Global Innovation Fund

Agros is an ag-tech company focused on promoting sustainable farming practices and enhancing the economic viability of agriculture. The company offers a range of carbon-reducing and income-boosting products and services, addressing challenges such as fuel dependency and soil degradation. Agros employs a unique ecosystem approach that combines various low-carbon technologies with affordable financing, insurance, advisory services, and market access. By doing so, it aims to improve the yields of horticulture farmers while also facilitating their transition to environmentally friendly practices. Agros is committed to doubling the income of millions of farmers and significantly reducing carbon emissions, targeting a reduction of 100 megatons annually.

Komunidad is a provider of Climate Action Management Software that combines environmental intelligence, ESG and sustainability management, climate risk assessment, and social impact tools into one comprehensive platform. This system delivers critical environmental data to support climate resilience and sustainability efforts for governments and businesses. By offering visualizations, reports, and alerting features, Komunidad enables users to make informed decisions regarding safety, operational efficiency, business continuity, and preparedness for natural disasters. The company's focus is on empowering entities to effectively manage climate risks and transition towards a low-carbon future through the strategic use of data and analytics.

Mr. Green Africa Ltd is a Nairobi-based plastic recycling company founded in 2014, focused on addressing waste management challenges in Kenya. The company operates by collecting and converting post-consumer plastic waste into recycled materials, including various grades of rHDPE, rPP, and rPET pellets. By integrating informal waste workers and micro-entrepreneurs into a formal value chain, Mr. Green Africa promotes a sustainable approach to waste management, emphasizing the value of waste as a resource. The company sells pre-processed recycling materials that are traceable for their social and environmental impact, aiming to change perceptions about waste and foster a culture of recycling. Through its innovative and technology-driven model, Mr. Green Africa seeks to help businesses minimize the environmental impact of their plastic packaging while creating economic value for local communities.

Mr. Green Africa Ltd is a Nairobi-based plastic recycling company founded in 2014, focused on addressing waste management challenges in Kenya. The company operates by collecting and converting post-consumer plastic waste into recycled materials, including various grades of rHDPE, rPP, and rPET pellets. By integrating informal waste workers and micro-entrepreneurs into a formal value chain, Mr. Green Africa promotes a sustainable approach to waste management, emphasizing the value of waste as a resource. The company sells pre-processed recycling materials that are traceable for their social and environmental impact, aiming to change perceptions about waste and foster a culture of recycling. Through its innovative and technology-driven model, Mr. Green Africa seeks to help businesses minimize the environmental impact of their plastic packaging while creating economic value for local communities.

Kamatan Farm Tech Pvt Ltd is a New Delhi-based company, founded in 2017, that specializes in developing efficient agricultural supply chains for fresh produce in India. The company focuses on connecting farmers with buyers by sourcing produce directly from farmers and farmer producer organizations. It provides support to farmers in implementing best practices for production, harvesting, packaging, and transportation, ensuring they receive higher value for their products compared to traditional supply chains. Kamatan Farm Tech utilizes technology to minimize waste and inefficiencies while fostering transparent and value-driven relationships between producers and bulk buyers. By leveraging a comprehensive understanding of agricultural policy, farming practices, and logistics, the company ensures quality produce reaches the market efficiently, enhancing the overall value chain from farm gate to consumer.

WhereIsMyTransport Ltd is an urban transportation technology company based in London, United Kingdom, with a presence in Cape Town, South Africa. The company specializes in providing comprehensive public transport data for emerging-market megacities, focusing on regions in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Europe, and South and Southeast Asia. By digitalizing network information from various modes of public transport, WhereIsMyTransport ensures data accuracy amidst the dynamic changes of these systems. Their platform offers a data collection framework for mapping both formal and informal transport networks, equipping businesses, municipalities, and citizens with essential information to enhance infrastructure and navigate urban environments effectively. Through its innovative products and data services, WhereIsMyTransport aims to improve the public transport experience for users and support industry stakeholders in their operational needs.

Mr. Green Africa Ltd is a Nairobi-based plastic recycling company founded in 2014, focused on addressing waste management challenges in Kenya. The company operates by collecting and converting post-consumer plastic waste into recycled materials, including various grades of rHDPE, rPP, and rPET pellets. By integrating informal waste workers and micro-entrepreneurs into a formal value chain, Mr. Green Africa promotes a sustainable approach to waste management, emphasizing the value of waste as a resource. The company sells pre-processed recycling materials that are traceable for their social and environmental impact, aiming to change perceptions about waste and foster a culture of recycling. Through its innovative and technology-driven model, Mr. Green Africa seeks to help businesses minimize the environmental impact of their plastic packaging while creating economic value for local communities.

Balloon Ventures bundles loans of ~$25,000 with tech-enabled business support to de-risk and profitably lend to SMEs in Kenya and Uganda. The approach is unlocking a $150bn segment in sub-Saharan Africa who are currently under-served by all existing financial institutions. Balloon has now made $10m+ loans and is profitable and scaling fast.

CityTaps is a technology company that provides prepaid water delivery services to utilities in developing countries. Its innovative solution comprises the world's only smart and prepaid water meter, along with billing software. This system enables utilities to become financially independent, allowing them to invest in infrastructure for at-home water service even for the poorest residents. Beneficiaries can use mobile money to prepay for running water via any mobile phone, at any time, and in any amount, improving their household budget. CityTaps' solution aims to dramatically enhance the lives of those without access to water in the home, potentially benefiting over a billion people worldwide.

A handheld, pocket-sized ultrasound system that empowers radiologists to accelerate treatment decisions at the point of care

OnlinePajak is a web-based platform designed to simplify corporate tax management and administration. The company offers an all-in-one application that enables businesses to prepare, pay, and file taxes online through a seamless and integrated system. By streamlining the tax process, OnlinePajak aims to enhance tax collection and alleviate the administrative burden associated with corporate taxes. The platform allows users to manage tax calculations, make payments, and report their tax obligations efficiently, ultimately improving business performance and productivity. Through its innovative approach, OnlinePajak addresses the complexities of tax compliance, making it easier for companies to meet their financial responsibilities.

Paga is a mobile payment company focused on creating a digital ecosystem for money transactions, primarily in Nigeria, where it is recognized as a leading provider in the sector. The company's application facilitates sending and receiving money through mobile devices, making financial services accessible to a broad audience. In addition to transferring funds, Paga's platform allows users to purchase airtime credits, pay bills, and make retail payments, addressing the growing demand for viable payment options. With an ambitious mission to simplify financial access for one billion people, Paga aims to overcome the challenges associated with traditional banking and enhance the overall financial inclusion in its target markets.

ideas42 is a design and research lab that uses behavioral economics to address complex social problems. ideas42 was established in 2008 by Sendhil Mullainathan of Harvard University, Antoinette Schoar of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Simeon Djankov, then of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) of the World Bank Group, Eldar Shafir of Princeton University, Jeffrey Kling of the Brookings Institution, and Michael Kremer of Harvard University. At ideas42 we look at everything – including our own internal processes — through a behavioral lens. We approach our work with a spirit of generosity, but we retain a sense of playfulness that helps to drive our creativity. As individuals, we are tenacious and rigorous, and take shared responsibility for the organization’s success. Perhaps most importantly, we do good, striving every day to improve the lives of people all over the world.

EM3 AgriServices Pvt. Ltd., established in 2013 and headquartered in Noida, India, specializes in providing comprehensive on-farm services aimed at enhancing agricultural productivity for Indian farmers. As one of the pioneering private sector initiatives in the realm of farm mechanization and technology services, the company addresses the entire cultivation cycle. EM3 is focused on developing a diverse range of service lines with the long-term objective of becoming a full-stack marketplace that enables small farmers to access various essential agricultural inputs and services.

WhereIsMyTransport Ltd is an urban transportation technology company based in London, United Kingdom, with a presence in Cape Town, South Africa. The company specializes in providing comprehensive public transport data for emerging-market megacities, focusing on regions in Africa, Latin America, Southeast Europe, and South and Southeast Asia. By digitalizing network information from various modes of public transport, WhereIsMyTransport ensures data accuracy amidst the dynamic changes of these systems. Their platform offers a data collection framework for mapping both formal and informal transport networks, equipping businesses, municipalities, and citizens with essential information to enhance infrastructure and navigate urban environments effectively. Through its innovative products and data services, WhereIsMyTransport aims to improve the public transport experience for users and support industry stakeholders in their operational needs.

PayGo Energy is a Kenyan company founded in 2014 that develops and manufactures metering systems for pre-paid cooking gas. Its innovative technology allows customers to monitor their gas consumption and predict when their supply will run low, facilitating timely refills. By utilizing a pay-as-you-go model, the company enables households to purchase clean cooking fuel within their budget through mobile money transactions. This approach addresses the significant environmental and health issues associated with traditional cooking methods that rely on biomass fuels, which affect underserved communities globally. The company's system links gas cylinders with a cloud service and mobile connectivity, thereby enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of clean energy solutions for everyday cooking needs.

SwipeRx is a digital platform designed for pharmacies that connects pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies, and patients. It offers specialized healthcare logistics, negotiated pricing, and financing solutions, creating the largest digital pharmacy purchasing network. The platform generates insights that enhance collaboration among pharmacies, improve pharmacist education, and strengthen market access. Additionally, it optimizes commercial strategies and boosts operational efficiencies, providing real-time access to patient and sales data. By doing so, SwipeRx enables its clients to improve patient affordability, access, and adherence to medications.

SparkMeter Inc., established in 2012 with headquarters in Washington D.C. and an office in Nairobi, Kenya, specializes in developing electricity metering systems tailored for rural and central utilities in developing markets. The company offers a range of products including SM16R, SM60R, SM60RP, and SM200E meters, catering to residential, large residential, medium commercial, and post-paid customers respectively. Additionally, SparkMeter provides software solutions that enhance grid efficiency, enable microgrids, facilitate prepaid billing, improve customer communications, and allow remote monitoring and control for utilities operating in remote areas.

Afrimarket is a pioneering money transfer operator that facilitates remittances from African migrants to their families back home at significantly reduced costs compared to traditional methods. Established in 2012, Afrimarket addresses two primary challenges faced by African migrant workers: high remittance fees and the risk of funds being diverted from their intended purpose. The company's innovative cash-to-goods approach enables migrants to send dedicated funds via its online platform or soon through brick-and-mortar agents in sending countries. Recipients can then redeem these funds exclusively at designated points-of-sale for specific purposes such as purchasing food, medicine, or paying tuition fees. By leveraging mobile technology and eliminating intermediaries, Afrimarket drives down remittance fees and ensures that more money reaches the intended recipients. Additionally, Afrimarket operates an online marketplace offering a wide range of products including food, appliances, building materials, live animals, and mainstream brands, providing African markets with access to goods they may not otherwise have locally.

SafeBoda is a community-based urban transportation network operating primarily in Africa, designed to provide a reliable and convenient alternative to traditional urban transport methods. Founded in Kampala, Uganda, the company focuses on modernizing informal transportation by offering a mobile platform that connects passengers with trained motorcycle taxi drivers. These drivers receive training in road safety, first aid, bike maintenance, and customer service to ensure safe and efficient travel for users. SafeBoda aims to improve the overall transportation experience for both drivers and passengers, catering to the needs of Africa's growing young population while promoting safety and convenience in urban mobility.

Valid Nutrition is an ambitious social enterprise that is aiming to unleash a disruptive change in how the problem of malnutrition is addressed. We design, manufacture and market nutritional pastes for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in developing countries. By regarding malnourished children as customers and by empowering mothers together with an innovative evidence based and business driven approach, we intend to be a catalyst for a sustainable solution.

Young 1ove is a grassroots, youth-led, evidence-based movement based in Gaborone, Botswana. We identify, adapt and scale-up health and education programs proven to work, by young people for young people. Since 2014, we have reached over 50,000 young people in Southern Africa.

PoaPower is a renewable energy start-up founded in 2013 by two experienced entrepreneurs, focused on delivering clean and affordable electricity to off-grid, low-income consumers in Kenya. The company utilizes proprietary technology and operates a pay-as-you-go business model, which eliminates the need for large upfront fees and fixed monthly payments. By offering simple and affordable mobile money options, PoaPower enables communities to access clean energy, improving their quality of life and promoting sustainable practices. The company's commitment to developing and commercializing renewable energy innovations positions it as a significant player in the renewable energy sector in Kenya.

Educate! provides a proven mix of a leadership and social entrepreneurship course, long-term mentoring, and an alumni program to empower high school students to start businesses and community initiatives. Today, Educate! works with 1,000 youth across Uganda and is developing a model that can applied across Africa.

No Lean Season reduces the negative effects of seasonality on the poorest in rural agricultural areas by enabling labor mobility that increases incomes. It is a new program that they are testing in Evidence Action Beta's portfolio, based on rigorous experimental evidence. They give a travel subsidy of $20 to very poor rural laborers so they can send a family member to a nearby city to find a job during the period between planting and harvesting. This is the time in rural areas when there are no jobs, no income, and when families miss meals. This seasonal poverty affects 600 million people around the world. With a temporary job during this 'lean season,' households are are able to put an additional meal on the table for every member of the family each and every day. That’s 500 additional meals during the lean season.

Newborn Foundation develops and leverages technologies, policies, and on-the-ground education and training programs that support the adoption and sustainability of life-saving interventions. We consistently achieve our strategic imperative to support the development and implementation of new technologies that can improve access and health outcomes for newborns, programmatically deliver these solutions to those who need them most, and integrate with population health initiatives to provide sustainable impact - so every newborn has the same opportunity to survive and thrive.

Development Media International (DMI) is a non-governmental organization focused on improving health outcomes in developing countries through mass media campaigns. It is recognized as a pioneer in demonstrating that mass media can effectively change life-saving behaviors. DMI designs, implements, and evaluates health campaigns that are aligned with national health strategies, employing scientific methods, storytelling, and saturation tactics to maximize reach. A notable achievement includes a five-year randomized controlled trial in West Africa, which resulted in a 35% increase in the number of children receiving treatment for malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia, and a 9.7% reduction in child mortality. DMI has been ranked among the most cost-effective non-profit organizations globally by GiveWell, highlighting its commitment to evidence-based initiatives that enhance health and save lives.

Segovia Technology Co., established in 2014 and headquartered in New York, specializes in facilitating critical payments in challenging environments worldwide. Its online platform enables real-time data analysis, automated task management, action tracking, and seamless integration with various payment providers. Segovia's technology supports corporate payments and social programs across Africa and Asia, benefiting refugees, disaster-stricken communities, gig economy workers, and other vulnerable populations. The company's team comprises experts in emerging-markets payments, machine learning, biometric identification, and adaptive fraud detection, ensuring secure and accessible digital payments even in isolated regions with limited infrastructure.

Simprints is a nonprofit technology company focused on enhancing global development efforts to combat poverty. It specializes in developing mobile biometric scanner software and identification tools that provide an affordable and secure fingerprint system suitable for challenging environments. This technology enables healthcare workers in remote regions to access patient records digitally, ensuring that essential health information is readily available. By increasing transparency and effectiveness in the distribution of vaccines and public resources, Simprints aims to ensure that aid reaches those who need it most, ultimately contributing to more efficient poverty alleviation efforts.