Known,
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Our Story
Formed in 2021, Known is the product of decades of experience, mentorship and historic firsts. It was founded by friends, mentees and mentors who came together with a singular goal: to build things that last and serve as vehicles for multigenerational prosperity. In doing so we set out to reimagine a financial system that understands that humans are not capital, people are not disposable, and jobs are not statistics.
We know from first-hand experience that well-supported small businesses become middle-market wealth creation engines. And with the right capital, they can grow to become global leaders. Above all, we believe that with the right values as guardrails, founders, families, endowments and every kind of business can support social and economic regeneration while also delivering meaningful investment returns.
“It’s a false paradigm to say that financial returns are at odds with environmental and social outcomes we can be proud of.”
- Jim Casselberry, Co-Founder & CEO
This is why we work with founders, family offices, and large asset owners who value competitive returns as well as powerful, long-term racial, social, and climate impact.
How do we do it? By opening the door to the segments of our economy to which others lack access.
Our competitive edge is simple: we have decades of experience building entire portfolios, covering all asset classes, through a variety of impact lenses. That experience means we’re uniquely positioned to generate growth, ownership, and wealth in the economy driven by the managers and entrepreneurs that others miss, including the Global Majority — the fastest-growing and most undercapitalized demographic on the planet.
Known is led by its Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian-American co-founders. They are joined by a team of leading financial professionals, seasoned investors, and deeply experienced business leaders.