Gender Equity

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.

Backstage Capital is a venture capital firm that invests exclusively in startup founders who identify as women, people of color, and/or LGBTQ. The firm addresses the stark reality that less than 10% of all venture capital deals go to these underrepresented groups, viewing this disparity as a significant investment opportunity rather than a pipeline problem. The organization operates through direct investments and has expanded to include the Backstage Accelerator program, which provides $100,000 in capital for 5% equity along with a three-month program featuring mentorship, community building, and co-working space. Their mission centers on the belief that underrepresented founders are underestimated and have the greatest potential for unlocking innovation and creating valuable businesses. Backstage Capital has made a measurable impact in the venture ecosystem by democratizing access to capital for historically excluded founders. Led by Managing Partner Arlan Hamilton, who personally identifies as a woman, person of color, and LGBTQ, the firm has created pathways for diverse entrepreneurs while building a global community of local accelerator programs. Their work challenges traditional venture capital practices and demonstrates that diversity drives stronger business outcomes and more innovative ideas.

CNote is a fintech company founded in 2016 by financial executives Catherine Berman and Yuliya Tarasava that connects investors and institutions with mission-driven community banks to expand economic opportunity and strengthen local communities. The platform specializes in cash and fixed-income solutions that help institutions and individuals achieve competitive returns while preserving capital and creating positive community impact through CDFIs, MDIs, and community banks and credit unions. CNote applies institutional-grade discipline, modern technology and rigorous risk management to channel capital into the overlooked $5 trillion community finance market at scale. The company offers 100% FDIC- and NCUA-insured deposits with competitive returns, funding impact initiatives like affordable housing, disaster recovery, and small business growth in underserved communities.

Miller Center for Global Impact is a social entrepreneurship accelerator and capacity-building organization that supports social entrepreneurs working to address poverty and tackle pressing social problems aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. They operate from Silicon Valley and run programs including an annual In-Residence cohort program that brings select social entrepreneurs to California for intensive support. Their mission centers on advancing "business for good" by supporting scalable and replicable social enterprises led by local leaders who are best positioned to provide lasting solutions to social challenges. They operate through a proven model that combines executive mentors, world-class programs, Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial expertise, and Santa Clara University's social justice heritage to build capacity for social entrepreneurs globally. Miller Center has been a leader in the global social entrepreneurship movement for over 25 years, establishing significant influence in transforming markets for good and working toward ending poverty. Their impact spans globally from Silicon Valley to regions like the Himalayas, and they form strategic partnerships with organizations like impact fund manager Investisseurs & Partenaires to strengthen entrepreneur capacity-building across African countries.

Vodafone Foundation is an independent UK charity associated with Vodafone and principally funded by Vodafone Group Plc. The foundation reports more than 30 years of activity and is governed by a board of trustees. It connects Vodafone's charitable giving, technology, connectivity, employees, and market presence with specialist partners. Country-level Vodafone foundations and programs may be separate local entities, so this profile describes the group foundation rather than collapsing every national organization into one legal body. Its current strategy has three global challenges: digital learning and inclusion; tackling harm and abuse; and resilience and response in times of crisis. Programs include digital education for refugees and young people, digital confidence, technology supporting survivors of domestic abuse, maternal-health referral and transport systems, emergency communications, and crisis-response tools. Some support is cash, but much of the model is co-designed technology, connectivity, employee expertise, and long-term program delivery; these in-kind and operational contributions are not equivalent to grants. The foundation says it is not a traditional grant funder and does not respond to unsolicited funding requests. It instead builds long-term partnerships with shared responsibility for design, delivery, evaluation, and innovation. The reported goal of improving 300 million lives by 2025 is an organization-defined aggregate claim, not a count of grants or independently verified causal outcomes. No broadly applicable cheque range or open application route is published.