Wooing Wealthy Donors With an ‘IPO Road Show’

Anthony Behar, Sipa Press, AP Images

Newly minted millionaires often balk at making charitable gifts — not because they’re stingy but because they don’t know which nonprofits to trust. That’s according to Alexandre Mars, a technology entrepreneur who is turning his energy to doing good.

To inspire confidence and spur donations, Mr. Mars created a new instrument of philanthropy: a foundation that promotes vetted charities to donors in the same way a business woos investors for an initial public offering.

The venture will debut this fall, when Mr. Mars will travel the globe during a promotional tour — one that will mimic a road show before a stock IPO. Here’s how he turned his idea into reality:

Alexandre Mars 
sells his third company, decides to pursue 
social good.

After seeking counsel 
from experts at the Bill 
& Melinda Gates Foundation, the Omidyar Network, and 
others, Mr. Mars creates 
the Epic Foundation.

Epic calls for 
applications 
from nonprofits 
in four areas 
of children’s welfare:

• Health,
• Economic empowerment,
• Human rights
• Education.

Mr. Mars and his team sift through 1,400 charity applications like a venture-capital firm eyeballing early-stage companies. Via phone calls and field evaluations, they cull the field to 100, then 50, then 20.

Epic will present its portfolio 
of 20 nonprofits to three groups 
of individuals: entrepreneurs, 
“voices” (e.g., entertainers and athletes), and 
corporate donors. This “road show” will stop in Boston, Geneva, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New York, Paris, and Singapore. By the end of the year, Mr. Mars hopes to reap donations of at least $7.5 million. He put $1.5 million of his own money into the effort and will not take a fee.