Systems Change

Circular Valley is a Germany-based innovation ecosystem and startup accelerator dedicated to accelerating the global transition to a circular economy. Often described as the "Silicon Valley of the Circular Economy," the organization brings together startups, corporations, research institutions, governments, and investors to commercialize circular innovations across manufacturing, materials, construction, energy, mobility, textiles, packaging, food systems, and industrial technologies. Through its Circular Economy Accelerator, Circular Valley provides mentorship, corporate partnerships, pilot opportunities, investor access, and a global network to help early-stage companies scale technologies that reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and enable circular value chains. Since launching its accelerator, the organization has supported 178 startups from 45 countries that have collectively raised more than €350 million in follow-on funding.

EIT Climate-KIC is Europe's leading, independent climate innovation agency and community, working to create climate-resilient societies and fight the climate breakdown. Initiated by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Climate-KIC bridges the gap between climate commitments and current reality through innovation and systemic change. The organization works hand-in-hand with countries, regions, cities, and businesses across the globe to mobilize systems change and accelerate climate action. Climate-KIC orchestrates place-based transformations that ground climate action at the local level, prioritizing solutions developed and implemented in local contexts to build momentum and inspire action. Through partnerships, they generate, implement, and integrate climate solutions while facilitating learning to fuel faster and more ambitious climate action. Their work spans climate entrepreneurship, learning initiatives, and European missions including support for climate-neutral cities by 2030.

Moonshot Platform is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit leadership accelerator and global community supporting young changemakers closest to the world’s most urgent challenges. Through its two-year Moonshot Journey, the organization provides grants, mentorship, scholarships, capacity building, peer community, and access to global networks that help emerging leaders scale social and environmental impact. Founded by Yemi A.D., Moonshot Platform supports young innovators building projects, nonprofits, startups, and community initiatives across climate, education, health, economic opportunity, technology, and social justice. Its programs include the Moonshot Awards, Moonshot Camp, Moonshot Summit, Impact Labs, and mentor pathways.

Sorenson Impact Institute is a multidisciplinary impact institute housed at the University of Utah's David Eccles School of Business and, according to both its own site and Sorenson Impact Group, one of the Group's four branches. Its official history traces the organization to a student-run venture fund founded in 2001 and says impact investor Jim Sorenson endowed the work in 2013. The Institute was previously known as Sorenson Impact Center. The 2001 date therefore describes its institutional lineage, not the incorporation date of a freestanding Sorenson Impact Institute legal entity. The Institute is primarily an institute, applied-research and program operator, education provider, convener, and professional-services provider. Its current practice areas help foundations, investment portfolios, companies, governments, health systems, nonprofits, impact funds, and other clients with impact-investing strategy, impact-finance structures, and impact measurement and management. Published examples include portfolio impact strategy and diligence, community equity funds, opportunity-zone work, outcomes-based finance, research, reporting frameworks, and student experiential learning. A client engagement, research project, or student-managed investment exercise is not necessarily an investment made by the Institute. In 2026 the Institute also operated the Collaboration Fund, a pooled grant fund supporting strategic consolidation among nonprofit field-building organizations in impact investing, inclusive capitalism, and immediately related fields. The RFP anticipated that most grants would be US$100,000-$400,000 and allowed merger feasibility, due diligence, legal and consulting, integration, staff-transition, change-management, and strategic-communications costs. Those award expectations applied only to that time-limited RFP: letters of intent were due June 11, full proposals were due August 22, and the public page promised lump-sum distribution after selection. As of this profile's September 18 review, both deadlines had passed. The Institute must not be conflated with other Sorenson entities. Sorenson Impact Foundation is a distinct U.S. private foundation (EIN 45-3203840) whose filings report its own assets and charitable disbursements; an Institute project page describes the Foundation as a client for a program-related-investment measurement framework. Sorenson Impact Funds develops investment products, while Sorenson Impact Advisory identifies itself as an SEC-registered investment adviser. Their portfolios, assets, investments, grants, and returns do not belong to the Institute. Likewise, the University of Utah houses the Institute but is not its interchangeable funder identity, and named initiatives such as University Venture Fund remain program-specific.