UBS, Goldman

The demand for investments with an impact has helped push the number of money managers with mission-related investment products to 421 in 2013 from 165 in 2008, according to data compiled by Cambridge Associates, which provides consulting services to family offices and private foundations. Banks including UBS AG, Goldman Sachs and Bank of America Corp. now offer social-impact bonds that finance programs to improve education, prison rates or the environment.

Jean Case, who is CEO of the Washington-based Case Foundation, declined to comment on the total amount that her family office and foundation have devoted to such so-called impact investments, or on their performance. The Cases’ impact investments have mainly been in early-stage, closely held businesses, she said.

At BrainScope, scientists including Leslie Prichep of New York University School of Medicine are using a database of brainwave recordings to create algorithms that would quickly spot abnormalities in brain functions, said Michael Singer, the company’s president and CEO.

Prototype Device

An initial focus is detection of traumatic brain injuries in U.S. soldiers. The company plans to give the military a prototype, smartphone-based system in the next few months, Singer said in an interview. The device, which isn’t approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for commercial use, aims to non-invasively assess if someone has a brain injury that could need treatment.

“There’s a tremendous amount of economic opportunity,” Singer said. “You can really help the world and you can do really well.”

Jean Case is a member of BrainScope’s board of directors. Her family’s investment was made through Revolution LLC, which was the couple’s family office at the time and is now Steve Case’s investment firm. The firm’s funds, Revolution Growth and Revolution Ventures, aren’t investors in BrainScope, according to spokeswoman Allyson Burns. The Cases have made bets on other startups with their family money including car-sharing service Zipcar and LivingSocial, a daily coupon site.