Global Development

Wear What You Believe In.

Send money directly to people living in poverty.

We envision a world free from extreme poverty.

The Global Experteering Network.

We empower families to own land and homes in thriving communities.

Digital training and events firm that provides scalable and interactive technology training for social change.

Acumen is a venture philanthropy organization that invests in visionary entrepreneurs building transformational companies from seed to scale. They focus on funding bold entrepreneurs who are creating inclusive solutions across sectors like sustainable agriculture, quality education, renewable energy, healthy communities, dignified jobs, and gender equality. Their mission is to break the cycle of poverty through patient capital investments in high-innovation, high-impact enterprises. They operate by deploying philanthropic capital to shape markets and support entrepreneurs who are addressing the world's toughest poverty-related challenges, investing where traditional funders won't. Acumen Ventures has established itself as a significant force in the impact investing ecosystem since 2001, with an A to Z directory of portfolio companies spanning over two decades. They matter because they've reinvented the rules of return, prioritizing impact alongside financial sustainability and helping to demonstrate that venture philanthropy can drive meaningful systemic change in underserved communities globally.

The ASEAN Institute is a trade facilitation organization that focuses on fostering international and intergovernmental collaborations across Southeast Asia's ASEAN trade bloc, which includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Their primary focus areas are technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors, where they work to create productive channels for cross-border trade and development. The organization operates by facilitating communication, knowledge exchange, and technology transfer between public and private sector stakeholders across the ASEAN region. Their mission centers on strengthening economic cooperation by connecting global partners with local opportunities, creating meaningful bridges between international investors and Southeast Asian markets through strategic initiatives and structured collaboration programs. The ASEAN Institute plays a significant role in the Southeast Asian economic ecosystem by driving economic growth and innovation through their facilitation services. They matter because they provide essential infrastructure for cross-border collaboration in critical sectors like technology and energy, helping to strengthen the overall ASEAN trade bloc's competitiveness and integration in the global economy.

Bamboo Capital Partners is an impact investing platform that provides innovative financing solutions to businesses in emerging and frontier markets serving low- to middle-income populations. They focus primarily on four key sectors: financial inclusion, access to clean energy, access to healthcare, and agribusiness, where they identify mass-market opportunities for high growth and social impact. The organization operates as the asset management arm of global impact firm Palladium, which operates in over 100 countries. They bridge the gap between seed and growth stage funding through a full suite of finance options ranging from debt to equity, which they deploy either unilaterally or through strategic partnerships. Bamboo has established itself as a significant player in the impact investing ecosystem, having impacted 260 million lives, supported 100,000 jobs including 170,000 female jobs, served millions of patients, and helped avoid significant CO2 emissions. Their comprehensive impact management process deployed throughout the investment lifecycle and their focus on technology-driven solutions for underserved populations positions them as a catalyst for lasting social and environmental change in developing markets.

Deetken Impact is a Canadian impact investing firm that specializes in generating positive social and environmental impact across the Americas while delivering strong, uncorrelated stable returns to clients. They focus primarily on investing in Latin America and the Caribbean, targeting emerging economies projected to grow at twice the rate of advanced economies over the next five years. The firm operates with a hands-on approach, going beyond capital provision to offer strategic advice and customized engagement to their investees. They maintain high standards for both sustainability and financial performance, strategically hand-picking and rigorously assessing a limited number of investments while prioritizing returns and capital preservation. Deetken Impact differentiates itself in the impact investing ecosystem through its geographic focus on the Americas and its commitment to untapped growth opportunities in underserved communities. As a registered Canadian Investment Fund Manager, they manage diversified portfolios through joint-venture partnerships and provide both financial resources and technical assistance to micro, small and medium-sized businesses, contributing to hemispheric prosperity and sustainable economic development.

Elevar Equity is an impact investor that fuels the economic resilience and vibrancy of underserved customers and low-income communities by providing early growth capital to entrepreneurs. They focus on investing in businesses that operate at the intersection of inclusivity, affordability, and massive scale, targeting companies that serve underserved populations in emerging markets. Their mission centers on what they call "human centered capital" - a deep understanding of their customer segment's aspirations, priorities, challenges, incomes, and spending patterns. Led by an entrepreneurial emerging markets team passionate about addressing issues of access and inequity, Elevar translates this customer understanding into concrete investment insights to support solution-oriented entrepreneurs. Elevar has made a significant impact in the ecosystem through their "Elevar Method" of investing, which demonstrates a direct correlation between high impact and returns. Over their 15-year journey, they have democratized essential products and services for over 45 million households and catalyzed billions of dollars of capital. They are now expanding their vision through EPIC World, a comprehensive platform aimed at building 50+ blue-chip companies that address the needs of Entrepreneurial Households.

Ford Foundation is one of the world’s largest philanthropic foundations, focused on advancing social justice, reducing inequality, strengthening democratic values, and expanding human dignity globally. Founded in 1936, the foundation supports nonprofits, movements, institutions, artists, researchers, and community leaders working to address systemic social, political, and economic challenges. The Ford Foundation operates across multiple regions worldwide and funds initiatives spanning democracy, racial justice, economic inclusion, technology and society, gender equity, arts and culture, journalism, and human rights.