GIIRS (Global Impact Investing Ratings System), a project of B Lab, announced the names of the 12 North American GIIRS Pioneer Funds. These firms are the leading private equity and venture capital funds with a focus on impact investing. The 12 North American GIIRS Pioneer Funds join the 13 other Pioneer Funds that invest in the emerging markets that GIIRS previously announced at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in April.

The Emerging Market GIIRS Pioneer Funds include the Acumen Fund, E&Co, and Root Capital. Collectively, the 25 Pioneer GIIRS Fund managers have $1.2 billion assets under management and have investments in over 44 countries. Good Capital is among the dozen domestic funds but the other names will be revealed at SOCAP.

GIIRS is a ratings agency that provides social and environmental performance ratings for companies and funds seeking to raise capital from impact investors. GIIRS Pioneer Funds will be the first funds to receive GIIRS Fund Ratings. A global population of GIIRS rated funds will give institutional investors for the first time the rigorous, comparable, third party metrics they need to channel more capital into the emerging asset class of impact investments.