The impact investment leader will represent Ecuador in one of the most influential and diverse cohorts of Yale’s international leadership program.
Michelle Arévalo‑Carpenter, Co-Founder and General Partner at IMPAQTO Capital, has been selected as a Yale World Fellow 2025, becoming only the fourth person from Ecuador to receive this prestigious recognition.
The Maurice R. Greenberg Yale World Fellows Program, established in 2002, is one of the most respected international programs for emerging global leaders. Each year, Yale University selects 16 to 20 individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to the common good. For four months, Fellows join Yale’s academic life to reflect, share insights, and design their next steps for impact.
“In leadership roles, we rarely have the opportunity to pause, look back at the path traveled, and intentionally design our next big step. I am very grateful for this opportunity and for the support of my family, who accompany me during this academic residency,” she says.
Among Ecuadorians who have participated in the program are figures such as Jessica Faieta, former UN Under-Secretary-General and senior UNDP executive, and Diego A. Tituaña, Kichwa diplomat and indigenous rights advocate in the multilateral system.
Arévalo‑Carpenter, recognized for her work in entrepreneurship, social innovation, and impact finance, will use this experience to design IMPAQTO Capital’s new investment fund, focused on strengthening regenerative value chains in the Andean Amazon. During her time at Yale, she will continue working alongside Justin Schwartz, partner at the investment fund, exploring new models to mobilize just and regenerative capital from and for local territories.
Despite being a young firm, IMPAQTO Capital has already invested in eight impact companies in the Andean region. These companies have generated tangible results: improving the living conditions of over 247,000 people through access to essential services and sustainable livelihoods; contributing to the mitigation of 8,400 tons of CO₂ emissions; and creating 413 jobs, 49 % of which are held by women. Additionally, 75 % of the portfolio companies have at least one female co-founder, and women occupy 42 % of leadership positions, reflecting a clear commitment to gender equity and inclusive leadership.
