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Summer Internship Spotlight: Carlos Pena at Avivar Capital

MBA Blog

This summer I’m working as a Summer Associate at , a Los Angeles-based SEC registered investment advisory firm focused on managing impact investment portfolios and developing impact-driven funds on behalf of clients. As an associate, I conduct financial analysis and research to help foundations and institutional investors effectively deploy investment capital to align with their missions and maximize social impact.

Some of my favorite projects I’m currently working on include:

  • Performing on early-stage equity investments to assess companies’ potential social impact and financial viability
  • Conducting research to evaluate the current state of the social enterprise ecosystem in the Midwest and assess the availability of funding for social entrepreneurs in Detroit
  • Monitoring financial and social impact performance of clients’ investment portfolios, as well as creating financial/impact covenants to help investees improve their operations and potential impact moving forward

The coolest part of the internship is the fact that I’m getting an insider’s look at the impact investing sector, learning about emerging trends in the field and rubbing elbows with industry leaders. Of course, I also love that Avivar is a very diverse company, with most of the staff being women and/or a minority. Last but not least, I really enjoy working alongside two other summer associates, coming from and programs.