Introduction

Invest for impact and socio-economic growth in your community

What is 144?

An investment platform


144 is an impact-driven investment platform that connects businesses and their customers with innovative startups addressing societal challenges.

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A community growth platform

We foster a community of businesses, customers, investors, startups, and experts, allowing them to leverage each other’s expertise, innovation, and infrastructure to drive long-term systemic change.

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A tool to fight inequity


We believe that everyone should be able to invest in and benefit from impact-driven startups/projects that are working to improve their community and society, thereby creating a more equitable future for all.

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What makes 144 unique?

Easy Impact Investing

Growth, Community & Accessibility

We provide a platform with a streamlined investment process and a wider range of investment opportunities that generate both financial returns and social impact.

01 About Us

We help you match your investments with your principles and support long-term growth and systemic change without sacrificing your financial goals.

A simple and effective platform that allows SMEs and their customers to easily invest in innovative purpose-driven companies/start-ups. We enable SMEs and their customers to create positive change while also generating a financial return on their investment.

02 Our Story

Our Story

In 2021, Daariq and Tobi founded 144 to revolutionize impact investing for individuals and SMEs. Daariq, a Somali refugee living in South Africa, witnessed firsthand the transformative power of investing in local businesses and startups in his community. Inspired by the long-term systemic impact, they aimed to create a platform to help others invest in their communities.

Joined by Gisele later, we focused on creating a platform that connects SMEs with impactful startups or initiatives, through this approach, 144 hopes to enable startups to seek funding beyond traditional sources and open up new avenues for growth and impact. 144 is committed to building a world where impact and growth go hand in hand.

The ultimate goal is to empower businesses to invest in the future they want to see, through every transaction.

03 Behind The Name

Behind The Name

In the 1950s and 60s in East Africa, an Italian professor presented a mathematical problem to a class of students. Among the young minds sat a boy named Ismail Duale. Despite the challenges that he and his community faced, Ismail had an insatiable hunger for knowledge and a razor-sharp mind. He quickly solved the problem with ease, arriving at the answer of 144. And with that, Ismail gained a new nickname from his classmates: 144.

This story speaks to the harsh realities of inequality and the lack of opportunities afforded to minority and emerging markets. Ismail’s natural talent and ability were clear, but the opportunities available to him were limited by a system that favoured the few. Today, we at 144 are working to balance the scales of opportunity and investment, to create a brighter and more equitable future for all.

Our Values

  • Innovative

Collaborative
Integrity-driven
Impact-driven
Transparent
Inclusive

Innovative

/ˈɪnəvətɪv/

adjective
featuring new methods; advanced and original.

introducing new ideas; original and creative in thinking.

Our Team

Daariq A. Yusuf
Co-Founder and CEO
Business & Project development

Tobi Ibikunle
Co-Founder and CTO
Tech and Product developer

Gisele Magalhães
Co-Founder and CFO
Finance & Operations

Linda Boulkoroum
Head of Marketing Operations

Our Board of Advisors

Prof. Oliver MacConnell
Managing Director of Fashion Practice
Academy Berlin

Chiedza Muguti
Head of Product at PentaProduct Leader | Advisor | Coach | Mentor | Strategist

Theresa Bardubitzki
Sustainability Manager at KfW Capital

Simon Peters
Web3 | Tokenomics | Art

Moritz Spangenberg
Executive MBA | Start-ups and scale-ups

Martin Schilling
Managing Director Techstars Berlin

Christian Grosser
Consultant for project management,digitalization, financing with a focus on founders and medium-sized businesses.

Laurenz Lenkewitz
Business Dev, Advisor, Interim Manager | SaaS, Mobile and Web3

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