : Technologies and services addressing the aging population's needs, from health monitoring to quality of life improvement, supporting healthy aging and longevity. Portfolio Highlights The fund has made 31+ investments as of August 2025, with a diverse portfolio of impact-focused companies: Climate & Environment: Dryad Networks (Germany): Ultra-early forest fire detection using IoT sensor networks, providing crucial wildfire protection through solar-powered gas sensors deployed across at-risk forests Flash Forest (Canada): Aerial reforestation company using drone technology, AI, and GIS for rapid post-wildfire forest restoration at scale Applied Carbon (US): Automated biochar machines converting agricultural crop waste into carbon sequestration and soil health solutions erthos : Sustainable material design company using bio-based ingredients and AI to create earth-positive, lower-carbon drop-in replacements for plastic-based materials Mycocycle (US): Biotechnology company using mycelium (fungi) to detoxify and upcycle complex waste streams into sustainable raw materials Health & Social Impact: Waymap (UK): Accessibility-first navigation technology providing inclusive wayfinding solutions for people with disabilities TalkLife (UK): Mental health community and peer support platform enabling access to mental health resources Nectar (US): Smart building technology for optimizing building operations Goodr : Food waste management and hunger relief technology leveraging logistics and real-time impact analytics Team Structure The fund is led by an experienced operator-investor team with deep expertise across impact, technology, and commercial scaling: Leadership: Terry Doyle : Managing Partner & Vice President TELUS, providing strategic direction and overseeing fund operations Investment Partners: Rohit Nuwal : Partner & Investment Director, focusing on Digital Health and Impact investments Ravit Warsha Dor : Partner & Investment Director, leading Enterprise Platforms & IoT and Connected Consumer Solutions investments Chris Robertson : Partner & Investment Director, specializing in Connected Consumer Solutions Ming Chow : Partner & Investment Director, Enterprise Platforms & IoT focus Operations & Support: Matthew Lombardi : Partner & Director of Platform Services, managing portfolio company support and operational excellence Martin Cheski : Partner & Investment Director supporting investment activities The broader TELUS Global Ventures team includes Principals and Associates (Rob Freele, Anthony Lam, Nabeela Merchant, Sophie Ngo, Chetan Srivastava, Mike Titkov) with specialized expertise across sectors and operational areas. Recent Activity The Pollinator Fund has been actively deploying capital, with recent investments in 2024-2025 including: August 2025 : Investment in Naluri (mental health/wellness platform) 2024 : Major investments in Waymap (UK navigation accessibility), Nectar (smart buildings), and continued deployment across portfolio Ongoing : Multiple follow-on investments in existing portfolio companies as they scale Fund II ($100M total) is actively deploying with a multi-year deployment horizon. The fund has a track record of multiple rounds of investment in portfolio companies, indicating active hands-on management and long-term commitment. Stage & Check Size Based on portfolio analysis: Typical Check Size : $2M-$15M range for initial investments Stage Focus : Seed to Series A, with follow-on capacity for later rounds Check Size Range : From $1M for early-stage impact to $20M+ for proven models The fund takes meaningful ownership stakes (typically 10-20% at Seed/Series A) and has capacity for significant follow-on investments in successful portfolio companies. Lead Tendency The fund acts as both lead and co-lead investor: Leads : Key platform investments where TELUS can provide operational support Co-leads : Strategic co-investments where TELUS's networks provide specific value-add Follows : Selective follow-on rounds in portfolio companies Geographic Focus Primary investment focus is North America with selective global opportunities: Primary : Canada (Vancouver-based fund advantage) and United States Secondary : Europe (UK, Germany) for specialized impact technologies Selective : Emerging markets for climate resilience and agriculture solutions Decision Process & Timeline Decision Structure : Partnership-based with multiple investment directors and governance review Timeline : 4-8 weeks from first meeting to investment decision for strong fits Board Participation : Board seat or observer rights typical; active portfolio management Involvement Level : High-touch support leveraging TELUS's commercial networks and expertise Value-Add Beyond Capital The fund provides significant non-financial value: Commercial Networks : Access to TELUS's customer base, supplier relationships, and distribution channels across telecommunications, health, agriculture, and consumer sectors Data & Technology Platforms : Leverage of TELUS's proprietary data platforms, analytics capabilities, and technology infrastructure Operational Expertise : Access to TELUS's operational expertise in scaling technology businesses, managing complex infrastructure, and compliance Market Validation : Credibility and validation that comes from TELUS's endorsement, valuable for enterprise sales Impact Measurement : Proprietary Impact Navigation Tool to help companies measure and manage their social and environmental impact Strategic Introductions : Connections to ecosystem partners, corporate buyers, government agencies, and other investors Founder Preferences The fund backs founders who: Are mission-driven but commercially disciplined Demonstrate technical depth and operational excellence Have experienced teams with complementary skills Focus on solutions addressing massive market needs with impact component Are open to leveraging TELUS's resources and networks Understand their impact metrics and committed to measurement Competitive Positioning Unlike pure impact funds or pure venture funds, the Pollinator Fund combines: Corporate backing providing stability and resources Impact thesis providing portfolio cohesion and strategic focus Commercial discipline requiring strong unit economics Operator network providing real value-add beyond capital This positioning makes it attractive to impact entrepreneurs who want capital, credibility, and commercial support without compromising on environmental/social mission. Fund Timeline & Status Fund I : Closed with commitments deployed Fund II : $100M raised, actively deploying (2022-2027+ expected deployment period) Status : Actively accepting new investments and follow-on rounds Fundraising : Fund III planning likely underway or in early discussions Contact & Process The fund accepts pitches through their dedicated submission page (telus.com/pollinatorfund/pitch-submission). Typical process: Initial submission review Call with relevant investment director Diligence phase (if strong fit) Partnership decision Warm introductions through the TELUS network are valued but not required.