Strategic Partners

IBSI logo

Institute for Business & Social Impact

IBSI builds upon Haas’ historic commitment to excellence in research and public education to design and test innovative, impactful, and evidence-based solutions for policymakers, private sector, and nonprofit to tackle social and environmental challenges. The institute leverages Haas faculty and their research to develop courses and experiential learning opportunities, and fosters partnerships focused on the role of business to achieve a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive society. IBSI also houses the Berkeley Haas Blockchain Initiative, a partnership with Ripple to advance academic research, student engagement, technical development and innovation in the blockchain, cryptocurrency, and digital payments space.

CEGA logo

Center for Effective Global Action

CEGA is a hub for research on global development. Headquartered at the University of California, Berkeley, our large, interdisciplinary network–including a growing number of scholars from low- and middle-income countries–identifies and tests innovations designed to reduce poverty and promote development. CEGA researchers use rigorous evaluations, tools from data science, and new measurement technologies to assess the impacts of large-scale social and economic development programs. Through careful matchmaking, competitive grantmaking, and research dissemination activities, CEGA ensures that the scientific evidence we produce improves the lives of people living in poverty.
The CEGA-led Digital Credit Observatory (DCO) was established in 2016 with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support a coordinated portfolio of rigorous research on the impacts — both positive and negative — of digital credit products in emerging markets. Since then, the DCO has supported seventeen studies in twelve countries throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Blum Center for Developing Economies

The Blum Center for Developing Economies supports LIFT innovation, education and experiential learning efforts. The Center leverages energy and talent of the UC Berkeley community to address challenges in low-resource areas. The Center leads an undergraduate minor in Global Poverty & Practice program, one of the most popular minors on the Berkeley campus; a graduate PhD minor in Development Engineering, the first in the nation; and a Master of Development Engineering, a professional degree committed to solving complex global challenges across the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors. The Center also manages the Big Ideas Contest, the University of California’s premier annual social entrepreneurship competition and ecosystem, serving thousands of students across all ten UC campuses. Big Ideas includes a special track focusing on how fintech and blockchain technology might create social impact in areas relating to financial inclusion, health, education, supply chain management, insurance, sustainable finance, and philanthropy.

Supporters

Ripple Impact

Ripple Impact aims at unlocking economic barriers and opportunities for all by enabling a more inclusive, participatory and sustainable global financial system. Ripple Impact is proud to partner with mission-driven fintechs, leading universities, NGOs, foundations and social entrepreneurs to create greater economic fairness and opportunity for all.

Binance Charity Foundation

Binance Charity Foundation aims to create thoughtful solutions and long-term change for some of the world’s most complex problems. Binance Charity envisions a world where blockchain technology can be used for philanthropy as a social contract to end all forms of poverty and inequality, and advance sustainable development to ensure no one is left behind.