ImpactAlpha, November 7 — Amazon, through its $2 billion Climate Pledge Fund, says it will invest $50 million directly in climate tech companies run by women, as well as climate tech incubators and accelerators that prioritize women-led entrepreneurs.
Bringing a gender lens to climate innovation can surface talent, innovation and market needs, says a recent GenderSmart report (for context, see “Gender lens + climate finance = broader reach”).
“We must address the gender inequalities that persist in climate finance, and ensure female entrepreneurs have an equal seat at the table and access to the funding, networks and technical support they need to scale climate solutions,” said Amazon’s Kara Hurst.
Catalytic climate capital
Amazon will allocate $3 million to launch a Climate Gender Equity Fund with the U.S. Agency for International Development. USAID will match Amazon’s commitment to the fund. The fund will provide grants for global businesses, NGOs and accelerators working on women-led climate solutions.
Amazon will call on the 376 signatories of The Climate Pledge, which includes Verizon, JetBlue, Uber, IBM, Visa, Microsoft and Salesforce, to invest in the fund.