Funding Global Innovation

What they do

The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) is a non-profit, impact-first investment vehicle created by a coalition of governments and private foundations. They occupy a unique niche between foreign aid and venture capital, using a "venture style" approach to fund social innovations. GIF focuses on rigorous evidence and "social return on investment," funding solutions that prove they improve lives cost-effectively. In late 2024, they launched GIF Growth, a $100M target blended finance vehicle for growth-stage companies in emerging markets.

What they look for

GIF invests in innovations that improve the lives of the world's poorest people (specifically those living on less than $5 USD per day). They believe that "innovation can come from anyone, anywhere" and are sector-agnostic, provided the solution has measurable social impact. They look for evidence of impact, scalability to reach millions, and cost-effectiveness compared to existing alternatives.

Stage

Seed, Series A, Series B+

Sectors

Food and agriculture, Climate, Healthcare, Edtech, Fintech

Based

Washington, D.C., US