UNDP and Trigger Team Up to Supercharge SDG Startups and Businesses with Smarter Investment and Support

Based in Singapore, Trigger is a leading investment management firm committed to building impact-oriented financial ecosystems to tackle global challenges from climate action and poverty reduction to health and education.

Through this initiative, UNDP and Trigger will co-develop infrastructure and strategies to help promising SDG-focused ventures and businesses reach scale and sustainability.

Key areas of collaboration include:

• Designing and launching investment opportunities for SDG-aligned startups and businesses that will be guided by structured acceleration and incubation pathways;

• Creating a next-generation AI and Web3-powered digital platform to connect startups and businesses with investors and streamline collaboration;

• Building a comprehensive, interactive database of startups and businesses supported by UNDP accelerator programmes, enabling smart matchmaking between ventures, donors, and investors;

• Delivering tailored capacity-building programs, including training in SDG impact management, innovative financing, business development, and agile project design;

• Rolling out a Digital MBA programme and peer learning workshops to upskill business owners and enhance organizational readiness for investment.

“We’re seeing enormous potential in SDG-aligned startups, but they often struggle to attract the right kind of investment or support,” said Robert Pasicko, Team Leader for AltFinLab at UNDP Europe and Central Asia. “This partnership with Trigger is about bridging that gap—making it easier for impact investors to find and fund ventures solving real-world problems, while giving those ventures the tools and networks they need to thrive.”