Global Development Incubator

The Global Development Incubator (GDI) was born from a desire to tackle the world's most pressing social and environmental problems with a new approach. Founded in 2007 by Dalberg as a non-profit organization, and later established as an independent entity, GDI embarked on a mission to move beyond the traditional confines of consulting and bureaucratic incubation. The founders envisioned a more hands-on, entrepreneurial, and impactful way to bring promising ideas for social change to life. What started as an ambitious concept has since evolved into a globally recognized builder of social impact organizations. GDI’s journey has been one of pioneering a 'growth engineering' approach, where they don't just advise, but actively build and scale the next generation of ventures that can create systemic change. They immerse themselves in the initiatives they support, providing the strategic, operational, and financial scaffolding needed for them to grow and thrive.

Over the years, GDI has cultivated a unique methodology, a 12-36 month incubation process that guides ventures through critical stages of discovery, design, building, and eventual exit to independent operation. This structured yet flexible pathway has been instrumental in shaping over 40 social impact ventures across a diverse range of sectors, including climate and ecosystems, health, agriculture, and inclusive finance. Their portfolio showcases a commitment to tackling complex challenges, from creating financing solutions for smallholder farmers to developing digital health platforms for low- and middle-income countries. By fostering collaboration between innovators, funders, and local partners, GDI has built a remarkable track record. They have become a trusted partner for ambitious leaders with bold ideas, providing the critical implementation power to transform those ideas into scalable, sustainable, and impactful realities that are changing lives and systems around the world.