The workshop is a follow-up to the recent SDG-Driven Tech Innovation Ecosystems research report, providing a deep-dive into:
- How industry can harness tech and innovation to meet the SDGs
- SDG opportunities for start-ups, scale-ups and venture capital investors in emerging markets
- How digital social innovation can be scaled domestically to meet the SDGs
Speakers include
- Jonathan Menuhin, CEO of Israel Innovation Institute
- Hoi Ying So, Co-Head and Global Portfolio Manager, Disruptive Technologies and Venture Capital at International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Laura Orestano, CEO of SocialFare
Participants will be able to share ideas on what more can be done to improve coordination and action among business, startups, accelerators, investors, charitable foundations, universities, and policymakers.
PROGRAMME
2pm GMT, February 14, 2024
| Time | Subject | Speaker |
| 2:00-2:07 | Introduction | Vanessa Kacherginsky, IFIE |
| 2:07-2:15 | Presentation of research findings/methodology | Gila Norich, GSG |
| 2:15-2:45 | What are the pathways for industry to better harness tech and innovation to tackle the SDGs? | Jonathan Menuhin, Israel Innovation Institute |
| How can startups and VCs help meet the social and environmental challenges facing emerging markets? | Hoi Ying So, IFC | |
| How can digital social innovation be scaled domestically to meet the SDGs? | Laura Orestano, SocialFare | |
| 2:45 – 2:55 | Q&A to speakers | |
| 2:55-3:25 | Discussion | Omri Boral, Imagine Impact |
| 3:25 – 3:30 | Next Steps + Close | Vanessa Kacherginsky, IFIE |
The webinar is led by the SDG-Driven Tech Innovation Ecosystems consortium. A regional collaboration led by the Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG) and affiliated National Advisory Boards for Impact Investing): IFIE (Israel), FAIR (France), SIA (Italy), and MAZE (Portugal).
BACKGROUND AND KEY FINDINGS
In 2023 consortium partners mapped their own SDG-driven ecosystems, looking at the public, private, and philanthropic actors, resources, and networks that are working to advance SDG-aligned technology.
Mapping was also undertaken in three CEE countries. The aim was to identify best practices and common barriers, for scaling technology for the SDGs domestically and internationally. Findings were published in October of this year, including a set of recommendations and a mapping methodology for others wishing to undertake the same exercise in their country.
The consortium found that that some countries benefit from strong nationally-sponsored funding and research commercialisation platforms (Israel, France, Estonia, Poland, Italy), while others lead the way on more bottom-up social innovation platforms (Italy, Portugal, France).
It also found that across Europe, as many as 19,000 start-ups may be providing solutions to the SDGs, but because of a lack of investment and business development support, a lack of awareness of the SDGs, and ambiguity over impact measurement and management standards most solutions are not explicitly being put to work to address the SDGs.
By building and engaging networks and pathways for collaboration between countries we can enhance the potential for technology and innovation to be applied, at scale, to help meet the SDGs.