29 Jun 2025 5 min read blog

How to (legally) buy influence

What if women in particular start putting money in the right places so fewer people are falling off - money and support behind potential women leaders and politicians? If we had gender equity in leadership, could the world be a different place?

Welcome back to Look Up Invest. The scary and unsettling times we're in got me thinking about my very first issue, when I talked about arming ourselves with money. Until the world runs on new rails, money remains the influencer - and that extends all the way into who gets elected into power.

We all need to see money as a tool to use, not just a thing to spend or give away. I know charitable giving is needed (and women tend to do it more), but isn't that the ambulance at the bottom of the cliff? What if women in particular start putting money in the right places so fewer people are falling off - money and support behind potential women leaders and politicians? If we had gender equity in leadership, could the world be a different place?

Having climbed the investment pyramid - from broad-based index trackers to individual stocks and more exotic alternatives - I thought I’d take a look at a few ways we can aim that capital at the change we want to see in the world, whilst still chasing strong returns so as not to deplete your ‘arms’.

This week, we'll dive into activist and impact investing - using your shares to make your voice heard in corporate boardrooms and steer capital towards businesses doing good. And because I haven't forgotten last week's promise, I'll also share an easy way to dip your toes into the world of venture capital.

⚡ Quick Hits

Angel Investing: How to join the world of early-stage startup investing through networks like Epic Angels
Activist Investing: Everyday shareholders act together to force companies to behave in more responsible ways.
Impact Investing: Invest your money in companies which support what you want to see in the world.

👼 Angel Investing: Your Gateway to Venture Capital

After covering venture capital in our last issue, many of you asked how to actually get started. The answer often lies in angel investing groups - networks that democratise access to early-stage startups whilst providing the education and support new investors need.

What Angel Groups Offer:

Deal flow: Access to vetted startup opportunities
Education: Understanding due diligence, term sheets, and valuation
Community: Learning from experienced investors
Risk mitigation: Collective wisdom reduces individual investment risk

Epic Angels: A Standout Example Based in Singapore, Epic Angels focuses specifically on women-led companies across APAC. What makes them exceptional isn't just their mission - it's their process:

Data Room Training: They walk new members through financial documents, teaching you to read the metrics that matter
Founder Calls: Usually two sessions where you can directly question founders about their business model, market opportunity, and growth strategy
Collaborative Learning: Experienced members share insights, helping newcomers develop their investment instincts

Finding Your Local Group: If you want an in-person experience (great for building a network too) most major cities have angel groups. Start by searching "[Your City] Angel Investors" or check with your local business incubators and startup communities. Many groups welcome new members and provide comprehensive onboarding.

🪝There is one catch. To be an Angel investor you need to be an accredited investor. These are (very outdated) rules that are meant to protect people against risky investments. The logic is that if you are not already rich then apparently you couldn’t possibly be smart enough to assess a venture investment. What this equates to in my mind though is ‘only if you are already wealthy can you invest in asset classes to build wealth’. 👎

However all is not lost. Use Perplexity with a prompt such as: ‘What are the different ways to become an accredited investor in [country you are in], to find out what the rules are in your country. Many, such as New Zealand have ways around the asset and income threshold. eg. If you can prove you are knowledgeable enough then you can get it ‘signed off’ and joining an Angel group is a great way to build that knowledge!

💡 Impact Investing: Making Your Money Work for Change

Impact investing is using your money to support and grow companies who deliver the world you wish to live in.

Sector-Focused ETFs: Investing in Solutions

You can choose to invest in particular companies which offer the way of working of solutions you want to see more of, or you can invest in many companies through ETFs (just like index funds but also tradeable like an ordinary share). This approach lets you support entire sectors aligned with your values whilst maintaining diversification. Examples are:

Clean energy ETFs for climate action
Healthcare innovation funds for medical breakthroughs
Financial inclusion funds for emerging market development
Technology ETFs focusing on companies solving social problems

♀️Hypatia ETF (WCEO) : Investing in the Gender Leadership Advantage

The Hypatia ETF (WCEO) is a great example of a mission and returns led ETF. Their hypothesis is straightforward: it's extraordinarily difficult for women to become CEOs, so those who make it are likely to be above-average performers. They invest only in USA public companies with women CEOs. Early performance data supports their thesis, with the ETF outperforming broader market indices.

The benefits of supporting female CEOs goes beyond just having equity in the ‘top spot’ :

Women CEOs have senior leadership teams that are 36% female
Male CEOs have senior leadership teams that are 80% male
This diversity at the top correlates with better decision-making and financial performance AND helps drive the gender equity flywheel.

🎯 Activist Investing: Your Voice as a Shareholder

Activist investing is the inverse of impact investing and literal uses your money to exert influence. Buying shares and working with other shareholders can create a voting block big enough to force change. The recent Woolworths case demonstrates how everyday shareholders can influence corporate behaviour.

The Woolworths Victory: At the company's AGM, over 30% of shareholders supported a resolution - against the Board's recommendation - requiring Woolworths to address the impact their farmed seafood has on endangered species, particularly regarding Macquarie Harbor salmon.

This wasn't institutional investors leading the charge - it was led by retail shareholders organised by SIX (Sustainable Investment Exchange) who researched the issue, built the case, and mobilised other shareholders.

If this investing appeals this is a good way to get started:

Join platforms like SIX that coordinate retail activist campaigns
Research companies' voting records and policies
Attend virtual AGMs where you can ask questions directly
Consider impact when making investment decisions

🌟 Stepping into our power

Whether through Angel networks, Impact ETFs, or Activist investing, you have more power to shape the future than you might realise - even if you are not yet ‘fully armed’ yet! Your investment choices are votes for the kind of world you want to live in and you don’t have to sacrifice returns for these choices.

Start small, start somewhere, but start. The companies and causes you support today with your investment dollars are the ones that will shape tomorrow's economy.

This Week's Homework (Choose one)

Research angel investor groups in your area
Look into the Hypatia ETF or similar impact-focused funds
Check out SIX and see what campaigns align with your own values

Keep Looking Up,

Sally

Please note: Look Up is for information and educational purposes only and nothing written is intended to be financial advice. Written by Sally with the help of Claude.