GENEVA IMPACTS

What happens if bright minds come together to create impact?

With Geneva impACTs, Gemlabs aspired to test a new approach to reach the UN sustaiable development goals. The idea was to devise innovative concepts for impact projects in collaboration with experts, our community and investors and to implement these ideas on the market by pitching them to the start-up scene. The pilot phase of Geneva impACTs was supported by the Migros Pioneer Fund (MPF).

Geneva impACTs was based on the believe that we need to activate the collective intelligence of our network to revolutionise design thinking around sustainability. That is why, together with the community, we organised two open innovation cycle based on areas identified in the UN’s Sustainability Development Goals in 2021 and 2022. Starting with our design thinking workshop, we encouraged experts from the private and public sector, civil society as well as investors to join forces to devise impact projects in small, expert-led focus groups. Our independent jury then selected the most relevant concepts that go beyond traditional environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance. 

It proved difficult to secure long-term investment for the impact projects, which led the MPF and Gemlabs to phase out the Geneva impACTs initiative and end their partnership. The projects that have been developed thus far continue to be part of Gemlabs’ greater mission to bring sustainability, innovation and finance together.

 

Are you tired of greenwashing?
So were we.

We turned words into action
and accelerated the implementation of the SDGs.

Innovation Cycle 2021

Nature and Environment

SDG 13: Climate Action

In 2021, our community developed three projects addressing climate and nature: The Tokenization of Whales, Recycling Done Right and Boosting Local Farming.
To the projects

Innovation Cycle 2022

Data Privacy

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, Infrastructure

In 2022, our community developed three projects addressing online privacy: An educational Online Game, a Digital Marketplace and E-Voting.
To the projects

Our project was funded by the MIGROS PIONEER FUND 2020-2022.

The Migros Pioneer Fund looks for and supports ideas with social potential. It enables pioneering projects that break new ground and seek out forward-looking solutions. Its impact-oriented funding approach combines financial support with coaching services. The Migros Pioneer Fund is part of the Migros Group’s social engagement and is enabled by the Migros Group with around CHF 15 million annually. For further information. www.migrospionierfonds.ch/en

 

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