Alessa Berg was born in the Italian part of Switzerland, which exposed her to different cultures from a very young age. As her childhood revolved around different cultural influences, Berg acquired a taste for appreciating diversity early on and learned to see the world through a new lens each day.
Reflecting about her earlier times, Berg comments, “I grew up in a unique place: when you go to Italy, you’re Swiss and when you go to other parts of Switzerland, you’re Italian. You learn to see things from different perspectives.” This multicultural life has always encouraged Berg to remain open to different approaches that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Multiculturalism also led this talented and curious mind to become fluent in six different languages. Alessa believes that languages offer a bridge to embrace individuality as a unifying, rather than divisive force. Speaking of lessons learned from such a colorful exposure, Berg says, “German is very structured and logical. When you start a long sentence, you already need to know it’s ending. In Latin languages, who knows where your sentence will end up when you start it!”
This cognitive ability fueled Berg’s entrepreneurial inclination as an 11-year-old, running her own resale stand. Rekindling her leadership spirits decades later, she has proven herself time and again, from moving into venture capital to starting her own business.
Top Tier Impact itself emerged out of Berg’s penchant for exploring and understanding different points of view. When she first learned about the impact investment ecosystem, her values resonated with the idea of sustainability in business. She knew she had to contribute to the growth of this field. Top Tier Impact strives to fund sustainable and impactful companies to build a better world.
Berg reveals that even today, as an adult, her interest in understanding different people and stories has not dulled. “I learn so much through people’s different points of view and where they come from. It’s been a casual and social hobby, but it’s expanded my horizons and knowledge in all sorts of areas.” This empathy for human qualities and their uniqueness has contributed to drive the rapid growth of her global impact business.
Top Tier Impact and Alessa Berg work to support the success of entrepreneurs, investors and professionals who are part of the impact and sustainability movement. They are enabling positive change through sustainability all across the world.