Updated:
The Builders Fund
The Builders Fund partners with companies whose fundamental business models directly address environmental and social challenges, and whose purpose can be...
The Builders Fund
The Builders Fund partners with companies whose fundamental business models directly address environmental and social challenges, and whose purpose can be harnessed for competitive advantage. We invest in established, high-growth North American-based companies with revenues between $20M-200M, positive cash flow, and values-driven management teams building activist brands and authentic cultures. Thematically, the fund focuses on Sustainable Systems and Human Elevation to decarbonize the economy, help fix our broken food system, address access and affordability, use our finite resources more efficiently, and to create a more equitable, sustainable future. We are experienced operators and business builders ourselves, and our team of successful entrepreneurs leverages our collective expertise to guide and scale portfolio companies as they seek to address the pressing social and environmental challenges of our time. Over thirty of Builders’ founding Limited Partners are former operators and entrepreneurs: “Builders”, committed to serving as operating partners to the fund and to supporting the entrepreneurs and leaders who are investing to build a better world.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2014
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
San Francisco
Corporate office
San Francisco, CA, United States
Principals
Tripp Baird
Managing Partner
Tom Stroud
Managing Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at The Builders Fund?
Managing partners Tripp Baird and Tom Stroud lead all investment decisions. Baird's background spans impact investing and operating; Stroud came from institutional private equity. The firm has historically operated without a large partnership tier, keeping the investment committee intentionally tight.
How does The Builders Fund source proprietary deal flow?
The firm relies on its network of founders, operators, and values-aligned co-investors rather than running a broad auction-process funnel. Its San Francisco base, concentrated sector focus, and reputation within the mission-driven ecosystem generate referrals from entrepreneurs and peer funds that see The Builders Fund as a credible long-term partner for sub-$50M enterprise-value companies.
Is The Builders Fund structured as a family office or a traditional private equity fund?
It is a traditional private equity fund structure — a registered investment adviser that raises closed-end funds from institutional and high-net-worth limited partners. It is not a single-family office or a permanent capital vehicle, though its concentrated portfolio construction gives it flexibility to hold positions for extended periods.
Does The Builders Fund participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The firm deploys capital almost exclusively through direct growth-equity investments into operating companies. There is no public record of the fund making LP commitments to outside managers or running a fund-of-funds sleeve.
What investment stages does The Builders Fund typically target?
The firm targets growth-stage companies with existing revenue, typically in the range of $5 million to $50 million, and writes initial equity checks between $5 million and $15 million. It does not invest at the seed stage and generally avoids buyout-scale control transactions, preferring minority and growth-capital positions.
Which sectors does The Builders Fund explicitly avoid?
The firm's public positioning emphasizes alignment with positive social and environmental outcomes; it has not invested in extractive industries, weapons, tobacco, or fossil-fuel-intensive businesses. Its portfolio concentrates on software, tech-enabled services, and sustainable consumption — sectors where the partnership believes commercial growth and mission reinforce each other.
How is The Builders Fund related to any philanthropic or parallel vehicles?
The firm operates a single private equity platform with no separate philanthropic foundation or parallel investment vehicle publicly disclosed as of mid-2025. Its impact thesis is expressed through portfolio construction and board engagement rather than a carve-out grant-making entity.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
Need institutional-grade insight on private equity firms?
Altss delivers:
Prefer a guided tour?
We’ll walk you through: