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In 2024, ATF supported 12 new investments and secured follow-on investments totaling USD 60 million since inception. Our grantmaking alongside ATF also helps build a pipeline of early-stage enterprises by de-risking innovation and supporting pathways to long-term commercial viability.

Through this approach, ATF reached over 1.2 million people in 2024, including 400,000 children, via education and health services, as well as nature-based solutions. Additionally, the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation network is actively engaged in corporate governance as an impact advisor in various roles and ventures. Over the next 12–18 months, the Optimus Foundation plans to continue supporting education, environment, and health initiatives and ventures globally, with a particular emphasis on early-stage innovation.

The pioneering SDG Outcomes Fund, founded by the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation, had its final close in 2025 at USD��100 million. It has made its first nine investments, with an anchor project in each of the fund’s focus themes (education, health, employment and the environment), with a diverse pipeline of projects under development.

Investment contributions have been made by the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation, the United States International Development Finance Corporation, British International Investment and the European Investment Bank, all of which are anchor funders. Alongside that, four family offices have led the private investment component. Through this blended finance structure, which includes a 20% philanthropic catalytic tranche provided by the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation, investors will receive returns linked directly to verified social and environmental outcomes. The fund is investing USD��100 million in 15 to 20 SDG-aligned outcomes-based programs in developing countries, with a strong emphasis on benefiting children and youth.

The SDG Impact Finance Initiative (SIFI) is a public–private–philanthropic partnership established to mobilize private sector capital with the objective of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Founded in 2022 by a coalition of partners, including the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation network, SIFI pools funding to support impact-focused, innovative finance solutions.

Goals and objectives

SIFI aims to close financing gaps and accelerate sustainable development by bridging philanthropic, public and private capital. Through catalytic capital, it helps de-risk pioneering ventures, encouraging private investors to participate with greater confidence. The strong response to SIFI’s 2024 call for proposals highlights clear market demand for blended finance vehicles that reduce first-loss exposure and improve the risk-return profile of impact investments.

In partnership with the governments of Singapore and Australia, the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation has worked with Convergence to launch the Asia Climate Solutions Design Grant. This grant supports early-stage feasibility and proof of concept work for impactful climate financing solutions in developing Asian countries, aiming to create investable blended finance solutions to boost private investment for climate mitigation and adaptation. The first cohort launched in 2023 with three grants.

Launched in 2023, and funded by the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation, the RS Group and the Swiss Re Foundation, Terratai provides early-stage finance and company-building support to co-develop businesses aimed at addressing ecosystem and biodiversity loss in Asia’s most at-risk land and seascapes. In addition, it aims to unlock and attract institutional investors to scale businesses that aim to deliver positive outcomes for ecosystems, biodiversity and climate.

The Outcomes Accelerator, founded by the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO), seeks to make outcomes-based financing approaches more efficient and mainstreamed, moving the market ecosystem toward maturity. This public-private initiative brings together governments, development agencies, investors, service providers, intermediaries, and corporates to accelerate the adoption of outcomes-based financing approaches to address the SDGs.

Goals and objectives

The policy-level objective of the Outcomes Accelerator is to facilitate greater resource efficiency and effectiveness in achieving the SDGs for international development funding agencies and domestic governments that utilize pay-for-success strategies. To do this, it supports early-stage program development with seed funding, expert guidance, and matchmaking through its pipeline acceleration work. It also helps with market facilitation and capacity creation efforts.

The industry-level objective is to advance a thriving global market of viable stakeholders, including government and institutional outcomes payers, service providers, evaluators, and private investors, with the aim of delivering better and more cost-effective services targeting the SDGs.

The �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation network, in partnership with the 100x Impact Accelerator at the London School of Economics and Political Science (the LSE), is supporting high impact solutions addressing global social challenges. The �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation network is providing access to experts from within its network, along with GBP��5 million of follow-on funding to selected ventures to accelerate scale.

In January 2023, the 100x Impact Accelerator’s first call for applications attracted more than 1,300 social ventures from 96 countries, with 8 selected to join the inaugural cohort. These ventures received a GBP��150,000 grant from the LSE and bespoke support during a 12-week program that culminated in Summit Day in London.

The second cohort was announced in December 2023, and the 100x program aims to support up to 20 social enterprises annually, with 70% sourced from emerging markets.

One of the most cost-effective nature-based climate solutions is to simply ensure existing forests are left standing. Under Tanzania’s 1999 Land Act, approximately 70% of land is owned and managed by local communities. But many local communities lack the resources to sustainably utilize the natural assets they possess, resulting in Tanzania loosing up to 500,000 hectares of forest annually. The Village Climate Solutions initiative helps rural communities in Tanzania preserve their forest reserves by establishing forest boundaries, remotely monitoring deforestation, providing training for patrols and compensating communities according to their success in forest conservation from the proceeds of carbon-credit sales on international markets.

The Village Climate Solutions project is expected to generate approximately 300,000 verified carbon units (VCUs) annually for the next 30 years and has secured an off-taker agreement with a German buyer of credits at a price of USD��10 per VCU, with a 2.5% annual increase. The project is expected to break even following successful validation, which is anticipated around two years after the initial capital injection. The project will protect over 300,000 hectares of forest while significantly benefiting more than 120,000 people across 60 rural villages. More than 51% of the total revenue from credit sales, estimated at around USD��1.7 million per year, will be directed back to the local communities. Villages receive USD��4.08 per metric ton of avoided CO₂ emissions.

In 2023, the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation provided an investment readiness grant of approximately USD��200,000 and subsequently invested USD��1.1 million through a five-year impact loan to the project in 2024. Interest payments on the loan are linked to non-carbon outcomes (co-benefits), such as livelihood improvements, which are not fully monetized by carbon markets. In addition to financing the Village Climate Solutions carbon project through an impact loan, the �۶���Ƶ Optimus Foundation is developing the outcomes-based nature financing (OBNF), ��mechanism. This mechanism enables the project to secure payments for both carbon outcomes and co-benefits.

The Utkrisht Development Impact Bond (DIB),��was an innovative social finance tool aimed at reducing maternal and newborn mortality in Rajasthan, India. It brought together several partners to improve the quality of care in small healthcare organizations

Goals and objectives:��The primary goal of the Utkrisht DIB was to enhance maternal and newborn health outcomes by improving the quality of care in private healthcare facilities. This involved ensuring that these facilities met the standards set by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI).

The Quality Education India Development Impact Bond (QEI DIB) launched in 2018, is a pioneering social finance tool designed to improve educational outcomes in India.

Goals and objectives:

The primary goal of the QEI DIB is to enhance the quality of education by funding various programs across India. These programs include community-based classrooms, supplementary programs, education technology, and principal and teacher training. Each service provider involved has a proven track record for improving the quality of learning in India.

The Educate Girls Development Impact Bond (DIB) launched in 2018, is an innovative social finance tool designed to improve educational outcomes in India.

Goals and objectives:��The primary goal of the Educate Girls DIB is to enhance the quality of education by funding various programs across India. These programs include community-based classrooms, supplementary programs, education technology, and principal and teacher training. Each service provider involved has a proven track record for improving the quality of learning in India.