Catalysing Capital. Scaling Solutions. Advancing Impact.
Innovation Window
From Concept to Capital
Our launchpad for transformative financial innovations that pave the way for significant advancements in impact finance. Through traditional and repayable grants, we support feasibility studies, proof of concept, and expansion of early-stage solutions across countries eligible for official development assistance. We focus on innovations with the vision and capacity to become powerful catalysts for private capital mobilisation towards the SDGs. In 2024, our Innovation Window portfolio expanded to 19 groundbreaking initiatives, with over USD 4.6 million in grants deployed across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and global initiatives.
Investment Window
From Potential to Performance
Our engine for scaling high-impact investment solutions that are ready to attract institutional capital. We provide junior equity tranches to reduce risk for commercial private capital, making strategic investments attractive to institutional investors. Through calls for proposals (up to CHF 5 million each), we deploy catalytic capital across climate solutions and social impact themes. In 2024, SIFI committed over USD 10 million in catalytic capital to six scalable funds across Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Ecosystem Window
Building the Foundations for Scale
Our platform for transforming the structural conditions that enable impact finance to thrive. We tackle systemic barriers — from risk misperception and liquidity constraints to regulatory misalignments — while advancing standardisation and narrative clarity to make impact investing more accessible and mainstream.
Central to this work is a strong feedback loop: collecting real-world data, applying methodological rigour, and turning insights into actionable strategies that improve the effectiveness of blended finance. By strengthening this foundation, the Ecosystem Window ensures that capital mobilised through our Innovation and Investment Windows can scale more efficiently, transparently, and with integrity — helping to democratise impact investing as a credible pathway for sustainable development.
SIFI Guiding Principles
Scalability
We're looking for initiatives that show promise in attracting significant private investment.
Self-sustainability
The projects should have the potential to stand on their own feet financially over time.
Additionality
The proposed projects should be unique in that they can't find similar funding elsewhere.
Fair competition
We avoid backing projects that would unfairly distort competition between companies.
Direct benefits
The ultimate winners should be in countries that are eligible for official development assistance.
Impact on SDGs
We need to see that the initiatives have a clear and measurable impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Collaboration
We value and promote collaboration between the private, public, and development sectors.