Proximate
Proximate is a company.
Active
Updated: ·
Financial History
Total Raised
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Valuation
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Leadership Team
Key people at Proximate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who founded Proximate?
Proximate was founded by Kevin McClendon (Co-Founder).
Proximate is a company.
Key people at Proximate.
Proximate was founded by Kevin McClendon (Co-Founder).
Proximate most prominently refers to Proximate, an independent media platform focused on participatory problem-solving, amplifying stories of community-driven solutions in philanthropy, investing, and budgeting.[2][3] It employs solutions journalism to highlight innovations that shift power to those with lived experience, covering topics like participatory investing, cooperative economics, and solidarity models, primarily through local journalists and curated story collections.[2][3] A distinct entity, the Proximate Fund, is a philanthropic initiative founded by Adeso to fund African-led solutions, replacing extractive models with proximate, trust-based co-investments; it has secured over $8 million and plans country funds starting in Sudan by 2026.[1] Less detailed matches include Proximate Investment Ltd (a new UK entity) and Proximate Investment (a real estate representative), but these lack substantive information.[4][5][7][8]
Proximate (media) serves journalists, nonprofits, funders, and impact investors seeking narratives on equitable capital flows, solving the problem of underreported "proximate" voices in traditional media.[2][3] The Proximate Fund targets global philanthropists to support local African organizations, addressing dependency in aid by building organizational capacity and trust.[1]
Proximate (media platform) emerged from a book titled *Letting Go*, co-authored by co-founder Ben Wrobel and Meg Massey, drawing on their experiences in participatory models.[2] Ben Wrobel, previously Director of Communications at Village Capital (a participatory investing nonprofit), started his career as chief speechwriter for the NAACP and worked on voter registration campaigns like Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project.[2] Co-founder Kevin McClendon, an investment analyst at Gutter Capital focusing on software for global problems, brings a background in marketing across entertainment, real estate, and health care; he participated in Transforming Power Fund's 2023 Giving Project.[2] The platform naturally evolved to become a "home for stories" using solutions journalism, hiring local journalists for coverage like Puerto Rico's disaster response.[2]
The Proximate Fund was founded by Degan Ali, Executive Director of Adeso, hosted at Myriad USA, in response to the need for a new funding architecture in Africa centered on local leadership and dignity.[1] It builds on "proximate giving" principles to reframe philanthropy as co-investment.[1]
Proximate (media) rides the trend of participatory economics and democratized capital, amid post-pandemic scrutiny of capitalism's inequities, promoting collaboration over competition in impact investing and philanthropy.[3] Timing aligns with rising interest in "proximity" principles—shifting power to lived-experience leaders—which counters top-down models in tech-adjacent fields like civic tech, climate innovation, and fintech cooperatives.[2][3] Market forces favoring it include donor demands for equity, growth in solidarity funds, and tools like AI-enhanced journalism, influencing the ecosystem by curating narratives that inspire funds like Proximate Fund and participatory ventures.[1][2] The Proximate Fund exemplifies this in Africa, leveraging global capital for localized climate and social solutions amid continent-wide scalability needs.[1]
Proximate (media) will expand as a key aggregator of participatory stories, potentially integrating tech like AI for story matching or data visualization on capital flows, shaping norms in impact investing amid economic shifts toward shared prosperity.[3] The Proximate Fund eyes a 2035 continent-wide network, with 2026 Sudan launch and donor immersions accelerating $10M+ raises.[1] Their influence grows by normalizing "proximate" models, challenging tech ecosystem dependencies and fostering African-led innovation—unlocking sustainable change where local proximity drives global impact.[1][2]
Key people at Proximate.
Proximate was founded by Kevin McClendon (Co-Founder).
