For Dave Fanger, building an in-house startup was labor of love.
“It was a nights and weekends passion of mine,” said Fanger, CEO of Swell, the impact investing platform owned by Newport Beach, California-based insurer Pacific Life. “We were looking for asset managers to acquire, but I didn’t see anything out there that was addressing the values I was looking for.”
For Fanger, finding partners who were committed to sustainability was important. So six years ago, he teamed up with a colleague and decided to launch Swell — but instead of creating a startup from scratch, he decided to do so from within Pacific Life. As venture capital funding becomes harder to come by, corporate-incubated startups may become more common. For Swell, maintaining the “separateness” of the startup entity is a critical driver of success.
More in Marketing
Avocados From Mexico turns to AI to advertise around the Super Bowl instead of a TV buy
As Super Bowl ad prices climb, Avocados From Mexico is leaning further into an AI activation designed to drive engagement and utility in real time.
In Graphic Detail: Why platforms are turning social video into living room TV
2026 is shaping up to be the year that the rest of the platforms join YouTube in turning the screw on traditional TV.
Beverage brands update Dry January marketing based on changing consumer habits
Today, people generally seek balance when pursuing their personalized wellness goals in a new year.