Search this site

Ameya is a Partner at Encourage Capital 1) What was your inspiration for working in social impact investing? My inspiration for working in social and environmental impact investing traces back to a deep-rooted commitment to service that formed at an early age. While I can't pinpoint a moment that fueled this drive, it has always stemmed from a quest for meaning in my professional endeavors. This service culture was crystallized in high school through leadership roles and volunteer activities. Notre Dame further instilled a faith-based approach to service, emphasizing the importance of giving back. During college, I participated in a volunteer project in underserved communities in Appalachia, which combined my academic pursuits with practical, meaningful work. Following my degree, I initially started my career in accounting with an internship at Arthur Andersen. The firm supported my other interests and allowed me to defer full-time employment to spend an enlightening volunteer year with AmeriCorps, where I worked to bridge the technology gap in Silicon Valley. I was compelled to find work that held a greater purpose for me. Today, I work on investing to enable sustainable growth in small businesses and underserved communities. These businesses often struggle to secure funding, yet they are crucial for economic and sustainable development. Climate change, a pressing global challenge with escalating impacts, has also become central to my work. Creating a more inclusive financial system that supports everyone while addressing environmental issues remains imperative. I believe that by providing financial solutions, such as loans to underprivileged families, we can simultaneously promote economic stability and climate resilience. 2) What is your proudest accomplishment? One of my proudest accomplishments was in October 2020, when Encourage Capital successfully raised an impact investment fund to make finance accessible for small businesses in India, specifically for investments in rooftop solar. This achievement marked a significant milestone for our firm and our team, and I am immensely proud to have been a part of it.  This initiative, which lies "at the intersection of financial inclusion and climate," carries profound meaning for me personally and professionally. It allowed me to contribute to meaningful work in India that resonates deeply with my family history—my grandfather was a public sector banker in India, and my father is an engineer specializing in renewables. Professionally, I feel fortunate to collaborate with an extraordinarily talented team and have the backing of outstanding investors committed to our mission. This project is not just a financial transaction–it's about creating products with real, tangible impacts. We raised funds from families, institutions, and governments and took on the responsibility to invest that money wisely to generate a positive impact. Often, 80% of emissions in various industries come from supply chains, which are predominantly made up of small businesses. While the focus is generally on large emitters, addressing the needs of smaller companies is equally crucial, and financial inclusion has a critical role to play here.  3) How did you get your first opportunity in your field? My first opportunity in my field came about through a combination of hustle, networks, patience, and luck, each opportunity building on the prior one. Before I graduated from college, I gained varied work experiences, including positions in local offices in my hometown, a deli, tennis camps, and even a multinational company in its Russian office. These roles gave me valuable skills and insights, leading to a summer internship at Arthur Andersen. Fortuitously, when I started at Arthur Andersen, I was assigned a mentor who has remained a close friend and advisor for over 25 years. He introduced me to a small team focused on supporting private equity transactions through accounting due diligence, teaching me fundamental principles that continue to shape my work. This mentor's support extended beyond immediate job responsibilities; he encouraged me in my journey to serve with AmeriCorps and later to take a leave of absence to assist the Clinton Foundation in establishing operations in India. My time in India ignited my passion for leveraging private capital for development, which led to a significant opportunity in 2008: joining an investment firm launched by the former president of the World Bank, where I remain to this day. 4) Who has been your biggest influence? (e.g., mentors, books, leaders) I’ve been fortunate to have family, friends and mentors over the years who have had significant influence on me, which can be distilled down into a few basic principles: (i) you can always learn something from other people and their experiences and (ii) don’t waste people’s time. Most importantly, my parents have demonstrated the power of kindness, an open mind and active engagement in anything you take on. 5) If you could change one thing about the world, then what would it be? If I could change one thing about the world, it would be to eliminate the divisiveness that currently characterizes so many aspects of our world today. We are facing monumental challenges and opportunities—such as climate change, inclusivity, and equality—that require a spirit of partnership and collaboration. Unfortunately, the world is incredibly polarized and divided at the moment. Every political conversation feels tedious and frustrating, and there isn't time for such divisions when we have pressing issues like climate change and wealth disparity to address. Investing in areas that can drive widespread benefits, such as the housing sector, is a significant way to combat this divisiveness. Affordable and adequate housing is crucial for individual financial stability and for fostering innovation and economic growth. For example, India faces a housing shortfall of over 60 million affordable housing units, and addressing this can create numerous opportunities for development and social cohesion sustainably. These problems should unite us rather than drive us apart. Constructive debate is essential, but it has yet to be improved in recent times. Solving such critical issues should unite people to work towards common goals, fostering a collaborative spirit essential for meaningful progress.

Managing Director, Nereus Capital; Head of Strategy, The Swaddle; and Strategic Advisor to Companies 1 ) What was your inspiration to work in your field? When used properly, money can change society and improve the environment. I like the thrill and challenge of building something from scratch, whether figuring out an idea for a company or getting a product to an end user who can't finance it. Finding unusual ways to grow revenue or finance a business allows the company to stay viable while still creating access for communities it is trying to help 2) What is your proudest accomplishment? My proudest accomplishment was getting my investment team in India to adapt to being an operating company. Negotiating in a room where you aren’t the one writing the checks requires a very different skill set. As a team, we learned a lot about power dynamics, how to get results that benefit most parties, and how to listen instead of assuming we know best what everyone needs. 3) How did you get your first opportunity in your field? Out of college, I started work at a finance firm focusing on going against the status quo and doing things differently. Their method was to take a group of problem solvers from different backgrounds and training, give them an investment mandate or goal, and then provide them with the freedom to design the right strategy to achieve that goal. I have always enjoyed that approach to finance and business building. That job took me to India, where I got to see how creative financing can help solve problems across industries. 4) Who has been your biggest influence? (e.g., mentors, books, leaders) Through family, friends, and colleagues, I have been surrounded by numerous kind, generous, and big thinkers—the ones who always try to use what they are good at to solve a bigger problem. Here are a few things I've read recently that have made a difference. Insanely Simple - Ken Segall I've read this many times over the last decade. The book shares the perspective of Ken Segall, the ad agency head behind some of Apple's most successful branding. Its message is about how simplicity, over complexity, can be the most effective tool in building a business.  Robert Reich - Saving Capitalism  I found this book when trying to find something that could articulate my feelings about how capital can be used for good. He gives an excellent overview of how a free market with the right rules and boundaries can help in today's world. The Swaddle  I have worked as an advisor for The Swaddle for many years, so I'm biased, but the team here, with everything they write and produce, has changed how I read, consume content, and interpret the world. They are an incredibly talented, woman-led organization that gets people talking about how to change the world.  5) If you could change one thing about the world, then what would it be? I think we would all benefit from people learning how to be more vulnerable in front of others. Teams could learn from managers sharing how they navigate uncertainty. Kids can learn from parents who share their mistakes and accept more imperfections. We can be ambitious and creative and build great things, but share how human we are on the way. It would make everyone spend more time building substance and less on the form.

Case Study: Turning Pop Hits into Helping Hands: The Impact of ABBA's 'Chiquitita' on UNICEF  Problem Millions of children worldwide lack access to clean water, nutritious food, and education. Traditional fundraising methods are moderately successful in raising funds to support these children. Solution In 1979, ABBA and UNICEF formed a unique partnership. ABBA donated the rights to one of their hit songs, “Chiquitita,” to fund UNICEF's education programs on an ongoing basis. Anytime someone purchases or streams the song on Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube, the royalties are donated to UNICEF.  Impact to Date Over $5 million USD in proceeds have been raised since the campaign’s launch. Since 2014, the funds have been directed to UNICEF's Guatemala education programs, where two children die each day due to violence. Why is this Innovative? This innovative fundraising tool combines the power of music with philanthropy to create cool ways for fans to support a good cause. By leveraging ABBA's global fan base and the popularity of "Chiquitita," UNICEF can reach a larger audience and raise more funds beyond traditional ways. What Needs to Improve While the partnership between ABBA and UNICEF is successful, there is still an opportunity to make a larger impact.  First, UNICEF partnerships could expand to include other artists and songs, allowing for a broader donor base. Second, artists, UNICEF, streaming outlets, and NGOs could make efforts to market and engage with fans to encourage greater participation. Third, transparency in reporting how UNICEF uses the funds could inspire even more donor support. Sources: https://www.unicef.org/partnerships/abba-and-unicef

Foreign Service Officer (Diplomat), U.S. Department of State Roshni is a US Diplomat and serves as the Director of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), U.S. Embassy Bangkok 1) What was your inspiration for working in diplomacy? I've always been keenly interested in a career in public service. Still, I also have a longstanding love for travel and adventure and a keen interest in foreign languages and cultures. I didn't learn about the U.S. Foreign Service until after graduate school, but it scratched all the itches. I joined thinking I would only do one assignment, and now, seven assignments later, it still feels like worthwhile, challenging, and rewarding work. (Plus, I have a pretty short attention span and a lot of curiosity about most things, so the opportunity to keep moving around, working in different environments, meeting new people, and working on different issues is really a gift.) 2) What is your proudest accomplishment? Much of our work is behind the scenes and equal parts glitzy and a grind. I've been privileged to help write speeches for two U.S. presidents, work on the development and passage of anti-human trafficking legislation in Iraq that has helped save lives, and negotiate parts of major international trade agreements that protect consumers around the world. But ultimately, these were all team efforts. My proudest moments have been building and growing diverse, talented teams in six countries worldwide and seeing how our efforts have collectively transformed the communities we’ve touched for the better.  3) How did you get your first opportunity in your field? Before joining the Foreign Service, I worked in Silicon Valley and for National Geographic. In both cases, the opportunities came from keeping my ears open, reflecting on what I wanted, and then stepping off the cliff to pursue opportunities (for interviews, submitting proposals, competitive fellowships, etc.) when the moment was ripe. The Foreign Service was an exam-based process I initially undertook simply because I wanted to keep a friend who wanted to take the exam company for the afternoon. Serendipity has played a big role in my life, as it does for many of us.  4) Who has been your biggest influence? (e.g., mentors, books, leaders) I'm so fortunate to have a cadre of mentors (former university professors, friends, and colleagues) who have been an indispensable fount of guidance and insight over the years. As for books, a few that have been very meaningful to me have been the following:  Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World- Cal Newport The Intuitive Way - Penney Peirce Crucial Conversations- Tools for Talking When Stakes are High- Joseph Grenny  5) If you could change one thing about the world, then what would it be? It strikes me that many of the challenges facing the world today-- climate issues, war, gun violence, the epidemic of loneliness/mental health issues, etc.-- are to an extent related to a general lack of empathy and awareness that we're all part of one collective and, while it might not seem like it, interconnected. If it were possible to infuse this sort of universal consciousness in every single person around the world, individuals might be less inclined to divide, harm, and seek to control others and the planet for their own personal, fleeting gain.

Problem: According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , 3.5 billion people suffer from iron deficiency worldwide. It’s the most common nutritional problem around the world. The lack of iron is particularly severe among children and women in developing countries whose dietary needs are frequently unmet. Missing iron in your diet can result in anemia, low energy levels, and difficulty concentrating. Solution: The Lucky Iron Fish is a fish-shaped object made of iron that families can add to boiling water when cooking a meal. The product is an iron block made from food-grade electrolytic iron. It provides 6-8 mg of bioavailable iron per use, can be reused for up to 5 years. Most diets require 5-10 mg of iron per day. This type of iron is highly absorbable by the body and is commonly used in food fortification. This simple addition boosts the iron content of vegetables, providing an additional source of this essential nutrient. Each unit is priced at $40 US dollars.  Impact To Date: The organization reports donating about 65,000 units to needy families to date, impacting over 285,000 people globally. Why is this Innovative? This is an elegant, reusable, and sustainable solution, as it's better than doling out iron tablets. After several scientific studies, researchers found no side effects to using this product. It’s also safe for pregnant women, menstruating women, children, and vegans to use the product. Also, using the product does not change the taste of the food. What needs to improve?    Consistency is necessary,  as the tool is only effective if used daily (or at least three times weekly). It also takes 3 to 6 months to see an increase in iron levels.  Price is prohibitive,  which means NGOs and Health Care Providers have to subsidize the cost so families in need can utilize this product.

Problem: In 2019, the World Economic Forum found that 2.2 billion individuals, accounting for 28 percent of the global population, do not have access to safe drinking water sources. Consuming water contaminated with harmful substances can cause severe diseases and illnesses. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one child dies from a water-related illness every two minutes.  Solution:  LifeStraw is made for one person to use. LifeStraw devices (water bottles, straws, filters) use a special kind of membrane. This membrane has tiny holes that catch bacteria, parasites, microplastics, and dirt from water. These filters have very small holes that only let through clean water. LifeStraw also makes purifiers that are even more effective. These purifiers remove the same contaminants as the filters and eliminate viruses and heavy metals, including lead. The holes in these purifiers are even smaller (0.02 microns), so they can also block out viruses. Impact To Date: The company provides these straws for individual use in needy communities and donates larger filtration systems to underprivileged communities worldwide, supporting communal access to clean water. According to its website, the company has over 9.5 million children with a year of safe drinking water across 3,135 schools.  Why is this Innovative? LifeStraw enables safer consumption of contaminated water, particularly in impoverished regions with limited access to water.  What needs to improve?  In a 2016 research study conducted by Amy Pickering, an engineering research associate at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, it was found that: half of the households surveyed reported that their filters stopped working within 24 to 36 months.  35 percent said it was too slow or took too long 17 percent said it was blocked or not functioning 8 percent mentioned that it had an unpleasant taste or smell, and 7 percent believed that using the filter was not good for their health.

Introduction Low-income neighborhoods often face unique challenges in urban planning, disaster response, and sustainable development. Traditional surveying methods can be time-consuming, costly, and sometimes impractical in these areas. This case study delves into how drone mapping technology addresses these obstacles, focusing on a real-world example from DroneDeploy and TECHO. DroneDeploy Mapping System TECHO: Housing and Social Programs Founded in 1997, TECHO is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes youth volunteers to combat extreme poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization’s mission includes providing housing, clean water, and access to social inclusion programs. In the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, TECHO was among the first groups to initiate reconstruction efforts, rebuilding 10,000 homes. Currently, with the help of more than 500,000 volunteers, the organization has constructed homes for more than 86,000 families across 19 countries. The Problem Impoverished neighborhoods need more accurate, up-to-date maps for effective urban planning and disaster management. Traditional mapping efforts frequently bypass these neighborhoods due to their inaccessibility, complex terrain, or the economic impracticality of exhaustive manual surveys. This leads to unreliable data, substandard infrastructure, poor emergency response, and inefficient resource allocation in these areas. The Solution In 2019, TECHO and DroneDeploy partnered to enhance TECHO's home-rebuilding efforts through drone technology in Brazil. DroneDeploy drones, equipped with high-resolution cameras, create detailed maps of neglected neighborhoods. The process involves flying drones over targeted areas to capture comprehensive images stitched together to form high-resolution maps. This data can be analyzed to visualize infrastructure, identify hazardous zones, and plan development or emergency response activities. Drone technology in use Enhancing Urban Planning and Infrastructure in São Paulo In São Paulo, TECHO aimed to introduce various social inclusion programs targeting poverty eradication and community integration. It expanded its partnership with DroneDeploy to use drones for assessing housing needs—a task complicated by often outdated data. Drones provided a precise count of families requiring improved living conditions and essential services like clean water, sewage, and electricity. For instance, initial estimates suggested that a community housed 250 families; however, drone surveys revealed the actual number to be at least 520. This accurate data is crucial for TECHO to effectively allocate sufficient resources to these communities. The Impact to Date The implementation of drone mapping has shown significant positive impacts: 1. Enhanced Data Availability: Drones provide high-resolution, up-to-date maps that were previously unavailable or outdated. 2. Cost-Efficiency: Drones are considerably cheaper than traditional mapping techniques, making mapping large or previously inaccessible areas feasible. 3. Community Engagement: Accurate maps have facilitated better communication between community members and local authorities, leading to more effective planning and resource allocation. 4. Disaster Response: In the event of natural disasters, the maps generated by drones have proven invaluable in assessing damage, directing emergency services, and planning reconstruction efforts. Why it is Innovative The use of drones for mapping impoverished neighborhoods is innovative for several reasons: 1. Technological Advancement: Leveraging drones with advanced cameras and sensors bridges the gap between traditional, manual surveys and modern data analytics. 2. Scalability: This method can be scaled quickly and efficiently across various geographical regions, regardless of their accessibility. 3. Speed and Accuracy: Drones’ ability to cover large areas rapidly and produce highly detailed maps ensures timely and precise data collection. 4. Inclusivity: This approach democratizes data collection, making including marginalized communities in urban planning easier. What Needs to Improve While the use of drone mapping in impoverished neighborhoods shows promise, several areas require improvement: 1. Regulatory Compliance: Navigating the complex regulatory environment governing drone flights can be challenging. Streamlining legal frameworks would facilitate broader and quicker implementation. 2. Data Integration: Systems that seamlessly integrate drone-collected data with existing urban planning tools and geographic information systems (GIS) need to be developed. 3. Community Training: Local communities could benefit from training programs that teach them how to operate drones and utilize mapping software. This would not only create job opportunities but also ensure sustainability. 4. Privacy Concerns: Protecting individuals’ privacy in impoverished neighborhoods is crucial. Clear guidelines on data usage and storage must be established. 5. Battery Life and Flight Time: Improvements in drone battery life and flight time would enhance the efficiency of data collection, allowing for more extended and more extensive mapping missions. Looking Ahead Drone mapping technology represents a transformative approach to addressing the challenges faced by impoverished neighborhoods. Offering a cost-effective, accurate, and scalable solution empowers communities and enhances the efficacy of urban planning and disaster management operations. However, further improvements in regulatory compliance, data integration, community engagement, privacy protection, and technology will ensure the sustainable success of this innovative application. Sources:  https://borgenproject.org/blog/ https://www.dronedeploy.com/blog/drone-mapping-impoverished-neighborhoods

The Problem Water is a service that modern societies consider indispensable, yet it is also among the most vulnerable. In Japan, which is famous for its high-quality infrastructure and health care, water service is usually good enough to pass unnoticed. However, the water situation radically changes during a disaster like an earthquake, flood, or typhoon, which can leave the main water supply lines in a region inaccessible for days or weeks after the disaster strikes. When this happens, showers, hand-washing facilities, and proper sanitary conditions are unavailable at evacuation centers. In these types of disaster situations, the consequences are immediate. WOTA CEO, Yosuke Maeda, explains the water crisis leading up to 2040 This problem is not limited to disaster scenarios. Japan is also facing infrastructure challenges due to a demographic shift. Most rural areas are experiencing population decline, and the infrastructure supporting the population, including water systems, remains old. Maintaining the systems is becoming expensive because they were developed for a different time. The Solution WOTA is a Japanese social enterprise addressing this problem by redesigning water infrastructure. Instead of relying on a guaranteed water supply from water utilities, WOTA established a self-sustaining water recycling system. One of its most publicized products, WOTA BOX, collects, treats, and recycles shower water. This ensures it is feasible to provide sanitation services even without an external water supply. How WOTA recycles water over and over again Why is WOTA innovative? The efficiency this technology offers makes WOTA even more exciting. WOTA BOX can recycle over 98 percent of water. The average amount of water needed by 100 people for showering is 5,000 liters. The same has been made possible by WOTA with only 100 liters of water, thanks to its water-recycling technology. In Japan, the current water infrastructure is centralized, inflexible, and difficult and expensive to adapt to changes in the community's needs. WOTA technologies are designed to be modular, mobile, and capable of working under stressed conditions when managed by non-professionals. In a country facing population decline and rising infrastructure costs, the concept of a self-sufficient community with its own water supply projects becomes an attractive option for areas that are not worth and too expensive to modernize. What is the impact? WOTA's technology has been tested and demonstrated its effectiveness in real disaster situations. After the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake, some 100 WOTA BOX units and hand-washing stations were deployed. Altogether, these helped facilitate some 6,000 showers and 50,000 hand-washing actions daily in areas where functionality of regular water facilities had stopped. WOTA portable showers at an evacuation site What needs to improve? WOTA does face some actual limiting factors. Cost is a big barrier to widespread adoption in municipalities, and government spending is a slow process. There must be long-term validation of the functionality and economics of WOTA's infrastructure designs. Dependence on energy is a limiting factor, as the technology relies on a constant power source to operate. Although implementations indicate positive outcomes, adoption will depend on common metrics to compare a decentralized system with a conventional one. Components of water filtration kid Nonetheless, WOTA is among the most impressive Japan-based venture-funded social enterprises, having raised $73.5 million USD. The organization faces a massive problem that needs to be addressed, has a technically sound solution, and has demonstrated its efficiency through independent sources. Instead of viewing water accessibility as an urgent relief-based issue, WOTA has identified it as an issue that can be designed away. Sources: https://thebridge.jp/en/2025/12/wota-conducts-series-c-funding-for-decentralized-water-circulation-infrastructure https://japan-forward.com/wota-takes-on-huge-global-water-challenges-with-compact-solutions/ https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/shows/2105052/ https://workmill.jp/en/webzine/wota-maeda-water-infrastructure-20220901/ https://islandsbusiness.com/latest-magazine-articles/wota-a-japanese-solution-to-water-shortages/ https://japan-forward.com/innovative-water-recycling-showers-bring-relief-to-evacuees-after-earthquake/ https://www.kuam.com/story/49876628/tokyo-start-up-aims-to-provide-alternative-water-infrastructure https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2024/02/23/japan/society/noto-quake-sparks-water-debate/

The Problem: A Mountain of Clothing Waste   In Chile, there is an enormous amount of dumped clothing, a major environmental problem worldwide. The textile manufacturing industry is one of the major polluters, accounting for 10% of global CO 2  emissions. It is estimated that 550 tons of textiles are disposed of in Chilean landfills. Additionally, there is a significant landfill of secondhand clothes in Atacama, Chile, that generates 39,000 tons of waste per year. Clothing dumped in Atacama, one of Chile's largest landfills The Ecocitex Solution Rosario Hevia’s social enterprise, Ecocitex, founded in 2020, uses a circular-economy model to end textile waste in Chile. Ecocitex accepts any clothing and then sorts it. If the item is in good condition, it is sold or donated; if it is in poor condition, then it is repurposed into accessories such as winter caps; and those in poor condition are recycled. The clothes are sorted by color, cut into pieces, shredded, and re-spun into recycled yarn. This process does not require water or dyes. This is a very effective means of recycling, as for each ton of clothes Ecocitex recycles, it removes the equivalent of 5.8 tons of CO 2  from the atmosphere. Ecocitex Retail Store Why is this innovative? Ecocitex is showing traction with corporate partners, which validates the company’s business model: Tricot, a clothing retailer, purchases 140,000 balls of yarn from Ecocitex, helping recycle more than 14 tons of waste clothing. CIC bought 17 tons of textile stuffing for its sustainable mattresses from Ecocitex. In 2023, CIC agreed to buy 2 tons of textile stuffing every month. Pilot projects with Antucoya and Zaldivar (owned by Antofagasta Minerals) reused 5 tons of used clothing by replacing mining camp blankets with new ones made of recycled materials. McDonald's, the fast-food chain, recycled 1 ton of staff uniforms in 2023 and purchased over 700 frazadas (blankets) from Ecocitex. What is the impact? Social responsibility is an integral part of Ecocitex's business model. Ecocitex employs women, inmates, and refugees. Ecocitex also distributes its 100% recycled textiles through more than 250 women-owned businesses in Chile. In 2023, Ecocitex recycled 4 tons of clothes per month, but it had the industrial processing capacity of 20 tons per month. Ecocitex has recycled 209 tons of clothes since its inception, equivalent to 136,000 reused clothes and 4,380 donated clothes. What needs to improve? Financially, Ecocitex operated at a loss in the first three years. Hevia mentioned in 2021 that “it gets more clothes than it recycles and recycles more than it sells.” In 2023, Ecocitex made a profit for three months, but the partners did not take compensation. Initially, it was funded by the founders themselves, then by the Chilean government through Corfo (an entity focused on fixed assets and innovation), and finally by outside investors. Ecocitex is currently using debt financing to operate.  In June 2023, a major blow came in the form of a fire that damaged the factory, the store, and the entire stock of the commune of Macul, resulting in the loss of 9 machines.  Founder, Rosario Hevia Following a fire, Ecocitex quickly shifted to a new business model, while maintaining its circular ethos. Today, Ecocitex partners with local retailers to sell upcycled and pre-owned products. Its repurposed products use components crafted or upcycled by local sewing professionals working in small, family-run workshops. Ecocitex supports these individuals, over 80% of whom are women and 35% from excluded groups, to grow their craft, enhance their skillsets, and improve their economic stability. Sources: https://www.elle.com/fashion/a60176268/rosario-hevia-women-of-impact-interview-2024/ https://resource.co/article/spinning-sustainable-yarn-zero-waste-textiles-chile https://www.vogue.com/article/inside-ecocitex-yarn-factory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOTy9Efp7uA

The Problem of Financial Exclusion  Zeepay is a Fintech startup based in Ghana that solves a significant social and economic challenge: the high cost and difficulty of sending money home from abroad.   Families in Ghana who receive money from family or friends abroad typically face several barriers. Traditional money transfer services are costly, deducting 10-15% of the principal amount sent, leaving recipients with less than they initially sent.   Additionally, recipients often have to travel long distances to a central bank or a cash pickup office, which is time-consuming and costly. There is also the risk of theft when traveling home with large amounts of cash. The system was simply expensive, problematic, and dangerous for the unbanked and rural poor who depend on funds transferred this way for survival.  The Zeepay Digital Solution  Zeepay's solution is to create digital links, often referred to as “digital rails,” which connect global money transfer operators directly to mobile wallets, bank accounts, and cards across Africa and the Caribbean. Zeepay plays a crucial role as a bridge, enabling funds sent from the US or Europe to be received instantly in mobile money wallets in Ghana or Zambia.   Zeepay Team This immediately increases convenience because the recipient no longer has to travel to an office; the money is ready for immediate use, such as school fees or medical care. Zeepay connects to all mobile money networks (such as MTN, Vodafone, and others) and ensures that virtually anyone with a phone can receive funds, regardless of their mobile provider or banking status.  Why is it innovative?  Zeepay's innovation lies in its interoperability and unique financial structure. Unlike the early mobile money providers bound to a single mobile network, Zeepay built a platform that works with all networks, making it a comprehensive platform for international remittance.   Most importantly, to support enormous, real-time money transfers, the company has raised $20 million in equity and $31.3 million in debt. The debt financing, arranged by Verdant IMAP, is structured on shared collateral, which will simplify the process for new lenders and enable Zeepay to scale rapidly by providing the float financing required to manage real-time transfer needs.  Zeepay Kiosk What is Zeepay’s impact?  By placing financial inclusion and efficiency at the forefront, Zeepay achieves a measurable social impact. The company has processed a cumulative transaction value of over $6.7 billion over the last decade, with more recent statistics showing that the group settled more than 10 million remittance transactions valued at over $3 billion in one year alone, showing that its platform has scaled.   Through this relatively inexpensive and immediate service, the company ensures that more of the money sent home by the diaspora reaches the right hands and directly supports household welfare and spending. Its reach is growing rapidly with operations in more than 20 countries and mobile money licenses in at least six countries: Ghana, Zambia, Côte d'Ivoire,   What needs to improve?  While Zeepay's digital services offer enormous benefits, they must be continuously improved to address inherent risks and user concerns. Apparently, fraud and scams have affected the mobile money ecosystem in Ghana. Security requires continuous investment by Zeepay and its partners to safeguard users.   The company is addressing this issue by partnering with ThetaRay to use artificial intelligence-powered transaction monitoring to detect illicit activity. When it comes to customer service, Zeepay should ensure its customer support can resolve complex issues, especially those related to transaction reversals and fund losses, to build customer trust in the platform. Sources: https://www.africaprivateequitynews.com/p/zeepay-secures-18m-in-debt-funding https://www.dabafinance.com/en/news/zeepay-secures-18m-debt-facility-to-support-remittance-liquidity https://disruptafrica.com/2025/05/07/ghanaian-fintech-company-zeepay-secures-18m-debt-funding-to-accelerate-expansion/ https://www.connectingafrica.com/fintech/ghana-s-zeepay-expands-into-zambia https://www.forbesafrica.com/brand-voice/2024/09/20/disruption-destiny-and-a-calling-an-african-fintechs-plan-to-extend-its-presence-globall

What problem is EatCloud solving? Colombia loses more than 9.7 million tons of edible food every year. This amount of food waste could feed eight million people. Ironically, over 19 million Colombians suffer from hunger, and 392,000 kids, under the age of five, face chronic malnutrition. This contradiction shows how inefficient the food system is and how enormous food losses are affecting the Colombian people and the environment. EatCloud Team What is the solution? EatCloud is a Colombian start-up that aims to solve this problem using AI technology to salvage and then redistribute food. Its founder, Jorge Correa, grew up watching children depend on one guaranteed meal a day at a daycare run by his mother. His experiences motivated him to fight hunger. In 2020, he launched EatCloud after years of working with food companies on managing products that were about to expire. He realized the country needed an efficient way to link excess food with people in need. EatCloud leverages AI to automate the process of locating, collecting, and redistributing extra food. Supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, catering services, and farmers notify the EatCloud platform about food that is still safe to eat but won't be sold or used. EatCloud connects the organizations to food banks and other social organizations that distribute the rescued food to communities in need. EatCloud’s access to real-time data gives it analytics on how, when, and where food is wasted. EatCloud gives this information back to organizations so that they can make better decisions, reduce waste, save money, and operate more efficiently. Why is this innovative? This model is innovative because it links the entire food ecosystem in a way that has not been done before. It provides companies with an easy way to donate food while reducing costs. It provides food banks and small organizations with more donations in smaller quantities that can be collected quickly. EatCloud uses data to show social, economic, and environmental impact in real time. Today, the platform operates in more than 230 cities and municipalities in Colombia. It supports the food banks of 25 major cities, along with many smaller organizations. EatCloud also formed alliances in Mexico and Spain and will soon expand to the United States, Brazil, and several other Latin American countries. EatCloud Giving Away Food What is the impact? According to EatCloud, it has redistributed more than 42,000 tons of food, which equals more than 96 million plates of food. It has prevented more than 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and has saved the food industry more than 40 million dollars. In 2024, EatCloud won the Dubai International Award for Best Practices for Sustainable Development. The award honored the company’s role in reducing waste, fighting hunger, and helping the environment through data and innovation. What needs to improve? EatCloud is improving, but there is still a way to go. More than a third of all food produced in Colombia is lost every year, which means the recovery potential is far bigger. Many regions still lack appropriate logistics in cold rooms and refrigerated transport. Some communities lack either local organizations or volunteers that can collect and distribute rescued food. Households continue to waste staggering amounts of food. Global studies estimate that people waste, on average, 74 kilograms of food per year at home. Fully solving the problem will require the food ecosystem to develop stronger infrastructure, better education on handling food, and closer co-operation from businesses, governments, and citizens. Sources: https://elpais.com/america-colombia/branded/los-lideres-de-colombia/2024-12-05/jorge-correa-el-emprendedor-que-tiende-puentes-tecnologicos-para-erradicar-el-hambre.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com&event=go&event_log=go&prod=REGCRART&o=cerrado https://scda.medellin.unal.edu.co/noticias/facultad/5769-eatcloud-starup-cofundada-por-egresado-gano-premio-en-dubai?utm_source=chatgpt.com https://www.agroberichtenbuitenland.nl/actueel/nieuws/2023/08/23/foodtech-innovation-and-circularity-to-reduce-food-waste-and-fight-hunger https://zonacero.com/generales/colombia-desperdicia-anualmente-mas-de-97-millones-de-toneladas-de-alimentos https://www.seedstars.com/content-hub/life/eat-cloud-startup-leverages-technology-minimize-food-waste-and-reduce-hunger-colombia/

What’s the Problem? The Philippines contributes 36% of the world’s total plastic pollution to the ocean. It's one of the world’s largest contributors. Most of its population doesn’t have access to convenient and reliable systems for recovering, separating, and recycling plastic waste. There are multiple reasons why it is the largest contributor. The population has poor recycling habits and is not being educated on why plastic should be recycled. This is why plastic has become an environmental and public health hazard in the country. The Rezbin team is collecting plastic from bins What is the Solution? Rezbin was founded in 2023 by siblings Mari Martirez and Mica Martirez. Rezbin installs QR-coded plastic recovery bins in local villages (barangays), schools, offices, hotels, and convenience (sari-sari) stores. These are connected to a mobile app that rewards recyclers with points when they deposit clean and dry plastic into the bins. The idea is to make proper disposal easy, accessible, and motivating, and encourage consumers to use refillable and reusable products. Why Is It Innovative? Rezbin combines simple technology, psychological incentives, and community awareness in a way that traditional trash and recycling collection doesn’t. The QR code provides analytics on the impact of plastic recovery, and the reward system provides motivation to get people to repeat their behavior. Plus Rezbin works with recycling facilities to make sure the collected plastic is reused to make things such as tables, phone covers, and vases. This is a great example of an integrated model that supports recycling and reuse simultaneously.  What is the Impact? In 2024, Rezbin won the ASEAN Startup Award, a $10,000 research grant for its potential to reduce plastic waste at the national level. Rezbin has 70 Rezbins in locations across the Philippines. The company claims its system is 95% less costly than other smart bins and reduces costs by 65% compared to traditional waste-management labor needed to clean and separate plastic. They also claim that their model is 300% more engaging than other recycling programs because of its rewards system. Rezbin plastic waste collection What Needs Improvement? Rezbin has to increase the number of bins and their geographical reach, develop the logistics so that the collected plastic reaches its accredited recycling partners continuously and regularly, and keep up the work of improving user experience so that more people are motivated to deposit clean and correctly separated waste. Most importantly, Rezbin needs to help people learn how to reduce their plastic use in the first place. Sources https://mb.com.ph/2024/4/23/filipino-startup-rezbin-wins-asean-startup-award-2024 https://sustainabilityonline.net/news/the-philippines-is-the-top-contributor-of-ocean-plastic-waste/ https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/philippines-faces-plastic-pollution-crisis ) https://www.rappler.com/philippines/philippines-dominates-global-ocean-plastic-pollution-chart-at-36-shows-study/ https://region6.dost.gov.ph/2024/10/15/dost-vi-rezbin-partner-for-tech-driven-plastic-recycling/