Start-ups from emerging economies join the UNICEF Venture Fund pledge, pledging to ‘move forward’ towards equitable innovation that benefits children around the world.
For the past 10 years, UNICEF Venture Fund has been at the forefront of identifying, testing, and nurturing 149 open technology solutions from startups and UNICEF offices in 87 countries. These efforts have reached more than 110 million people, 34.3 million of whom are children.
The Fund is currently entering a new era in its investment strategy. Our alumni startups are all from emerging countries and focus on frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and machine learning. Venture Fund Pledge.
embrace common values
To demonstrate solidarity with principles such as justice, equity, and inclusivity in technology, 26 companies in the foundation’s alumni portfolio have voluntarily pledged to “step forward.” This commitment includes providing financial or in-kind support to further the Fund’s mission.
Driving impact through collaboration
At the heart of the foundation’s mission is the goal of fostering a diverse tech startup ecosystem to drive social impact. Pledges from alumni startups to “give back” will ensure that future generations will continue to give back.
“The partnership between our founders and the UNICEF Venture Fund has always been strong, but we recognize the need to further increase our shared impact. Alumni startups that are committed to giving back to maximize our collective impact are the best evidence of the value created that we can receive.” Hannah Burkhardt, UNICEF Venture Fund Leader.
Over the past decade, the venture fund has provided capital and guidance to 81 companies in 37 countries. On average, these startups generate follow-on funding from third parties that is 2.6 times the initial investment, amounting to about 25 million US dollars. Currently, 65% of the fund’s portfolio companies are profitable and 40% have posted a profit.
Sustaining innovation through pledges
Fulfilling the pledge plays a critical role in sustaining the Fund’s mission. These enable continued mentoring and investment in technology entrepreneurs to test and pilot open source solutions that can deliver results for generations to come.
Graduates of the Venture Fund’s seed stage investment period are invited to make a voluntary pledge to contribute a portion of their financial success to the Fund. Early-stage companies are promised in-kind support in lieu of financial aid.
With the support of the Fund, Pledge members become part of a network of interdisciplinary technology entrepreneurs with a mission. By making your pledge and becoming a donor, you unlock the opportunity to partner with UNICEF to accelerate progress for children around the world.
“We are driven by the need to act more, faster and smarter to address global challenges that impact the lives of children around the world. Our alumni companies have successfully tested and scaled technology solutions in a variety of communities that need them most. We are grateful for their dedication as pledged members to do more together. ” Hannah Burkhardt.
By harnessing the power of technology and fostering a collaborative ecosystem, UNICEF Venture Fund continues to pave the way for innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges facing children around the world. Masu.
Disclaimer: This content was not created by the TICE editorial team. These are press releases issued by each company, representative, and public relations team. At best, it may have been creatively or editorially adjusted without changing the facts provided.
