UpLink aims to accelerate growth for early-stage entrepreneurs, enable diverse stakeholder ecosystems, and shift perceptions of innovation's role in achieving the SDGs.
The platform has evolved into a community of 68,000+ members, hosting 47 Innovation Challenges and recognizing 450 'Top Innovators' for their solutions aligned with the SDGs.
Key impacts include the protection of over 56 million hectares of natural habitats and the treatment of more than 350 million liters of wastewater.
The impact of supporting a new generation of entrepreneurs.
UpLink, launched in 2020 by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Deloitte and Salesforce, is building an open innovation platform ecosystem fostering entrepreneurial solutions for global challenges aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since its inception, it has grown into a vibrant community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs, investors, visionary organizations and experts. It has hosted 51 Innovation Challenges, bringing forth nearly 6,500 innovative solutions worldwide, recognizing 442 of these as 'Top Innovators' and 46 as 'Top Investors.' More than 250 ecosystem partners from across sectors have supported these innovators through catalytic funding, expertise, and other acceleration opportunities.
UpLink aims to accelerate the growth and impact of early-stage entrepreneurs, build innovation ecosystems of diverse stakeholders, and shift perceptions of innovation's role in achieving the SDGs. These innovators, carefully selected for their impactful and sustainable solutions, are integrated into a dynamic ecosystem for growth, collaboration, and increased global visibility.
Since early 2023, UpLink has started to implement a robust impact management and measurement strategy following industry best practices, to better support and showcase the positive transformation led by its Top Innovators. Here are the key impact highlights reported by UpLink Top Innovators in UpLink's 2023 Annual Impact Report:
UpLink's 2023 Annual Impact Report
In the realm of Nature-Based Solutions, UpLink Top Innovators have safeguarded over 56 million hectares of natural habitats and managed 458,464 hectares for restoration, making a substantial contribution to environmental conservation.
Through Ocean Action initiatives, UpLink Top Innovators protected more than 17 million hectares of marine areas, collected 23,910 metric tons of waste, and sustainably produced 2,272 metric tons of marine products, marking significant progress in ocean health.
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Advancing the Circular Economy, UpLink Top Innovators have collected 10,458 metric tons of waste, facilitated the reuse/recycling of 2,920 metric tons of materials, conserved 17 million liters of water, and decreased food waste by 850 metric tons, driving effective waste management and resource conservation.
In the Water category, UpLink Top Innovators report the treatment of 350 million-plus liters of wastewater, conservation of 46 million-plus liters of water, and the capture/reuse of 7.3 million-plus liters of rainwater, underlining the initiative’s success in water sustainability and social upliftment.
Get involved to make a difference.
Join UpLink to help drive real change on pressing global issues.We are calling on committed individuals and organizations to contribute their vision and expertise in areas outlined by the SDGs and benefit from numerous growth opportunities facilitated by UpLink.
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The following examples illustrate the diverse and significant achievements within the UpLink community. They represent just a fraction of the many stories of innovation and progress enabled by UpLink.
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This strategic investment rapidly advanced tangible achievements in water sustainability, significantly empowering the first cohort of 'aquapreneurs’, the winners of the Global Freshwater Challenge. In less than a year, this group raised USD 54.5 million collectively after joining the UpLink Innovation Ecosystem. In August 2023, HCL and UpLink launched their second challenge on Zero Water Waste, focusing on water harvesting, water reuse, and smart irrigation.
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"The ability to leverage our investment and unlock so much additional capital is really a testament to the effectiveness of the UpLink platform and its place in the ecosystem. [It has] opened doors to new business opportunities and partnerships with startups at the cutting edge of technology and sustainability."
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— Sundar Mahalingam, President of Strategy, HCL Corporation
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Aquacycl - Transforming wastewater into clean energy
Aquacycl, a pioneer in sustainable wastewater management, was selected as one of the winners of The Circulars Accelerator 2022, run in collaboration with Accenture. By participating in this programme, Aquacycl benefitted from extensive insights, networking opportunities, and expert advice. In March 2023, co-founder and CEO Orianna Bretschger was invited to join UpLink’s delegation at the UN 2023 Water Conference, the first such conference in nearly five decades. At the event, Aquacycl showcased their innovative solutions, gaining global visibility and access to a wide network of investors.
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Thanks to their engagement through Uplink, Ecolab – a leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services – became the co-lead investor in Aquacycl contributing USD $10M. the first such conference in nearly five decades. At the event, Aquacycl showcased their innovative solutions, gaining global visibility and access to a wide network of investors. Thanks to their engagement through Uplink, Ecolab – a leader in water, hygiene and infection prevention solutions and services – became the co-lead investor in Aquacycl’s USD 10M funding round.
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"Uplink has contributed to our success in many ways — increasing our visibility, expanding our network, and connecting us with investors. The most important contribution has been increasing our visibility through the Forum UpLink’s social media audience and participation in high-level events."
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— Orianna Bretschger, Co-founder and CEO, Aquacycl
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Belterra Agroflorestas - Advancing regenerative agroforestry in the Amazon
Belterra Agroflorestas, an UpLink Top Innovator of the 2022 Trillion Trees: Amazon Bioeconomy Challenge, is a B-Corp certified climate foodtech at the forefront of regenerative agroforestry practices in Brazil. Working with small and medium-sized rural farmers, they focus on Amazon restoration and market creation for sustainably grown crops.
In late 2023, Belterra showcased their solution at the Accelerating the Amazon's Ecopreneurship Ecosystem event in Manaus, Brazil, a regional gathering hosted by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank. Through their engagement with UpLink, Belterra was able to raise more than USD 20 million in 2023.
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"Our participation in events and recommendations through UpLink have facilitated connection with partnerships with high impact potential. […] The exposure generated by UpLink accelerated negotiations and strengthened our credibility with investors."
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— Valmir Ortega, CEO, Belterra Agroflorestas
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WSense - Pioneering the internet of underwater things
WSense was one of the winners of UpLink's Ocean Data Challenge, which was launched in collaboration with the Forum’s Friends of Ocean Action. The company is at the forefront of the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT), developing patented technologies for a range of underwater monitoring and communication applications, from aquaculture to environmental security.
In March 2023, the company participated in the Villars Summit, an event facilitated by UpLink and hosted by the Villars Institute. Through this event, WSense connected with top marine technology investor
SWEN Blue Ocean Partners. Through UpLink, the company also connected with another ocean investor, Katapult Ocean, whose mission to support technology that protects and enhances our oceans, aligned closely with their work.
Six months after the summit, WSense successfully closed a USD 9M funding round with contributions from SWEN Blue Ocean Partners and Katapult Ocean. This capital boost is set to expand their innovative approach to underwater communication and monitoring solutions.
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"We have seen a fantastic response to our fundraising efforts and there is an interesting overlap with UpLink’s VC ecosystem, confirming that being part of its Innovation Ecosystem is very valuable for Top Innovators"
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— Chiara Petrioli, Founder and CEO, WSense
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