Venture capital and the Church have something in common. They both strive to change the world — each with different worldviews and approaches. But what if their worlds collided? That’s the question we asked ourselves when we started 165 Ventures.
Sure, I’m a Catholic and believe in the power of prayer…but I also believe in the power of profits, especially when they land in the hands of virtuous people. How do we find these principled people who won’t abuse that power? And in a time where cultural forces are attempting to define morality, how can we ensure that true morality prevails?
The answer, at least for us, is that we need to invest in the future of the church — the youth. And where can we do this? At universities that correctly influence our next generation’s worldview and moral compass.
So, what exactly does this mean?
We need to personally develop hybrid programs that equip students with specific tools and a network so when they go out into the world, whether they’re working for someone or running their own startup, they won’t be unarmed against the spiritual battles invading society.
Our approach is inspired by the teachings from Lumen Gentium, the Church’s Dogmatic Constitution,
“Finally, those who engage in labor—and frequently it is of a heavy nature—should better themselves by their human labors. They should be of aid to their fellow citizens. They should raise all of society, and even creation itself, to a better mode of existence. Indeed, they should imitate by their lively charity, in their joyous hope and by their voluntary sharing of each others' burdens, the very Christ who plied His hands with carpenter's tools and Who in union with His Father, is continually working for the salvation of all men. In this, then, their daily work they should climb to the heights of holiness and apostolic activity.”
These themes led to the creation of our Catholic Dividend Program™, where 10% of our personal profits will go into developing transformative programs with like-minded institutions, starting with Catholic or Christian universities. Partnering with universities, we want to enlist world-class thought leaders to educate the students. We want to develop workshops and mentoring programs that prepare each student, regardless of major, for real-world situations. With our profits, we can fund incubators where innovation can grow. Lastly, we plan on coordinating networking events specifically tailored for Catholic leaders.
Without profits, though, our vision isn’t possible.
As much as we want to support all just causes, our aim is to invest in the sharpest and brightest Christians in the workforce, those tenacious leaders focused on changing the world according to Gospel values and the vision of the Church. Leaders who could work for any Fortune 500 company yet choose to start their own company — or leaders who work for Fortune 500 companies that stay committed to leaving their mark from within. We need the outliers, the trailblazers, and the companies that don’t cave into the pressures of our corrosive culture.
But we don’t want to trade faith for upside — we need both.
The Catholic Church is not simply a personal belief or religion — she is an “expert in humanity” and proposes the perfect vision for human society. We need to empower this vision through investment and leadership, and by doing this, we can start a shift, affecting one person, one worldview at a time. And if we succeed, we will help ignite a continual cycle of Christian entrepreneurs.
Our goal isn’t simply to make the world a better place — it’s to create one that accepts our time here is only the beginning.
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