The Growth Stage Impact Ventures for SDGs (GSIV) is a selection process organized by UNDP, EPFL Tech4Impact, Orange, and SAP, that aims to identify 12 mature impact ventures in low and middle-income countries with a catalytic potential that can drive both large impact and yield. The selected impact ventures will be invited to pitch during the SDG Finance Geneva Summit, which will occur in the first quarter of 2021. Ventures will receive a great amount of exposure before and during the event, and access to a wide network of decision-makers interested in learning more about their innovation and plans to scale up.
About United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.
This is a critical time for the world. At UNDP, we see this period as a huge opportunity to advance the global sustainable development agenda. In September 2015, world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all ... continue reading
Subscribe for scholarship alert.
Be among the first to know whenever new United Nations Development Program scholarship is going on. Enter your email address and click the Subscribe button ↓
UNDP SDGs
Aim and Benefits of UNDP SDGs
The selection process consists of four stages:
- Initial screening to verify compliance with minimum eligibility criteria;
- Shortlisting of 24 impact ventures (8 per theme) based on the information provided by third-party nominators;
- Evaluation by a Technical Committee of the in-depth profiles of shortlisted ventures with the objective of narrowing down the list to a maximum of 12 recommended ventures (4 per theme). The Technical Committee comprises representatives from international organizations, large corporations, academia, investors and thematic experts;
- Final selection of the 12 ventures by an Advisory Board composed of UN experts and academia. The Advisory Board can decide to recommend fewer ventures.
- Selected impact ventures in (4) above, will be invited to pitch during the SDG Finance Geneva Summit 2021. They will receive broad exposure before and during the event, and access to a wide network of decision-makers interested in learning more about their innovations and plans to scale up. They will have access to a prepping program, and benefit from a package of services provided by the SDG Finance Geneva Summit’s partners including one-on-one introduction to decision makers to scale up their products offering. Their travel costs will be covered (flight and per diem).
- Third parties nominating ventures to the GSIV will be acknowledged on the event’s website and will be given one-person invitation to attend the SDG Finance Geneva Summit. Third parties whose nominees are among the 12 selected ventures will receive additional exposure during the event.
Requirements for UNDP SDGs Qualification
Enterprises with the following profile:
- An established business model and strong financial track record (based on number of clients, break-even, valuation, and turnover);
- An innovative technology, business model, or process with a strong competitive advantage (Intellectual property, clear unique selling proposition, uniqueness factor);
- Closed a Series A deal (valued at US$500,000 or more) or reached break-even through organic growth;
- Had their accounts audited;
- Retained a solid team with complementary competencies to run and grow a business;
- An impact-driven model—meaning that the venture aims to generate a measurable, positive social or environmental impact, with impact measurement metrics and/or key performance indicators in place;
- Mission driven enterprises (possibly within by-laws);
- Contributed to or have the potential to contribute to the achievement of more than one SDG, in an integrated way;
- Followed an inclusive business model with products and services that involve people at the bottom of the economic pyramid (BoP) — namely people with less than US$10 per day (in purchasing power measured in 2015 US dollars) or other excluded or vulnerable groups—as consumers, producers, suppliers, distributors, and employees;
- Demonstrated that they are scalable at the regional, continental, or cross-sectoral level.
Finalists in the 2019 GSIV selection process are ineligible in 2020
Only ventures headquartered in developing countries, with a workforce primarily based in developing countries and providing products and services to developing countries will be eligible for the selection. In this case, by “developing countries” we mean countries where GDP per capita is less than USD 12,000 a year according to World Bank data.
The GSIV Initiative will strive to select winners from all regions and from least developed countries
Application Deadline
July 15, 2020
How to Apply
Interested and qualified? Go to
United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on docs.google.com to apply
For more details, visit UNDP website
Menu