A year of community learning and partnership building
Aaron T. Walker
April 16, 2025
A year of community learning and partnership building
2024 Impact Highlights
In 2024, two themes stood out across our portfolio companies: a deep commitment to community learning and a strategic focus on partnership through ecosystem relationships.
A Classbank onboarding
Community Learning
AfterSchool HQ powered over 7 million hours of offered education through its platform, expanding access to structured learning opportunities outside the classroom.
Skilltype supported an average of 348 active learners, each spending at least 30 minutes per session—demonstrating not just reach, but engagement.
Acclinate contributed significantly to community engagement and health equity, hosting over 100 events (91 in-person, 10 virtual).
Film Forward’s Seed & Spark platform hosted 2,939 workshop attendees who completed over 14,000 modules, fostering creative and professional growth in film and media.
Community Learning
AfterSchool HQ powered over 7 million hours of offered education through its platform, expanding access to structured learning opportunities outside the classroom.
Skilltype supported an average of 348 active learners, each spending at least 30 minutes per session—demonstrating not just reach, but engagement.
Acclinate contributed significantly to community engagement and health equity, hosting over 100 events (91 in-person, 10 virtual).
Film Forward’s Seed & Spark platform hosted 2,939 workshop attendees who completed over 14,000 modules, fostering creative and professional growth in film and media.
Stevie Wonder testing the Lotus Ring at CES with Lotus founder Dhaval Patel
Partnerships
Lotus Labs built relationships with over 30 organizations and government entities, including key academic partners like GA Tech, UAB, and Alabama State University to advance accessibility.
Skilltype expanded its reach beyond traditional library systems, forming partnerships that connect its learning platform to a wider range of institutions and community anchors.
ISeeChange (ISC) published detailed case studies on itspartnerships with the City of Miami and New Orleans. For example, in Miami, ISC data was used to help win $20M in infrastructure grants and increase maintenance budgets by 2.5x.
Four metropolitan areas—San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and Boston—account for 67% of all VC investment in the U.S. (Heartland Forward, Bloomberg) At RFG, 60% of our investments are “beyond the coasts”. We know that talent is everywhere and look for founders in overlooked regions. Our team’s roots in the Southeast, Gulf Coast and Midwest fuel a powerful network and provide new investment opportunities.
