RevHubOC

RevHubOC, officially The Orange County Center for Innovation and Social Enterprise, was established in 2019 as a social purpose corporation and venture capital firm located in Irvine, California. It was founded by Stephan Erkelens, who serves as President and CEO, along with a group of seasoned professionals with backgrounds in charitable giving, finance, and social enterprise. Erkelens, a long-time innovator in the coffee industry, and his partners were driven by a vision to create a more effective way to fund and sustain social enterprises. Other founding partners include Tim Shaw, with over 30 years of nonprofit management experience, and Peter Nelson, a veteran with 40 years in marketing and sales.

The organization's core mission is to cultivate a comprehensive ecosystem for social ventures in Orange County. RevHubOC operates on a three-pronged strategy: Inspire, Empower, and Fund. It aims to build a network of stakeholders from government, NGOs, research institutions, and the private sector. The business model centers on identifying and supporting mission-first, for-profit companies that address significant social and environmental challenges. This is achieved through business incubation and acceleration programs that guide entrepreneurs from the idea stage to investment readiness. Since its inception, RevHubOC has supported over 23 startups through its incubator cohorts.

A key component of its operation is RevFund, an impact-first seed fund designed to invest in scalable social enterprises. The fund, which aims to raise $5 million, provides tailored capital to bridge the gap between market-based business models and the social impact of traditional nonprofits. RevFund targets initial investments between $50,000 and $100,000 in early-stage startups, structured primarily as convertible notes. In addition to capital, RevHubOC provides portfolio companies with operational expertise, mentorship, and access to a broad network of resources. In 2022, RevHubOC was instrumental in establishing the NorthSTAR OC Collaborative, an initiative backed by an $8.5 million state grant to remove barriers to entrepreneurship for under-resourced communities.

Keywords: social enterprise ecosystem, impact investing, venture capital, social innovation, startup incubator, accelerator, Orange County, mission-driven business, catalytic capital, for-profit social ventures, seed fund, RevFund, NorthSTAR OC Collaborative, impact measurement, climate action incubator, health equity startups, social purpose corporation, community building, entrepreneurship support, double bottom line