Miami Beach, FL-based Starwood Capital Group, a global private investment firm with a primary focus on real estate, has initiated Starwood Impact Investors, a return-driven strategy that seeks to invest in real estate opportunities controlled by women and diverse owners and operators across the United States.

Starwood Impact Investors aims to empower underrepresented partners in the real estate industry by providing them with access to capital. Starwood Capital Group, through this initiative, is looking to expand its network of operating partners through a mix of joint ventures with established firms and direct investments in emerging companies. The capital for these investments will come from the firm’s existing investment vehicles and will be made across asset types.

“The underrepresentation of women and diverse-owned real estate firms in the market is a significant issue,” said Jeff Dishner, president of Starwood Capital Group. “At Starwood Capital Group, we believe that expanding the spectrum of representation will uncover valuable investment opportunities that may have gone unnoticed before. By providing more funding and resources to these partners, we aim to address the significant wealth disparity in the built environment.”

Starwood Impact Investors is led by managing director Bakari Adams and designed to identify and capitalize on promising opportunities in the commercial real estate sector. In addition to working with senior investment and operating professionals within Starwood Capital, Starwood Impact Investors will also establish impactful partnerships with organizations focused on educational and talent development.