Principles and Criteria for Ethical Venture Capital Investment

Apartheid and Occupation systematically deprive people of basic human rights.

Venture capital firms must not support apartheid or occupation.

Criteria:

Apartheid and Occupation includes but is not limited to:

a) Segregation Technology:

1. technology that supports discriminatory control or surveillance.
2. facial recognition or geolocation technologies used for targeting in discriminatory or military operations.
3. surveillance technologies used to enforce segregation or occupation.

b) Illegal Settlements:

1. supporting illegal settlements in occupied territories.
2. companies headquartered in or with offices or personnel in occupied territories.
3. exploitation of resources in occupied lands or from illegal settlements.
4. equipment for the demolition of property or agricultural destruction in occupied territories.
5. construction and expansion of illegal settlements.
6. lobbying, advocating, or legal defense in support of illegal occupation.

c) Apartheid Infrastructure and Services:

1. construction, maintenance, or enhancement of infrastructure that enforces apartheid.
2. companies providing material or equipment for walls or checkpoints enforcing apartheid.
3. companies or individuals discriminating against ethnic or racial groups in services, goods, or employment.
4. companies or individuals involved in segregationist practices or supporting apartheid regimes.
5. services and utilities that support illegal settlements.
6. banking and financial operations that help develop, expand, or maintain settlements and their activities.

Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, and War Crimes, contribute to the deprivation of life, liberty, and human rights of a people, and violate international law.

Venture capital firms must not support Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, or War Crimes.

Criteria:

Supporting genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity includes but is not limited to:

a) Human Tragedy and Fatalities:

1. directly engaging in or facilitating actions leading to mass killings, forced displacement, and/or severe human suffering.
2. participating in or funding operations that result in the loss of life, injury, or long-term health impacts on civilian populations.
3. providing critical supplies for violent acts such as weapons, ammunition, or other military-grade equipment or surveillance technology used against and in violent acts against the civilian population.
4. supporting the systematic removal or destruction of specific ethnic, religious, or cultural groups.

b) Financial and Supply Chain Support:

1. financial institutions that supports regimes or companies implicated in genocide or ethnic cleansing.
2. supply chains linked to genocidal practices, avoiding materials or products sourced from conflict zones.
3. logistics or tooling that facilitate crimes against humanity.
4. providing essential supplies like food, oil, and other resources that help committing crimes against humanity.

c) Support of Genocidal Economies:

1. bonds, stocks, or any financial instruments issued by governments or entities committing genocide or ethnic cleansing.
2. partnerships or joint ventures with state-owned enterprises of countries involved in genocidal policies.
3. companies headquartered in, with offices or personnel in, having substantial operations in, or having significant contracts with countries committing genocide or ethnic cleansing, regardless of the company’s direct involvement in these activities.

d) Indirect Support and Complicity:

1. companies that indirectly support or benefit from entities involved in genocidal or ethnic cleansing activities through supply chains or third-party relationships.
2. involvement with companies providing technology, data, or resources that could facilitate genocidal or ethnic cleansing actions.

Venture-backed businesses need to demonstrate rapid growth to provide appropriate returns for Venture Capital investment. This need for rapid deployment poses a direct conflict to principles of international humanitarian law, responsible weapon development, and advancing peace. It also encourages increased war, disproportionate warfare, attacks on civilians, and violation of international treaties.

Venture capital firms must not support weapons development of any kind.

Criteria:

Supporting weapons development includes but is not limited to:

a) Weapons and Military Technology:

1. weapons or military gear, offensive cyber tools, or aggressive law enforcement tech.

2. weapon research or development, including aerospace companies who develop missiles, or satellites for war uses.

b) Targeting and Autonomous Systems:

1. facial recognition or geolocation technology for weapons targeting.

2. unmanned military systems or rapid-deployment defense systems, including autonomous vehicles such as unmanned aerial and ground vehicles for various defense applications.

3. developing “kill” web technologies.

c) AI Integration into Warfare:

1. developing AI technologies for autonomous weapons, surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat systems.

2. dual-use potential that increases market size and commercial viability but are used for both commercial and defense applications.

3. breakthroughs in AI that revolutionize the defense sector and enhance the global arms trade.

4. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Technologies:

   • development of ISR technologies that are used to gather and analyze information about enemy forces, terrain, and activities.

5. Nuclear Weapons:

   • development, production, or maintenance of nuclear weapons.

   • research or technologies that contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons or related delivery systems.

6. Arms Trade:

   • developing AI that revolutionizes the defense sector, enhancing the global arms trade.

Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, and Apartheid, contribute to the deprivation of life, liberty, and human rights of a people, and violate international law.

Manufacturing Consent refers to individuals or organizations creating, promoting and reinforcing public narratives that support committing Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, and Apartheid.

Venture capital firms must not support the manufacturing of consent for Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, and Apartheid.

Criteria:

Supporting Manufacturing Consent for Crimes against Humanity includes engaging in public communications, organized campaigns, political lobbying, public relations, messaging research, or state-sponsored campaigns which contribute to these crimes, including:

a) Supporting, defending, justifying, normalizing or glorifying these crimes, including:

1. equating civilian populations to militants, or blurring the distinction between civilians and militants
2. providing or promoting plausible deniability for these crimes
3. supporting the actions or rhetoric of governments and militaries, or their representatives, who are committing these crimes
4. advocating for breaches of international law, including disproportionate military actions, or actions against civilians
5. spreading false propaganda and misinformation

b) Dehumanization of the victims of these crimes, or denying or minimizing the existence of these crimes, including downplaying civilian deaths and casualties

c) Distracting from the reporting of these crimes, including by

1. advocating for violence, suppression, retaliation, loss of employment, income, housing, or educational opportunities, of people advocating against these crimes
2. advocating against institutions or organizations providing essential services to protect against, prevent, or address the casualties of these crimes
3. weaponizing false definitions of racism, or supporting organizations which weaponize false definitions of racism
4. using passive voice to prevent naming the perpetrator of the crime

d) Promoting or advocating for ethnocentrism, including race-, nationality-, or ethnicity-based exceptionalism or supremacy

Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, and Apartheid, contribute to the deprivation of life, liberty, and human rights of a people, and violate international law.

Venture capital firms must not associate with individuals who have participated or are complicit in Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, or Apartheid, especially in leadership or key roles.

Criteria:

Complicity in Crimes against Humanity includes but is not limited to:

a) Individuals who have directly committed these crimes:

1. Individuals accused or convicted of these crimes.
2. Former defense personnel associated with countries or organizations accused of these crimes.

b) Individuals who have had a supporting role in these crimes:

1. Have ties to military operations involved in these crimes.
2. Provide support services or logistics to entities engaged in these crimes.
3. Have a history of involvement in military operations or organizations accused of these crimes.
4. Fund the defense of individuals or organizations accused of these crimes.

c) Individuals who have indirectly contributed to these crimes:

1. Indirectly support or benefit from entities engaged in these crimes through supply chains or third-party relationships.
2. Engage in activities that could be seen as complicit in these crimes, such as providing technology, data, or resources to oppressive regimes.

Crimes against Humanity, including Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, War Crimes, and Apartheid, contribute to the deprivation of life, liberty, and human rights of a people, and violate international law.

Venture capital firms must not make investments that support the economies of countries which have participated or are complicit in Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, Ethnic Cleansing, and War Crimes.

Exception: Where the perpetrator of said crimes controls the economic opportunity of the victims of the genocide, this criteria does not preclude supporting those victims, or members of the victim group.

Criteria:

Investments in Economies of Crimes against Humanity includes but is not limited to:

a) Investment in ventures or assets associated with individuals, companies or other ventures incorporated in, or with operations based in, states or territories charged with these crimes, including:

1. Venture capital and private equity investments
2. Public equity or stock investments in such companies or ventures

b) Financial agreements with individuals, companies or ventures incorporated in, or whose operations are based in, states or territories charged with these crimes, including:

1. Financial partnerships, loans, mortgages, debts include venture debt, convertible debt, or SAFE agreements, leases, other property agreements, and any other business transactions
2. Mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, IP agreements, or joint ventures
3. Major relationships as customers, vendors, or partners

c) Educational or research agreements and relationships with institutions and companies incorporated in, or whose operations are based in, states or territories charged with these crimes, including:

1. Providing internships, or undergraduate or post-graduate apprenticeship opportunities
2. Providing scholarships
3. Funded trips and learning opportunities

d) Business partnerships with companies or other ventures incorporated in, or with operations based in, states or territories charged with these crimes, including:

1. Co-marketing, partnerships, sponsorships, joint public relations, advertising, and media campaigns, sharing of customer information or relationships
2. Seeking to encourage travel, migration, or investment