Our story: Mercy Corps Ventures’ impact, fails, and evolution through 2021
2021 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
Two years into the pandemic and we’re still discovering what it means to adapt in the face of crises and thrive amid change. It’s only become clearer how urgently we must act to address the accelerating climate crisis.
That’s why we are aligning all of our energy, conviction, and resources to invest in founders who are developing a constellation of solutions to address climate disruption and financial exclusion — solutions in inclusive fintech, adapted agriculture, climate-smart communities, crypto and blockchain, decentralized finance (DeFi), and Web3.
The world is at an inflection point, and these visionary founders are stepping up to meet the moment.
Innovators are approaching these challenges from many angles: from individual to community level in markets previously untouched; via emerging technologies and innovative business models; by addressing gaps in supply chains; through DeFi and governance; and by enabling people to improve their livelihoods while regenerating their local ecosystems.
We’re in a golden age of venture capital and don’t know how long it will last. In global markets and those we’re focused on, the critical mass is swinging further toward emerging markets more than it ever has before.
We’re excited to tell you the story of our year through the partnerships we’ve developed with these entrepreneurs. We share what we learned about resilience-building solutions, including never-before-seen algorithms providing weather forecasts for the tropics, West African crypto platforms with three times more female users than the industry average, and blockchain-enabled insurance in sub-Saharan Africa. We’ve also highlighted what we learned from our first year of running pilots at scale, our plans for 2022, as well as overarching outcomes and insights from our journey through the ever-evolving world of impact investing alongside our portfolio companies.
Wishing you growth and resilience in 2022,
The Mercy Corps Ventures Team
2021 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
