Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation

William H. Draper, III and Robin Richards Donohoe began investing together in the venture industry in 1994 concentrating on building companies in India. Since 1994, they have invested in over one hundred early stage information technology investments both in India and the United States. In 2010, the Foundation joined forces with Robert S. Kaplan, formerly vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs and currently professor of leadership at Harvard Business School. Together the team raised their second fund inviting fourteen innovative philanthropists to join the fund.

Jim Bildner

CEO

Robin Richards Donohoe

Co-Chair

William H. Draper

Co-Chair

12 past transactions

Numida

Seed Round in 2021
Numida Technologies is a fintech company working to unlock financing for the 22 million African small businesses that need it. TrackApp, their simple record-keeping mobile app, allows businesses to build financial track records that enable them to make better business decisions and prove their creditworthiness to potential lenders.

People's Pension Trust Ghana

Venture Round in 2021
People's Pension Trust Ghana Limited operates as a micro pension company in Ghana. It offers Me Daakye, a pension product that enables workers in the informal sector to save during their working years (from the age of 16 up to 55) for the period after retirement. The company is headquartered in Accra, Ghana. People's Pension Trust Ghana Limited operates as a subsidiary of People's Pension Holding.

Phool

Seed Round in 2020
Phool.co, which uses floral waste to make patented organic fertilizer and incense sticks.

Jaza

Seed Round in 2020
Jaza Energy Inc. designs and develops integrated energy solutions. It offers central solar energy hubs that provide power to charge portable battery packs. The company’s energy hubs used to power lights, phones, and other DC loads, as well as provide energy to anchored loads, such as water systems, shops, schools, and community infrastructure. Jaza Energy Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in Halifax, Canada.

Cowtribe

Seed Round in 2018
Cowtribe Technology Limited provides animal vaccine delivery services to farmers in Ghana. The company offers a mobile application for farmers that lets the to subscribe and provide all relevant animal information. It provides cloud based logistics management system that tracks the health statistics of each animal, remind the farmers when it is time for their animals to receive services, and manages delivery of vaccines to the farmers. Cowtribe Technology Limited was founded in 2016 and is based in Tamale, Ghana.

Kinvolved

Seed Round in 2018
Kinvolved, Inc. is a technology company that develops mobile and web applications to facilitate communication between schools and families, aiming to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism. Its flagship application, KiNVO, allows schools to send messages to entire classrooms or individual parents regarding attendance, behavior, grades, and school updates. The platform also provides tools to analyze attendance trends, flag chronically absent students, and generate communication reports. Kinvolved targets schools and after-school programs, particularly in underserved communities across the United States. By combining technology with expert consulting and community engagement, the company seeks to enhance educational outcomes and foster economically viable communities. Founded in 2012 and based in New York, Kinvolved is focused on creating solutions that support district leaders, school principals, teachers, and parents in their efforts to improve student engagement and success.

Macro-Eyes, Inc

Seed Round in 2018
Macro-Eyes, Inc. is a machine learning company focused on enhancing access to healthcare through its innovative solutions. Its primary product, Sibyl, employs artificial intelligence for intelligent patient scheduling, which has shown a capability to improve patient utilization by 15%, enabling healthcare providers to see more patients without extending clinical hours. This technology is built on extensive research and deployment of AI for clinical decision support at prominent institutions, including Stanford University and major health systems in the United States. The company has garnered support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a predictive supply chain for health, aimed at optimizing resource allocation at individual health facilities and pharmacies to prevent stock-outs and reduce waste. Additionally, Macro-Eyes is collaborating with the California Primary Care Association to implement Sibyl across 1,800 health facilities, thereby furthering its mission to increase access to life-saving care.

Kinvolved

Seed Round in 2018
Kinvolved, Inc. is a technology company that develops mobile and web applications to facilitate communication between schools and families, aiming to improve student attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism. Its flagship application, KiNVO, allows schools to send messages to entire classrooms or individual parents regarding attendance, behavior, grades, and school updates. The platform also provides tools to analyze attendance trends, flag chronically absent students, and generate communication reports. Kinvolved targets schools and after-school programs, particularly in underserved communities across the United States. By combining technology with expert consulting and community engagement, the company seeks to enhance educational outcomes and foster economically viable communities. Founded in 2012 and based in New York, Kinvolved is focused on creating solutions that support district leaders, school principals, teachers, and parents in their efforts to improve student engagement and success.

Simprints

Grant in 2017
Simprints is a nonprofit tech company committed to transforming the way the world fights poverty. We build technology to radically increase transparency and effectiveness in global development, making sure that every vaccine, every dollar, every public good reaches the people who need them most.

New Story Charity

Seed Round in 2016
New Story crowdfunds houses for homeless families living in danger around the world. 100% of all donations go directly to building homes and every donor receives a video of the exact family moving into their new home for full accountability. newstorycharity.org

Watsi

Seed Round in 2013
Watsi, Inc. is a non-profit organization that operates a crowdfunding platform focused on healthcare. Founded in 2011 and based in San Francisco, California, Watsi allows individual donors to directly fund medical care for patients in developing countries who lack the financial means for treatment. The organization ensures that all funds collected are transferred directly to the patients, as its operational costs are covered through separate means. Donors can opt for automatic monthly donations, receiving updates about the patients they support, including introductions and care updates via email. Watsi's mission is to provide accessible healthcare by connecting those who can help with those in need.

Jaxtr

Seed Round in 2007
Jaxtr, Inc., founded in 2005 and based in Mountain View, California, is a social communications company that integrates global calling, SMS, and social networking. The company initially launched in 2007 with a widget that allows users to receive calls via VOIP while maintaining the privacy of their personal phone numbers. Jaxtr offers global SIM cards for travelers, a mobile app, and the Jaxtr Voice app, providing users with free local numbers in foreign countries to bypass expensive international phone charges. The service charges a nominal fee for connections and mobile calls, while allowing free calls between members to encourage usage. Additionally, Jaxtr features Cafe Jaxtr, a social network designed for users to connect over shared interests, and offers free global SMS to drive engagement and generate advertising revenue. Jaxtr distinguishes itself from competitors by allowing calls from any phone, whether mobile or landline, without the need for software downloads or Internet access. As of 2009, Jaxtr operates as a subsidiary of Sabse Technologies Inc.