Giving Compass' Take:

• Swell is a startup that increases access to opportunities in impact investing to strengthen an understanding of socially responsible investments. 

• How will millennials as well as start-up culture be involved in changing the landscape of impact investing and philanthropy?

• Read about why millennials care about social impact investing.

If you don’t like the fact that your 401(k) invests some of your money in, say, gun manufacturers or fossil fuel companies (Vanguard, for example, has $268 billion tied up in fossil fuel stocks), a new startup called Swell offers you another way to invest–and support companies focused on solving major global challenges instead.

In Swell’s renewable energy portfolio, companies include Tesla and lesser-known businesses like Moog, a wind power manufacturer. A company in the clean water portfolio, called Xylem, develops technologies like a foot-powered water pump for farmers in developing countries. A portfolio of disease-eradication companies includes the cystic fibrosis drug company Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Bluebird Bio, a company that recently successfully used gene therapy to treat a patient with sickle cell anemia. A “healthy living” portfolio includes Lululemon and Whole Foods. Two other portfolios focus on green tech and zero waste companies. With a minimum investment of $500, you can choose to invest in any combination of the six portfolios.

We wanted to make it accessible to anyone,” says Dave Fanger, CEO and founder of Swell Investing.

Historically, impact investing was only an option for high-net-worth investors, with minimum investments sometimes in the millions.

The startup, which is incubated by the insurance and mutual fund company Pacific Life, is one of a handful of new companies offering socially-responsible investment options to people who don’t have big bank accounts.

Read the full article about impact investing by Adele Peters at Fast Company.