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Lukas Walton

Lukas Walton is an American philanthropist and impact investor, a grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton, who founded Builders Vision, a sustainability-focused philanthropy and impact-investing platform.

Contents9 sections
Key facts

Early Years to 2010: Family and Education

Lukas Walton was born in Southern California to John Walton, the second son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Christy Walton.⁠[1][2]

He attended Colorado College, where he designed his own major in environmentally sustainable business, and graduated in 2010 with a degree in environmental science and economics; he later studied energy efficiency and hydrological and geothermal energy in Iceland.⁠[1][3]

His Father’s Death and Inheritance

In 2005 John Walton died in the crash of a homemade ultralight aircraft. Lukas Walton received about one third of his father’s estate, while his mother, Christy Walton, received about one sixth; he also inherited his father’s 20% interest in Walton Enterprises.⁠[2][3]

Founding S2G Ventures

In 2014 Walton started S2G Ventures to invest in startups focused on energy, agriculture and the oceans.⁠[4]

Formation and Public Launch of Builders Vision

Walton’s impact-investing and philanthropy platform was formed under a different name in December 2017 and renamed Builders Vision LLC on November 18, 2020; Builders Vision’s website gives 2018 as its founding year.⁠[1][5]

Builders Vision’s website went live on October 12, 2021. Walton was then its chief executive; the Chicago-based organization had about 60 employees and focused on food and agriculture, healthy oceans, community, and climate and energy, with its Builders Initiative supporting organizations through grant making and impact investing; it committed $2 billion to philanthropy between 2019 and 2021.⁠[1]

On October 27, 2021, Builders Private Capital started a $300 million clean energy fund. Walton said Builders Vision’s work “is about the organizations and people on the ground who are innovating and pursuing solutions that we desperately need.”⁠[1]

S2G Becomes Independent

On May 2, 2024, S2G Ventures began operating independently of Builders Vision. For the previous three years it had sat under Builders Vision with Walton as its sole limited partner; on becoming independent it began bringing in other investors, with a portfolio of more than 100 companies.⁠[4]

S2G was formerly a division of Builders Vision; its personnel now operate S2G Investment Advisers, LLC, an independent entity that Builders Vision does not control.⁠[5]

Forbes Net Worth Estimate

Walton Family Foundation

Walton sits on the board of the Walton Family Foundation and chairs its environment program committee; he also chairs the Walton Conservation Coalition.⁠[1][3]

He recalled that “one of the first grants that we did back in the day was help to develop a sustainable fisheries label.”⁠[3]

Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts

Builders Vision: Official website: https://www.buildersvision.com/ (opens in a new window).⁠[5]

Sources

  1. Lukas Walton starts Builders Vision to fund businesses tackling environmental, social challenges (opens in a new window)
  2. Lukas Walton (opens in a new window)
  3. Meet Lukas Walton, the fiercely private heir to the Walmart empire who has donated millions from his fortune to find solutions to environmental problems (opens in a new window)
  4. Walmart heir Lukas Walton’s Builders Vision puts S2G on a path to independence (opens in a new window)
  5. Our people and values are the foundation of Builders Vision (opens in a new window)