UpLink Annual Impact Report 2025

Foreword At UpLink, we are driven by a clear mission: to propel innovations that will shape a sustainable, equitable and thriving global economy. Since its launch five years ago at the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Annual Meeting in Davos, UpLink has become a global change engine for scaling purpose-driven start-ups. By unlocking the power of entrepreneurship, we tackle the world’s most urgent challenges outlined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We believe that innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. By convening entrepreneurs, investors, industry leaders and enablers, we build cross-sector thematic partnerships vital for addressing systemic challenges. These partnerships champion solutions that go beyond incremental change and rewire industry models for lasting transformation. This is made possible thanks to the passion and commitment of our partners, Forum colleagues and the UpLink team. As progress towards the SDGs continues to lag, the urgency of taking decisive action grows. UpLink is accelerating the impact of more than 500 early-stage start-ups or “Top Innovators” in areas including climate action, clean water and energy by collaborating with visionary partners that provide catalytic funding, and over 300 ecosystem partners that offer mentorship, resources and growth opportunities to innovators. Additionally, in 2023-24, we welcomed over 50 new innovators in hard-to-abate sectors, such as sustainable mining, sustainable aviation and circular carbon use, and launched the UpLink Investors Community, uniting high-quality, early- stage investors committed to mobilizing capital for purpose-driven start-ups worldwide. We are also committed to rigorously monitoring and measuring our impact, emphasizing our role in advancing the business growth of Top Innovators (Chapter 2) as well as the broader social and environmental outcomes driven by their solutions (Chapter 3). This commitment reflects our belief that accountability and transparency are essential in the journey towards meaningful change. We recognize that the future is shaped by our actions today. Together, let’s turn challenges into opportunities and aspirations into achievements. Let’s celebrate innovation that matters. John Dutton Head, UpLink, World Economic ForumSadaf Hosseini Head, Growth, Partnerships and Innovation Ecosystems, UpLink, World Economic Forum Uplink Annual Impact Report March 2025 3