Investment Approach

Fostering partnerships with the private sector to leverage groundbreaking global innovations for societal progress

The Strategic Investment Fund makes investments in countries around the world.

Markets should be incentivized to empower economic participation for all.

We believe that the private sector has the potential and responsibility to take on the planet’s most pressing challenges. This is why we partner with visionary entrepreneurs and trailblazing businesses through strategic investments and customized capital, creating incentives that catalyze global markets toward positive change.

Our investment tools

We are impatient optimists with patient capital: Our financial support is tailored to each opportunity’s unique needs. This flexibility enables us to act as a venture capital investor, leverage debt, or provide bespoke structured financing options such as volume guarantees. We employ the best method to achieve the foundation’s strategic goals.

Volume guarantees

We execute structured transactions with suppliers that facilitate new product launches and secure adequate stock for developing countries at affordable prices. We work directly with procurers to optimize the supply chain for items like critical health products, and we provide the risk support needed to address global health issues.

Direct equity investments

When our charitable strategies and commercial innovations align, we provide equity funding. Our investments span stages from Series A+ venture funding to private placements in public companies.

Debt financing

We provide flexible debt solutions such as loans and credit enhancements that enable organizations to scale promising products and services.

The companies we invest in

We look for private-sector partners who have a differentiated lens, the tenacity to solve big problems at scale, learn fast from failures, and are committed to long-term impact at the core of their businesses.

How we select our partners

We treat each investment as a long-term strategic partnership, rather than a one-off idea. We seek Global Access commitments in these partnerships to guide business efforts toward sustainable, measurable impact.

How we support companies

We unlock access to a deep network of subject matter experts who can serve as board members or advisors. We complement strategic investments with add-on project funding for impact evaluations, technical assistance, or high-risk business pilots for niche impact use cases, and more.

How we promote gender equality

We assess gender equity metrics for each investment. We require and actively support gender diversity in portfolio company boards, leadership teams, and customer or user base.