David Hamilton Nichols, FRSA, sees a tomorrow shaped by innovative companies of today, a world transformed for good by early-stage ventures like those in his impact investment portfolio.
Recently named a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA), Nichols joins Benjamin Franklin, Charles Dickens, Marie Curie, Stephen Hawking, and other visionaries who have shaped humanity's destiny.
Nichols feels that industry holds power to unfold human progress, and, when coupling it with innovative technologies and vision for change, humanity can make great strides in this pivotal decade.
Capitalism has lifted more people out of poverty than any other system but has damaged the environment and destroyed ways of life. Nichols believes in balance and harmony. New business models and solutions-oriented technologies that make money while making life better excite him. In his impact investor philosophy, businesses do well by doing good and adding value creates valuable enterprises.
Nichols catalyzes growing ventures in diverse sectors including climate and renewable, blockchain and crypto, and EdTech and AI. Their commonality is innovative business models positively impacting the human condition
Climate and environmental crises being among humanity's greatest existential risks, Nichols addresses these. He is first American investor and strategic advisor in Norwegian startup CHOOOSE, recently partnered with Shell Ventures and Southwest Airlines, which offers digital tools for individuals and businesses to offset carbon footprints.
Nichols is investor and advisor in Aether Diamonds, which makes diamonds from atmospheric carbon thereby avoiding earth-harming extractive mining and reducing the market for blood diamonds.
Nichols is also lead investor and board member emeritus in residential solar company Ovanova. For a homeowner learning about solar, Ovanova donates to an organization the homeowner supports. Ovanova offers competitive solar energy pricing in over 17 states. Its new pilot program helps people mine crypto when going solar. Nichols applauds decentralizing finance while decentralizing energy production as a counterbalance to increasing centralization.
As the blockchain revolution grows, this potential counterbalance must be developed focusing on human freedom. Nichols' investment and advisory role in Virtual Control exemplify this. Virtual Control revolutionizes logistics, medical, and chemical testing industries. Through blockchain, AI, and IoT, it is rapidly changing how these industries operate.
Another tech example is AI EdTech company Ahura AI. Nichols became an early investor and advisor because the company will reskill workers whose jobs are being automated. He appreciates the ethics and social impact of Ahura AI supporting Own Your Data Foundation principles and donating one license to underserved communities per corporate license purchased.
As Nichols often mentions, whether as panelist on business partnerships and UN SDGs at the Nobel Peace Center during Nobel Week or as keynote speaker on impact investing for the United Nations Association (Young Professionals), the nexus of moneymakers and changemakers is where the greatest fortunes and the greatest impact will coincide, for, in solving the problems created in the 20th century, the best businesses of the 21st century will emerge.
David Hamilton Nichols holds cautious optimism for the future, saying if humanity navigates this decade successfully, it has potential to thrive in a future of greater peace and prosperity. Follow on social media @davidhnichols.
