MassChallenge

Util is a developer of sustainability intelligence technology that provides investors with an objective, evidence-based view of a company's impact. By leveraging big data and machine learning, Util aggregates and analyzes quantified company data across various stakeholders, including employees, customers, and the environment. This data is transformed into a dollar-based annual value generated metric, allowing responsible investors to evaluate both financial and non-financial returns on investment. The company goes beyond traditional ESG metrics to present a comprehensive assessment of companies as complex value generators. Util's methodology covers all listed securities and is designed for investment managers seeking unique analysis that parallels conventional financial reporting. Currently, Util is collaborating with two investment manager partners that collectively manage $130 billion in assets to refine its products and methodologies, aiming to enhance the integration of sustainability in investment decision-making.

InnoPsych is a mental health platform focused on addressing racial disparities in therapy and promoting emotional wellness within communities of color. The company provides a national directory of therapists of color, enabling individuals to easily find mental health professionals based on geographic location, therapy type, insurance, and personal background. InnoPsych also offers engaging programming designed to reshape conversations about mental health in BIPOC communities, along with wellness products that teach emotional wellness strategies. Through these initiatives, InnoPsych aims to transform the experience of therapy and make mental health resources more accessible and relevant to diverse populations.

Fintech, AI, Machine Learning ESG, Social Impact Measurement and Management Data. We put the S in ESG.

Datia is a mobile-first investing platform aimed at democratizing investment access for individuals in Europe. The company has developed a financial application that empowers users to make value-based and sustainable investment choices. This application provides insights into how different funds and shares impact the environment and society, utilizing parameters such as carbon dioxide emissions, water usage, and gender equality. By highlighting investment options that contribute positively to societal and environmental outcomes, Datia enables users to align their financial goals with their values, facilitating both responsible investing and the potential for financial returns.

Micruity is a developer of an income connectivity platform focused on enhancing financial infrastructure for secure retirements. The company's technology facilitates seamless data sharing among insurers, asset managers, recordkeepers, and third-party technology providers. By streamlining this process, Micruity enables clients to convert retirement savings plans into sustainable retirement income, addressing the financial stress that individuals face both during their working years and in retirement. The company's mission is to support innovative solutions that empower employees to achieve better financial and mental well-being as they plan for their future.

Greenly is on a mission to help everyone reduce his ecological footprint in a fun and rewarding way, offering individuals more choices for sustainable living. To nudge you into adopting greener daily habits, our application automatically measures the environmental impact of everything you buy and gives you credit when you reduce your emissions. We do this by linking to your bank accounts securely, and enriching financial data with ecological information. We recommend to our users changing their spending habits towards greener brands engaged to make the energy transition happen. In transportation, taking the train, the bus or carpooling is greener and translates into avoided emissions. For your housing, switching to a green electricity provider makes a difference. For your shopping, greener brands make a difference. And when it comes to eating, go vegan or vegetarian to reduce your footprint. We make it easy and fun to switch progressively to more sustainable consumption habits.

Floodlight platform enables investment professionals to assess the qualitative impact of corporations. creates software to help investment managers and financial advisors build values-aligned investment portfolios. It will assist companies in holding their own standards and removing ambiguity from the assets and ownership of the broader investment community.

IntelliBonds is a technology firm focused on Cost optimization and Alpha generation for Fixed Income institutional investors through cutting edge AI-powered cloud solutions. We have blended our expertise of the Bond market with the most advanced Machine Learning techniques in order to develop products that can revolutionise, how the Fixed Income institutional investors operate. IntelliBonds is a fully-automated Assistant solution that aspires to become a central intelligence unit for fixed income investors. Superior analytics combined with the wider market coverage improves the efficiency of your front office fixed income team and allows you to deliver superior investment results whilst operating with 20-30% lower cost base.

Arbor is a software platform that makes shopping sustainably as simple as possible. By providing highly accurate and unbiased data on companies across the globe, such as environmental responsibility, labor practices, and hiring diversity, Arbor empowers everyday consumers with peace of mind, aligning their purchases with their own personal values.

GuardianWealth is a personal finance platform dedicated to empowering diverse communities in their pursuit of financial freedom. The application focuses on making financial planning more accessible through the use of artificial intelligence and social interaction. Its core offerings include a community-based saving feature, an AI-driven financial planner, and customizable financial education tools. The platform allows users to assess their financial health, manage budgets, and utilize a robo-advisor for personalized financial guidance. Additionally, GuardianWealth promotes collaborative group saving to address collective financial goals. By supporting individuals with limited financial literacy and transforming savings into security, the platform aims to provide a solid foundation for building wealth.

INIA Biosciences utilizes the power of sound waves to develop non-invasive, home-administered, and closed-loop medical devices to manage chronic inflammatory diseases.

Nibi operates a marketplace platform designed to enhance the social sector by connecting individuals, charities, and companies focused on social and environmental initiatives. The platform aims to facilitate impactful actions that promote sustainable habits and social responsibility. By automating corporate social responsibility efforts, Nibi enables businesses to collaborate with foundations and programs, fostering a community dedicated to social and environmental betterment. Through its initiatives, Nibi seeks to improve engagement in social action and support the development of sustainable practices within organizations.

Alfi is a platform that enhances financial literacy by connecting users with financial services and products through intermediaries. It targets various stakeholders, including governments, citizens, and financial institutions, creating value for each group. Launched in 2019, Alfi employs gamification and machine learning to provide engaging, free services that help users develop skills for better financial decision-making. The platform's application utilizes artificial intelligence to categorize users based on their consumer or investor profiles, preferences, and behaviors, facilitating tailored financial education experiences. As of 2023, Alfi aims to be recognized as a leading partner in promoting financial education and inclusion across the Americas, Africa, and Asia, having already registered 150,000 users since its inception.

We create healthy and sustainable solutions for the world based on insects. A very nutritive and eco friendly food source. Currently we are using about 50% of the habitable land for agriculture and the livestock industry is the major contributor to CO2 emisions, but In just 30 years the amount of food available will not be enough for the world`s population. By making healthy, and tasty products from insect powder such as flour for bread, cake mix, and even protein shakes, we are able to reduce the amount of livestock usage and also provide a sustainable and scalable solution. Our business model is based on 3 keypoints: >Mass and Standarized Production which is possible using our insect incubator (which is patent pending) >Sustainable and efficient Production since Costa Rica has the perfect weather conditions, >And our Partner Program to provide jobs and income to the poorest sectors of Costa Rican society. Our partner program is supported by BID Lab and Fundecooperación who are helping us deliver the program on a national scale. Costa Rica Insect Company and we Save the World Eating Bugs!

NjordFrey provides aquaponic starter kits, seasonal input product lines (seeds and fingerlings), and operational training to developing farmers, allowing them to become independent. It also provides stakeholder mapping and tailored routes to market for farmers we work with. Therefore, both the technology and commercial model is innovative and new to farmers.

Bridging critical gaps in care for mental and behavioral health.

BrightUp is a financial wellness platform that democratizes financial wealth building and personal well-being. It partners with employers to deliver a comprehensive financial wellness benefit to their employees to grow their net worth and improve their self-worth as well as offer low-cost emergency loan that is repaid through paycheck deductions, enabling employees to be financially healthy and holistically wealthy. The company was founded in 2020 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Capture is an early-stage B2B SaaS company focused on sustainability, offering a platform that enables organizations to engage their workforce in environmental initiatives. The platform allows users to track, reduce, and offset their carbon dioxide emissions, promoting awareness of carbon footprints and contributing to climate action. Originally launched as a free app to monitor carbon footprints, Capture has evolved to include a version designed for teams, which has garnered interest from organizations seeking to facilitate sustainability competitions. Following initial market engagement in 2020, Capture has begun invoicing clients and is experiencing growing demand for its services. To further enhance its offerings and expand its team, the company plans to raise a seed round of funding in early 2024.

Microfinance.ai is an advanced technology tool for micro-lending business transformation.

Farther Finance is an investment advisory platform that combines modern technology with personalized financial guidance. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in New York, the company provides tailored investment advice focused on exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Clients input their unique financial information, which the platform uses to generate recommendations based on a proprietary algorithm. This algorithm helps implement model portfolios crafted by investment experts, with specific target allocations in equity and fixed-income assets. Farther Finance aims to assist clients in preserving capital and achieving long-term growth in alignment with their financial situations and risk tolerances.

PROSPERiA is a social impact enterprise originating from the MIT Media Lab, focused on enhancing the early detection and treatment of chronic diseases in emerging markets through innovative artificial intelligence solutions. The company develops AI-driven technologies that facilitate the screening of conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, along with their associated visual complications. Their approach includes risk assessment calculators, non-invasive fundus cameras, and retinal image analysis, complemented by personalized recommendations for healthcare providers. This enables physicians to effectively prevent diabetes and its complications, ultimately aiming to improve health outcomes in underserved populations.

IMIX Consulting S.A.S engages in the creation and development of inclusive digital ecosystems based on financial inclusion. It offers a digital platform for financial inclusion that transforms transactional processes, as well as enables physical and digital channels to provide a portfolio of financial services products closer to its customers. The company provides digital linking of people and shops. It serves financial and microfinance entities; and shops. The company is based in Bogotá, Colombia. It has additional locations in Quito, Ecuador; Lima, Peru; and San José, Costa Rica.

Inverkids provides financial education for young people leveraging a digital platform. This program is within the curriculum and school schedule. It provides personalized financial education workshop for a particular group of children and young people to develop values and financial skills.

Quiena Inversiones is a rapidly growing investment management company based in Latin America that provides an internet-based platform for retail investors to access global investment opportunities. The company's platform is designed to facilitate investments in Wall Street by calculating optimal portfolios tailored to individual risk profiles and financial objectives. It enables users to manage local, international, and sector-specific risks while striving to maximize returns. By offering a comprehensive investment solution, Quiena Inversiones empowers its clients to make informed financial decisions and diversify their investment strategies effectively.

OpSeeker is a web application that allows you to improve your investments and savings using fictitious money and helps you improve your financial health. Using fictitious money, OpSeeker can simulate your long term investments. That way we work with the most important variable in investment - the psychological one.

Infiniteach is dedicated to autism innovation through technology and training. It is a digital learning platform for one in 68 children diagnosed with autism. Its first product, Skill Champ, makes it easy for parents and teachers to create customized lessons that are rooted in evidence-based autism interventions. Infiniteach was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Seekewa SAS is a crowdfunding platform based in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, dedicated to supporting smallholder farmers in Africa. It facilitates participatory financing by allowing individuals and organizations worldwide to make in-kind contributions to agricultural projects through a unique voucher system. This system enables investors to fund specific projects, providing farmers with the necessary financial, marketing, and technical assistance to enhance their agribusiness activities. By connecting global supporters with local agricultural initiatives, Seekewa aims to empower farmers and promote sustainable development across the continent.

BINK Bio is working on developing biotech alternatives to reduce environmental damage. The company focuses on and technologies in the fields of biotech based dyes.

IBISA is a Luxembourg-based company founded in 2018 that offers an inclusive mutual risk-sharing platform designed to protect smallholder farmers. The company's services focus on index-based risk modeling, utilizing blockchain technology and satellite earth observation data to deliver efficient insurance solutions. By aiming to reduce fees and expedite assessment and payment processes, IBISA addresses the specific needs of farmers, enabling them to better manage risks associated with crop production.

Virtual Internship Partners provide remote internships that develop 21st Century professional skills, including the use of digital technology and online platforms, that make students more employable and career-ready.

Round up electronic spare change from your everyday purchases, team up with friends, and donate to any nonprofit with a single tap.

Infiniteach is dedicated to autism innovation through technology and training. It is a digital learning platform for one in 68 children diagnosed with autism. Its first product, Skill Champ, makes it easy for parents and teachers to create customized lessons that are rooted in evidence-based autism interventions. Infiniteach was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Facturedo operates as an invoice discounting marketplace in Latin America, facilitating access to liquidity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through their accounts receivable. By offering a streamlined platform, Facturedo enables businesses to convert their invoices into immediate cash, thereby improving their financial flexibility. The service is designed to be fast, secure, and user-friendly, catering to the needs of SMEs seeking to enhance their cash flow. Additionally, Facturedo provides opportunities for investors to engage in commercial debt investments, thereby creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem for both businesses needing liquidity and investors looking for viable investment options.

Pocket Innovations is a developer of a medical device designed to address the issue of pocket hematoma, a common complication arising from pacemaker, defibrillator, and deep brain stimulation implant procedures. The company's innovative device serves as the first preventative solution to this problem, aiming to reduce the incidence of pocket hematomas that can complicate post-operative recovery. By offering a method to prevent these costly and often problematic hematomas, Pocket Innovations provides medical practitioners with a valuable tool to enhance patient outcomes following implant surgeries.

Swoovy is a platform designed to address the challenges of volunteering by connecting individuals with daily volunteer opportunities while fostering companionship among participants. Recognizing that many Americans express a desire to volunteer but face barriers such as time constraints and lack of information, Swoovy simplifies the process through an easy-to-use interface that allows users to sign up for events with a single click and find partners to attend with. The platform caters to singles, couples, and eventually groups, promoting the concept of accountability partners to enhance participation. Swoovy generates revenue from both users and non-profits, offering a unique business model that encourages non-profits to promote the platform for volunteer engagement. Non-profits benefit from a dedicated dashboard to manage and promote their opportunities, along with marketing support to enhance visibility. Through these features, Swoovy aims to make volunteering accessible and integrate it into the daily lives of more individuals.

OpSeeker is a web application that allows you to improve your investments and savings using fictitious money and helps you improve your financial health. Using fictitious money, OpSeeker can simulate your long term investments. That way we work with the most important variable in investment - the psychological one.

InstaKin is a financial platform dedicated to serving immigrant communities by facilitating remittances worldwide. It focuses on 'purpose-driven remittances', empowering immigrants with greater transparency and control over their financial transactions. The platform enables users to send money back to their families in a cashless, secure, and instant manner, ensuring that financial support is efficiently managed. By providing access to digital financial services, InstaKin helps migrants meet the financial needs of their families, enhancing their ability to contribute to their communities back home.

Developer of B2B platform intended to measure social impact. The company application offers corporate gifts and aligns rewards and recognition programs with the company's ESG and supplier diversity goals and connects conscientious gifters with gift merchants, enabling gifters to track their resulting social impact.

iWin, based in Manno, Switzerland, specializes in the development of an innovative photovoltaic venetian-blind shading device that is seamlessly integrated into insulating windows without affecting their design or functionality. Established in 2019, the company aims to enhance building sustainability, as the construction sector is responsible for approximately 40% of global CO2 emissions. The patented system not only generates renewable energy on-site but also effectively controls light and solar radiation, protecting buildings from overheating in summer. iWin’s product is customizable in size and color, durable, and requires minimal maintenance, boasting a payback period of less than ten years. The company has created its first working prototype and has formed partnerships with SUPSI and Pellini Group, a leader in integral venetian blinds. With a significant market opportunity, particularly in Switzerland where around 900,000 square meters of glass façades are installed annually, iWin is poised for growth in the sustainable building sector.

Manufacturer of solar energy products intended to deploy solar energy systems to critically underserved communities. The company delivers solar products that deliver super bright, clean, healthy light and power to rural & peri-urban, thereby providing every primary school with sustainable, affordable solar lighting solutions.

Guide Change is a financial management platform designed to improve financial care. The company's platform provides insight about spending and resources, generates report to be saved and shared, offers personalized tips to improve fiance and helps in securely linking of online bank accounts, enabling seniors to maintain their financial independence while still preventing losses from common pitfalls such as exploitation or perhaps just failing to properly budget.

Operator of the monetary contribution intended to solve a current world issue. The company offers a range of apparel, accessories, and home appliances through its online portal, enabling customers to choose from a wide range of products and thereby contribute to every purchase they make.

Sixpence Crowdfunding, Inc. operates a crowdfunding platform and mobile application designed to simplify fundraising for schools, churches, and community organizations. Founded in 2018 and based in Boston, Massachusetts, the platform allows donors to contribute to various campaigns by rounding up their daily purchases to the nearest dollar. This approach enables supporters to engage in philanthropy seamlessly as part of their everyday transactions, making it easier to contribute to causes that matter to them. Sixpence aims to transform the fundraising landscape by fostering community connections and encouraging generous giving without requiring significant financial commitment from donors.

Jump.in is a digital marketing agency that helps its clients jumpstart their careers. Its goal is to give an opportunity for a career that will assure social and financial mobility for a better life. The company was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Gala is a corporate social responsibility platform that engages employees in corporate giving. The company aims to engage everyone, everywhere, in giving that turns their values into reality; to increase the resources for those dedicated to change the world, and offer businesses and individuals an experience of joy and impact - no matter how big or small the contribution.

Pinkaloo is on a mission to modernize charitable giving through our Modern Giving account, which merges the best of an HSA + Venmo for managing donations. In partnership with Employers and Financial Institutions, Pinkaloo’s software-as-a-service platform enables donors to better budget for their giving, helps donors discover charities and projects that match their passions, donate to any charity wherever and whenever they want, and come tax time centralizes all of their tax receipts in one place. For our customers, it is a turn-key solution that allows them to maximize engagement with their employees and customers and to power the philanthropy in the communities that they serve via our white-labeled giving accounts.

Provider of technology, consulting, and partnership services intended to help farmers accelerate the transition to sustainable and inclusive food and agriculture production and trade models. The company's platform offers services in four key areas: agronomic and regenerative solutions, fairer, more transparent, and direct value chains, digital tools and data, and mixed financing with impact, enabling small-scale producers to improve their decision-making, strengthen their production practices, become more efficient, and improve their competitiveness in the market.

Infinite Cooling Inc. is a company focused on water recovery systems designed for power plants and other industrial facilities. Founded in 2017 and based in Massachusetts, the company employs innovative technology utilizing high-voltage electric fields to capture and recycle water that evaporates from cooling towers. This process significantly reduces water waste and helps mitigate water scarcity. By implementing its systems, Infinite Cooling enables power plants, data centers, and factories to lower their water consumption and treatment costs, promoting sustainability in industrial operations.

Provider of educational programs intended to path a better future for children working in coffee farms. The company's programs use a community-driven approach, collaborating with farmers, communities, and governments to create or rehabilitate public schools, enabling the schools to create an effective learning environment that would improve quality learning through a proven curriculum to give children the skills they need to thrive in a world beyond a coffee farm.

A.I. Capital Management is a hedge fund startup that specializes in utilizing advanced artificial intelligence techniques for trading in foreign exchange markets. The firm has developed a quantitative trading platform that employs deep reinforcement learning and deep convolutional neural networks to analyze Forex price data. This sophisticated approach allows A.I. Capital Management to provide alternative AI-driven investment strategies for hedge funds, facilitating better data organization and helping clients optimize their investment decisions. Through its innovative technology, the company aims to enhance the effectiveness of trading strategies in the competitive landscape of foreign exchange trading.

PROTRASH is a social enterprise that enhances the quality of life marginalized communities in Mexico by exchanging their recyclable waste for money.

Developer of a web application intended to connect high-impact projects with funds and training. The company's application exhibits large sums of money in opportunities such as grants, tenders, scholarships, courses, and research, all translated into Spanish, enabling businesses to quickly and efficiently find information about the resources available for sustainable development.

Takachar creates a network of waste management enterprises in Kenya that turn unmanaged agricultural residues into charcoal, a low-cost, non-toxic, and eco-friendly cooking fuel for low-income households. They have developed a series of low-cost (US$20), locally manufacturable technologies to enable waste-to-char conversion, which has been tested and refined in Kenya for the past 3 years. Since 2011, They have set up or directly helped 7 nascent and locally run waste-to-charcoal enterprises in Kenya, some of which have since even demonstrated operational profitability and paying customers. So far they have created about 100 jobs and sold 50 tons of eco-char. Moving forward, they are trying to prove the long-term financial viability of these enterprises, which, if successful, will be the basis of a franchise network.

Producer of red palm intended to grow African diaspora. The company's oil is made by mixing traditional fermentation techniques and low-cost mechanization which provides quality staple food while reducing environmental impact and hardship, enabling smallholder farmers to increase their yield while reducing their impact on the environment.

Criaterra Innovations specializes in the development of eco-friendly building materials designed to replace traditional precast products such as masonry blocks and cladding. The company utilizes a unique approach by upcycling 70% of its raw materials, which significantly reduces energy consumption in the manufacturing process by 90%. Criaterra's materials, which include masonry blocks that are six times more insulative than conventional concrete blocks, not only minimize the environmental impact—creating only 5% of the carbon footprint of concrete—but also promote a circular economy. All products are 100% natural, recyclable, and biodegradable, making them suitable for various applications in green building projects. Currently, Criaterra is launching a biophilic collection of wall tiles aimed at business-to-business customers, further enhancing its commitment to sustainable construction solutions.

InnoVein, Inc. is a medical device company based in San Carlos, California, focused on developing innovative solutions for vascular health. Founded in 2015, the company specializes in creating an implantable valve designed to regulate blood flow in the veins, particularly for elderly patients suffering from venous insufficiency. Their technology aims to address the challenges associated with this condition, improving the quality of life for affected individuals. As a venture-backed enterprise, InnoVein is committed to advancing cardiac and arterial health through its specialized medical devices.

Volt480 believe in Industrial Superheroes. Their mission to enable manufacturers to be more profitable and productive by bringing to market innovative tools and technology. They also believe that in order to sustain long-term innovation and competitiveness, they must continue to support STEM education. THey pledge to donate a portion of their time and profit in support of STEM education in the communities they serve.

Aggressively Organic's mission is to end food insecurity by designing sustainable Hydroponic, Aquaponics, Gardening and Agricultural systems accessible to all - and we farm.

Instapath Inc. specializes in designing and developing a microscopy system that enhances the evaluation of cancer biopsies. The company’s technology allows for imaging biopsy samples at subcellular resolution immediately after removal, while also preserving the tissue for future analysis. This innovation aims to address a critical need, as over 7 million Americans undergo biopsy procedures annually, with a significant portion failing to provide accurate diagnoses, leading to costly repeat procedures. By improving rapid on-site evaluation of biopsies, Instapath’s system reduces the necessity for these repeat procedures, thereby increasing operating room efficiency and potentially boosting hospital revenue. Founded in 2017, Instapath is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.

ILUMÉXICO is a B-Corporation whose mission is to catalyze grow through solar energy in the most remote communities of Mexico.It is a social enterprise that promotes development through rural electrification to communities with high and very high marginalization in Mexico. They uspromote access to energy through microfinance schemes, long-term service and training in the use and maintenance of technology. Also believe that energy is a platform to foster development, promote building programs and workshops on various topics such as community organization, gender equity and financial inclusion.

Kulisha works with food and beverage companies to convert organic waste into a sustainable, insect protein for animal feeds. The insects metabolize organic waste and are sold as a high-protein input for animal feeds. This solution addresses two key problems: it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill, and it provides a sustainable alternative to fishmeal. With over 90% of their ocean ecosystems overfished, there is an urgent need to find an alternative to fishmeal for animal feed.

Akiba is an innovative platform that transforms the management of employee savings funds and financial resources. It enables companies to oversee employee funds in a digital and transparent manner, facilitating efficient administration. Additionally, Akiba provides credits and payroll advances, streamlining access to financial support for employees. The platform also features a money-saving and investment component, offering users the opportunity to shop online with discounts and earn two percent cash back on their purchases. Through these services, Akiba aims to enhance financial well-being for both companies and their employees.

CauseMatch is a peer-to-peer fundraising platform designed to assist nonprofits in expanding their donor bases and increasing donation amounts. The platform utilizes matching grants to motivate donors by enhancing the emotional connection to their contributions, allowing them to see their impact magnified. CauseMatch employs an algorithm-based approach to offer a range of fundraising solutions, which include innovative digital storytelling tools and personalized coaching. This combination of technology and mentorship equips nonprofits with diverse strategies to effectively mobilize support and execute successful fundraising campaigns.

Cocoa360 is a 501(c)3 that empowers lives in rural Ghana. Using an innovative approach to female education and rural empowerment, they employ a financial model that capitalizes on the agricultural and vocational skills found in farming communities.

This project started with the end-user in mind. Through the biocontrol of Striga with the FOXY T14 toothpick technology, their goals are to reduce labor and increase crop yield for smallholder farmers. Ultimately, this technology will: improve health through more nutritious, diversified crops (impacting both physical and mental wellbeing); increase income by providing enough yield for both family use and sale; and provide greater access to education due to this increased income. Because the vast majority of maize farmers are women, these results will also impact women's empowerment, which will be reflected in a Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index (USAID, Feed the Future) study that evaluates independence, literacy, time use, domestic violence, land ownership, and other measures of empowerment.

LEDsafari SA, founded in 2014 and based in Lausanne, Switzerland, specializes in sustainability education and training, particularly in schools and educational institutions. The company has developed an innovative solar kit aimed at empowering students to create solar lamps, successfully selling 15,000 units across 15 countries through its online platform. LEDsafari has invested in a state-of-the-art learning platform that features high-quality animations, graphics, and games, making the educational experience engaging and effective. Looking ahead, the company plans to incorporate augmented reality and mobile technology into its offerings. Through its programs, LEDsafari seeks to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills necessary to address climate change and promote sustainable living.

The platform empowers companies to build a purpose-driven culture and engage employees to make an impact, one act at a time. We enable experiences that bring out the human side of work, so that companies and their employees can do good and measure their actions every day. By volunteering, giving, or taking simple actions such as biking to work, saving energy, or committing to a healthier lifestyle, your employees are able to participate in your organisation’s efforts to activate your purpose.

NeedsList PBC operates a digital platform designed to connect individual and corporate donors with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to facilitate humanitarian aid. Established in 2016 and based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the platform focuses on assisting refugees, supporting local economies, and promoting grassroots innovations. It partners with local aid organizations to identify urgent needs and utilizes local suppliers for quick and sustainable delivery of food, transportation, and essential supplies. Users can engage with the platform by donating cash, purchasing products, or volunteering. NeedsList emphasizes transparency and efficiency in its operations, providing real-time impact metrics to help partner organizations monitor their activities and outcomes. The company generates revenue through commissions from affiliate suppliers and enterprise users of its platform.

Amelior Technologies focuses on developing innovative solutions to address social issues in communities worldwide. The company manufactures a specialized larvicide dispenser designed to efficiently dispense larvicide in water containers, helping to eliminate mosquito larvae and reduce the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. This device operates with minimal human intervention, ensuring that residents, particularly in South America, can effectively maintain clean water tanks and promote public health. By tailoring their technology to meet specific local needs, Amelior Technologies aims to maximize its social impact and improve community well-being.

Every day more than 1 million implants are placed into human and animal bodies using open surgery. Lumigbo has developed a technology to build up implants inside the body using an access channel of less than half a millimeter in diameter. The procedure can be used for almost any type of implant. We have developed minimally viable prototypes for neurovascular, orthopedic and dental applications. Currently, we are improving our prototypes and expect to close round A in the third quarter of 2018.

Tech-driven collaborative platform for diversified investments in premium professionally managed funds, currently inaccessible to about 90% of potential investors globally.

Direct Coffee is dedicated to creating a lasting social impact in Africa by adopting a direct trade approach to specialty coffee. The company imports coffee from smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and sells it in Europe through biodegradable Nespresso-compatible capsules, as well as whole beans and ground coffee. Each purchase supports educational projects for the children of coffee farmers, allowing customers to contribute directly to their communities. Direct Coffee also offers a flexible subscription model for individual customers, ensuring they have a consistent supply of coffee. By streamlining the coffee supply chain and focusing on sustainability, Direct Coffee enables consumers to enjoy high-quality, authentic coffee while making a positive difference in the lives of farmers and their families.

FONDIFY is a creative Crowdfunding Company designed to reach the highest ratio in successful entrepreneurial and social fundraised projects.

Finnest, Inc. is a Boston-based company founded in 2016 that develops application software aimed at teaching children and teenagers essential financial skills through gamification. The mobile app and secured debit card account provide tools and activities designed to instill good money habits, covering topics such as financial education, personal finance, savings, and responsible spending. By facilitating easier transfers between parents and their children, Finnest encourages young users to save and grow their money while fostering an understanding of money management and investment. The platform represents an innovative approach to financial literacy for the younger generation.

Creating a waste management system in secondary cities that collect urban waste for composting and anaerobic digestion to produce Fertilizer and Energy. We imagine a world in which cities obtain social, economic and environmental value from waste and are therefore healthier and more sustainable places. Our mission is to change how cities in sub-Saharan Africa view their waste. Through innovation of waste systems in small and medium-sized African cities we will provide fertilizer to farmers, energy to businesses, improve the local environment and community health, and create jobs to reduce poverty.

Imverse SA, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Plan-les-Ouates, Switzerland, specializes in software development for Mixed Reality content creation. The company provides innovative tools that enable users to convert 360-degree images into 3D formats and create virtual-reality content in real-time, utilizing virtual-reality glasses. Imverse also offers B2B services that facilitate the creation of immersive VR/MR experiences featuring live hologram actors and real-time visual effects sourced from a single 360° photo. An EPFL spin-off, Imverse employs a proprietary voxel engine to support the deployment of volumetric technology in various sectors, including Location Based Entertainment, live broadcasting, and telepresence. Their platform leverages depth cameras and reality capture software, enhancing personal connections and fostering trust in holographic collaboration and communication.

Epic Cleantec Inc. specializes in onsite wastewater treatment and reuse technology for buildings, founded in 2015 and headquartered in San Francisco, California. The company’s innovative approach converts building wastewater into natural soil amendments and treated water, which can be reused for non-potable applications such as toilet flushing, irrigation, and cooling towers. This system significantly reduces water demands by up to 90%, leading to substantial savings on water and sewer bills for building owners and developers. By decentralizing wastewater treatment, Epic Cleantec alleviates the burden on central utilities and contributes to lower carbon footprints in real estate projects. The technology was initially developed in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and has received recognition for its impact and innovation, including awards from Fast Company and the Global Climate Action Summit.

Greeneum makes it easy for you to contribute to the future of green energy by focusing on elements that strengthen and secure your financial positions.

Social challenges like joblessness, homelessness, and chaotic living conditions drive continued and unproductive encounters with the health and social care systems designed to help people. These needs can be intersectional and persistent in nature. To create lasting community health outcomes, we must go beyond closing the loop at one point in time in one person or family’s life. Imagine if our healthcare system seamlessly coordinated care around all of our physical, behavioral, and social needs. With Activate Care, this is the new standard of care. The Activate CareHub™ platform is the industry's only all-in-one solution for SDOH care – offering tools for community coordination, referral management, data analytics, and more. Since 2013, hundreds of healthcare and social service organizations across the country have implemented Activate Care to disrupt the cycles of social vulnerability occurring across their community, for community health outcomes that last.

VIT Initiative, Inc. is a health and safety company based in San Francisco, California, that develops a cloud-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) platform aimed at reducing operational risks and promoting employee health. Founded in 2015, the company focuses on utilizing smart technology to provide real-time coaching and collect data on leading indicators of workplace injuries. This approach helps businesses mitigate risks, enhance operational efficiency, and improve safety compliance, ultimately leading to reduced cycle times and lower injury-related costs. Additionally, VIT Initiative offers automated COVID-19 symptom tracking, further supporting workplace health initiatives. Their products are designed to identify patterns and behaviors that may lead to health problems, allowing for proactive intervention before complications arise.

Planet Hort - learning sustainability in a playful way“ is the first organization in Switzerland that aims to integrate Education for Sustainable Development into after-school care. Their activities and courses deal with the five main sustainability topics biodiversity, cultural plurality, consumption, energy and waste. With their program they want to encourage children at an early stage to engage in a sustainable interaction with the environment. And empower day-care personal to adopt their approach. Planet Hort - learning sustainability in a playful way“ wants to integrate Education for Sustainable Development into after-school care.

Briq Fund Sapi de CV operates a crowdfunding platform that enables small investors to finance real estate construction projects in Mexico. Established in 2015 and headquartered in Mexico City, the company aims to democratize access to real estate investments, allowing individuals to participate in projects that were traditionally reserved for larger investors. By connecting these small savers with various real estate opportunities, Briq facilitates investment in the growing real estate sector, contributing to the development of affordable housing and other construction ventures across the country.

Red Girasol S.A.P.I de C.V. operates a crowdfunding platform in Monterrey, Mexico, designed to facilitate the acquisition of solar energy systems for residential users. Established in 2016, the platform connects homeowners seeking solar installations with investors willing to finance these projects in exchange for potential returns. Users begin by sharing information about their solar exposure, which allows the platform to generate customized quotes from various approved installers. Once a resident selects an installer and contributes a minimum of 10% of the total cost, a funding campaign is launched to gather the remaining amount. Upon reaching the funding goal, the installation proceeds, and users repay investors through monthly payments, typically at lower interest rates than those offered by traditional lenders. Red Girasol generates revenue by charging commissions to residents, investors, and solar system suppliers, thereby facilitating a mutually beneficial arrangement among all parties involved.

Empowerment Solar fosters energy independence and economic prosperity across the Middle East by supplying affordable and easy access to reliable and clean solar electricity. They design and install distributed solar electricity systems for Palestinian businesses in the West Bank, eventually expanding across the region. They save Palestinian firms (who pay 70% more than Americans for electricity) 1,000s of dollars annually and eliminate electricity-shortage constraints plaguing West Bank companies.

At Health Advocacy Innovations, they turn the many issues related to global health on their head to see them from a different angle. They believe most problems are not only solvable, but solvable in a low-tech way. Low-tech does not only mean minimal technology, but also simple and intuitive to use and able to be made at minimal cost. In many regions of the world, disease is not simply the result of contracting a virus or bacteria by chance. Physical and structural violence perpetuate cycles of poverty and disease, the consequences of which can reverberate for generations. Healthy citizens are more productive citizens, and health can be as much an instrument for development as for individual well-being. Understanding health as a prerequisite for lifelong success incentivizes governments and organizations to promote the general welfare of populations. They believe in health as a human right, and we're dedicating our work to making that concept a reality.

Ubuntu Power dedicated to improving the lives of millions of Sub-Saharan Africans living without access to electricity, Internet or water.

Nest Funding helps people own their home and the new way to buy a home without a deposit. They help renters buy their own home, through part rent, part buy homes. They do this by connecting property investors and residents, creating jointly-owned properties. The resident gets their foot on the property ladder in an affordable way, buying from just 1% share. They can buy more, or all of the property at any time. The property investor gets the same returns as buy to let. Plus a competitive advantage over buy to let because the resident is taking care of the property.

Therapeutic Innovations focuses on the design and manufacturing of medical devices aimed at addressing pediatric diseases, particularly in developing countries. The company creates wearable orthopedic devices for injury treatment and develops innovative solutions for respiratory issues in newborns, including bCPAPs branded as Airbaby. By prioritizing accessibility and affordability, Therapeutic Innovations aims to ensure that all children globally have access to essential, high-quality medical devices that can save lives.

Carbon Delta AG, a subsidiary of MSCI Barra, specializes in assessing climate risks within financial markets. The company has developed an evaluation system that identifies and analyzes the climate change resilience of publicly traded companies. This system calculates the potential impact of climate change on a company's value, providing investors with alerts regarding the climate risk profiles of various firms. By exposing these risks, Carbon Delta enables companies to protect their assets, optimize performance, and achieve sustainability objectives, thereby contributing to a more informed understanding of climate-related financial risks.

Mark Labs Inc. is a data analytics software company that specializes in providing a platform for nonprofits and their donors to understand and communicate social impact data. Founded in December 2015 and based in Washington, D.C., with an additional location in London, the company enables donors to track, analyze, and report the impact of their grant-making and sustainability initiatives. Nonprofits benefit from the platform by tracking their activities and reporting outcomes to funders. Mark Labs employs artificial intelligence and innovative methodologies to assess the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of investments. By offering actionable insights into ESG risks and opportunities, the company empowers clients to make informed investment decisions and effectively communicate the impact of their portfolios to stakeholders.

Cuantix is cloud software that allows organizations to easily measure and manage their social impact

Livestock Wealth is a crowdfarming company that facilitates investment in livestock, enabling individuals to earn returns from the sale of cattle offspring. With its innovative platform, the company simplifies the investment process by allowing users to share the resources of a commercial livestock farm, while experts manage the daily care of the animals. This model not only promotes individual ownership of cows but also offers profit-sharing opportunities, including quarterly financial reports and annual profit projections. By transforming the traditional wealth associated with cattle into an accessible investment opportunity, Livestock Wealth empowers users to participate in organic beef farming and benefit from the livestock industry's inherent value.

Includeed is a consultancy and innovative solution provider focused on diversity and inclusion, particularly regarding gender issues. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Les Acacias, Switzerland, the company operates a platform that allows employees, job seekers, and customers to share experiences, ask questions, and suggest solutions related to diversity and equal opportunities. With programs implemented in Geneva, Zurich, Paris, and Lyon, Includeed aims to foster inclusive business environments by facilitating open dialogue and encouraging transparency among companies regarding their diversity practices.