# KL Felicitas Foundation KL Felicitas Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in San Jose, United States. ## Overview - **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation - **Headquarters:** San Jose, United States - **Region:** North America - **Address:** San Jose, CA, United States - **Founded:** 2000 - **Assets under management:** $10 million - **Website:** www.klfelicitasfoundation.org ## Regulatory record - **Reports private funds:** No ## About The KL Felicitas Foundation was established in 2000 by Charly Kleissner, a former senior technology executive, and his wife Lisa Kleissner, a philanthropist and social entrepreneur. The foundation traces its capital to Charly Kleissner's career in Silicon Valley, where he held leadership roles at companies including Ariba during its IPO, and to the subsequent sale of technology ventures. From its inception, the Kleissners committed to aligning 100% of the foundation's corpus with its charitable mission, making it one of the earlier US foundations to adopt a fully impact-invested strategy. The foundation's portfolio spans multiple asset classes, including early-stage venture capital, private equity, private credit, and hedge funds, all screened for measurable social and environmental outcomes. Stage coverage runs from seed to growth equity, with instruments ranging from direct co-investments and special-purpose vehicles to fund commitments. Geographic exposure reaches across North America, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Confirmed commitments include Ecosystem Investment Partners, which develops large-scale environmental restoration projects, the Lyme Forest Fund for sustainable timberland, and a direct loan to MA'O Organic Farms in Hawaii, a nonprofit training young farmers in sustainable agriculture. By 2024, the foundation had deployed its capital across dozens of impact-focused funds and enterprises. The Kleissners are also co-founders of Toniic, a global network of impact investors that grew from a peer group into a formalized membership organization spanning over 25 countries, and Charly Kleissner is a co-founder of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN). Lisa Kleissner co-founded Hawaii Investment Ready, an accelerator for social enterprises. These adjacent vehicles extend the foundation's influence beyond its own balance sheet into standard-setting and investor mobilization. Structurally, the foundation functions as a lean, two-principal operation with no separate investment staff — decisions run through the Kleissners directly. Its distinction lies in being an early adopter of the 100% impact mandate, publicly sharing its portfolio audit and financial performance data in a series of case studies with the GIIN and Sonen Capital, which became reference points for the broader institutional impact-investing movement. ## Sectors - ESG - AgriTech & FoodTech - Energy Transition & Renewables - Healthcare Services - Education - Financial Inclusion ## People - Charly Kleissner — Co-Founder - Lisa Kleissner — Co-Founder ## Questions ### Who runs investment decisions at KL Felicitas Foundation? Investment decisions are made directly by co-founders Charly and Lisa Kleissner. The foundation does not maintain a separate investment staff or outside CIO; the Kleissners evaluate opportunities personally, drawing on Charly Kleissner's technology-operating background and both founders' deep networks in the impact investing community, including through their roles at Toniic and the GIIN. ### How does the foundation source its deals? Deal flow relies heavily on the Kleissners' position within the networks they helped build, particularly Toniic and the Global Impact Investing Network. They also participate actively in European Business Angel Network (EBAN) impact panels and Mission Investors Exchange. The foundation has publicly indicated a preference for referrals from trusted co-investors and fund managers already in their portfolio rather than open inbound pitches. ### Does KL Felicitas Foundation make direct investments or only fund commitments? The foundation uses both. It commits to impact-oriented venture capital and private equity funds and also makes direct co-investments, loans, and special-purpose vehicle participations. One example is the direct loan to MA'O Organic Farms in Hawaii, structured outside a traditional fund vehicle. ### What is the foundation's relationship to Toniic and the GIIN? Charly and Lisa Kleissner co-founded Toniic, a global impact investor network, and Charly Kleissner is a co-founder of the Global Impact Investing Network. These are separate entities from the foundation, but the Kleissners' leadership in both creates overlapping deal flow and standard-setting influence. The foundation's portfolio choices are often profiled as case studies through these organizations. ### Where does the underlying capital come from? The foundation's corpus originates from Charly Kleissner's career as a technology executive, notably his role at Ariba, which went public during the dot-com era, and from subsequent technology ventures. The wealth was transferred into the foundation structure in 2000 with the explicit intent to deploy it for social and environmental returns. ### Does the foundation publish its full portfolio or performance? KL Felicitas Foundation participated in a multi-year case study series with the GIIN and Sonen Capital that disclosed its full portfolio and comparative financial performance against a traditional 60/40 benchmark. The reports showed market-rate returns alongside impact metrics. The foundation does not appear to maintain a running public quarterly portfolio disclosure, but its historic transparency has been extensive for a private foundation of its size. ## Related profiles - [June and Julian Foss Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/june-and-julian-foss-foundation) - [Preferred Capital Securities, LLC](https://altss.com/profile/preferred-capital-securities-llc) --- Last updated: 2026-07-08T22:09:37.103Z Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/kl-felicitas-foundation Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology