“I remember being about four or five, begging my dad for a video game console,” Ruben Mpanya recalls with a chuckle in his voice. “Instead, he bought me six volumes of the Children’s Oxford Encyclopaedia. He, my brother, and my sister would sit and read with me. Because of that, I could read and write by Grade 1.”
It’s not the typical origin story you hear in investment circles, but for Ruben, it was the beginning of a lifelong journey, a story defined by curiosity, family support, and the desire to make a meaningful impact. Now a Strategic Projects Associate at Innovation Edge (IE), Ruben channels his background in economics, corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions into a mission that starts at the earliest stage of life: early childhood.
“I’m a product of active parenting,” he reflects. “That early support is a big part of why I care so deeply about the work we do.”
From Deals to Development
Born and bred in Pretoria just north of Johannesburg, Ruben carved his early career path in corporate finance, and mergers and acquisitions – “basically buying and selling companies,” he explains. After a few years of working on high-stake deals across Africa, he began to ask bigger questions, “How can these skills be used to serve society?”
“I spent a lot of time leading expansion projects across the continent, figuring out how to make businesses work in low-resourced or underserved markets,” Ruben shares. “That experience made me very aware of the systemic inequities that begin right at birth.”
In 2023, Ruben joined Innovation Edge, drawn to our mission of backing bold, often unconventional innovative solutions in early childhood development. “Innovation Edge aligned perfectly with my interests in investing, social development, and social justice,” he says, highlighting the powerful synergy between his financial skill and his growing passion for social impact. “If you back a bold idea at this early stage, you have a real opportunity to shape the development of a child, and that child’s contribution to society.”
The Bridge Between Vision and Impact: Ruben’s Role at IE
At Innovation Edge, Ruben describes his role as a bridge between strategy, fundraising, and partnerships. It’s a dynamic position that calls for deep thinking to chart the path forward and even deeper collaboration to bring diverse ideas to life.
“I support Innovation Edge in shaping its overall strategy, and I lead engagements with funders and partners,” he elaborates. “It’s really about helping to drive the organisation’s mission forward.”
For Ruben, this means working with a broad network that includes portfolio partners, ecosystem partners, and funders. He truly enjoys the multifaceted challenge of his role – from clearly articulating the organisation’s big picture to potential funders to getting hands-on with social innovators and entrepreneurs to sharpen their impact.
“There’s something magical about seeing a social innovator come in with a simple idea,” Ruben observes. He points to the collaborative process at Innovation Edge, where we don’t only provide capital but actively engage in partnership to develop robust, scalable solutions. “Then we help them refine their impact model and provide support that allows them to scale. Knowing that scale results in impact for children in low-resourced communities is what makes the work meaningful for me,” he adds, a clear sense of purpose resonating in his voice.
Balancing Bold Ideas and Sustainable Futures
Of course, meaningful work doesn’t come without challenges. For Ruben, navigating the complex landscape of social innovation means the most difficult part is striking a delicate balance between innovation and financial investability.
“A lot of social innovators have powerful ideas, but they haven’t thought about how to make them sustainable,” he explains with insight. Ruben highlights a common hurdle, which is turning a brilliant concept for social good into a viable, long-term solution that can truly make a lasting difference.
“Our role is to help de-risk their ideas without diluting the core of their innovation. That’s the tricky part.”
It’s a constant balancing act, demanding creative solutions to ensure these innovative concepts can thrive long-term.
He recalls instances where introducing sustainability, like the idea of building in alternative revenue streams or attracting additional investment, was met with resistance. “Some see it as conflicting with their impact goals,” he shares. “But we believe financial sustainability is essential because it helps ensure their impact can continue long term,” he adds.
Collaboration Over Silos
When it comes to strengthening South Africa’s early childhood ecosystem, Ruben sees collaboration as absolutely essential, recognising its power to amplify impact and drive systematic change, but he also acknowledges it’s not always easy:
“There’s limited collaboration within the ecosystem because people often want to solve problems in only one specific way. When someone comes in with a different approach, it’s often met with hesitation or not fully embraced.”
So, what’s the solution?
“Maybe the way to break silos is by creating opportunities for the ecosystem to come together around a specific project or challenge. It encourages collaboration because they can identify where their work overlaps and how they can support each other,” he suggests.
Building Tomorrow’s Future Today
For Ruben, this work is driven by a greater purpose than financial figures – it’s about legacy. It’s about using the tools of investment to shift generational outcomes, starting from a child’s earliest days.
“You can’t separate the development of society from the development of children,” he says.
Ruben passionately believes that a thriving society begins with a strong foundation laid in a child’s earliest years, impacting everything from economic stability to social cohesion.
“If we get the early foundation right, that child becomes someone who contributes positively to society.”
Ruben may have started his journey with economics and encyclopaedias, but he’s firmly rooted in the future now, where he’s actively shaping opportunities and building a stronger foundation for South Africa’s children.
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Author: Dimpho Lephaila – Communications Associate at Innovation Edge