David was named the national 2005 CDVC Practitioner of the Year by the Community Development Venture Capital Alliance. Previous to SJF, he founded and managed two other successful enterprises - KirkWorks, an environmental investment research firm, and SunShares, a solar energy and recycling company. David was named Recycler of the Year in 1996, the National Recycling Coalition's award for leadership in the recycling industry.
David earned a BA in Physics and History from Duke University in 1982 and an MBA from UNC Business School in 1991. He serves on the Boards of groSolar, B.B. Hobbs, EdMap, the NC Sustainable Energy Association, and the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership. He is an avid gardener, fisherman and Dad.
SJF Ventures is a venture capital partnership with offices in Durham, NC, and New York, NY. Through its investment funds, the firm provides equity financings from $500K to $5MM, solo or in syndicates, to companies seeking expansion capital.
SJF Ventures focuses on the cleantech, technology-enhanced services and premium consumer products sectors. Representative investment areas include renewable energy and efficiency, organic and healthy consumer products, digital media and marketing services, electronics recycling, and outsourced business services.
When assessing investment opportunities, SJF Ventures is highly selective in identifying teams, markets and business models that can achieve rapid sales, strong profitability, and premium exits. In addition, SJF looks to partner with entrepreneurs who are committed to impacting the world positively through the businesses that they are creating.
SJF Ventures' partners assist portfolio companies in building the board and executive management team, refining strategic planning, exploring capitalization structures, pursuing growth mergers and acquisitions, and enhancing market presence.
SJF Advisory Services, an allied non-profit organization, provides entrepreneurial, workforce and sustainability assistance services to SJF prospect and portfolio companies. SJF Advisory Services seeks out firms whose competitive strategy is built on workforce and environmental innovation. SJF seeks to rapidly diffuse those entrepreneurial strategies to help build a more sustainable economy.