Launchpad

GEI Launch Pad

Are you starting a monitoring and evaluation business that uses technology?
Do you need help?

We offer entrepreneurship support and evaluation expertise to build tech-based solutions and build evaluation ecosystems in developing countries.

Applications and participation in the GEI Launchpad are FREE.

About

The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of evidence and evaluative thinking for policy making. It also brought to the forefront the need for innovation in the evaluation community.

We are in the middle of a data revolution that can transform the field of M&E in positive ways. New technologies offer opportunities with breakthroughs via artificial intelligence, blockchain, virtual reality, UAVs, and more. Finally, more financial resources are channeled through impact investing instruments, and investors want more than financial returns. The environmental, social, and governance (ESG) environment provides a new market for the evaluation community in generating solutions for customers and clients beyond traditional governments, donors and NGOs.

Program Structure

The GEI Launchpad will provide teams with business support, mentoring, data science expertise, developing markets intelligence, cutting edge evaluation knowledge, and connections to a global network to build a successful evaluation enterprise.

The GEI Launchpad will include twelve virtual sessions led by international experts who will mentor you throughout the program and take you on a journey from building a product to launching an enterprise.

At the end of the program, there will be a demo day where teams will present their solutions to a panel of experts who will evaluate teams' growth and the strength of their solutions.

A prize for the winning team will be announced soon - check back soon for more information!

Participation in the GEI Launchpad is free of cost for selected teams. More information on program eligibility and selection criteria is available in the Program Eligibility Criteria.

 

Download the program   Virtual sessions  Meet our mentors

The Future is in Evidence Dialogue Series

In “The Future is in Evidence dialogue series,” key experts explore how technology, digitization, and innovation are charting new territory for the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning practice. Join the conversation! Topics include the future of MEL, data science, and blockchain.
 

Watch the videos

 

Join GEI Launchpad

Applications to the GEI Launchpad are welcome from teams from developing countries.

A minimum of two people per team is required. Teams are encouraged to display a variety of skills and capacities, for example evaluation skills, business development expertise, coding, etc. The team should demonstrate potential to bring innovation to the evaluation economy and ultimately improve evidence-based decision making in developing countries through these products and services. Companies need to be registered in a developing country, if already registered. Applications and participation in the GEI Launchpad are FREE.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Instructors

Andrea Kobor

Andrea Kobor 

Innovation Consultant, World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator

Andrea Kobor is an innovation expert, Design Thinker, and facilitator. She spent the last decade supporting impact-driven organizations to maximize the value they bring to their beneficiaries mostly in Asia and Africa. Currently, she works as a program designer and client lead in the WFP Innovation Accelerator - bringing large-scale innovation journeys to life for partners such as UNFPA, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and more.
Casey Traylor

Casey Traylor 

Technology & Innovation IT Officer, World Bank Group

Innovation techie, Design Thinking evangelist, knowledgeable in Emerging Tech, experience with starting a non-profit & in deploying technology in challenging places. Member of the Technology and Innovation Lab within the Information Technology Services (ITS) VPU at the World Bank Group.
Dugan Fraser

Dugan Fraser 

Program Manager, Global Evaluation Initiative

Program Manager at GEI with extensive experience supporting organizations and institutions to make better decisions by collecting and using evidence. His specific areas of expertise include evaluation, monitoring system development, strategic and program planning, institutional and capacity development, and process facilitation.
Dwayne Samuels

Dwayne Samuels

Co-founder, Samelogic

Co-founder of Samelogic - a Silicon Valley venture backed startup which helps companies validate features with embedded mockups and user feedback; obsessed with product, user research, growth, design, and the board game Settlers of Catan.
Issa Faye

Issa Faye

Director, Development Impact Measurement, IFC

Issa leads the development and implementation of IFC’s ex-ante impact assessment system, better known the Anticipated Impact Measurement and Monitoring system. He is responsible for the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of IFC’s investments and advisory services. Prior to joining IFC, Issa was Manager of the Research Division at the African Development Bank (AfDB). Issa holds a Ph.D. in Economics from University of Auvergne-CERDI (France).
Kerry Bruce

Kerry Bruce

Vice President for Measurement and Impact, Bixal

Bixal’s vice president for measurement and impact, she manages the MEL portfolio and leads Bixal’s data science and analytics practice, with a focus on supporting federal partners in achieving their critical development goals. With over 30 years of experience directing and evaluating international development projects worldwide, she has worked in Ghana, Ethiopia, Haiti, Lebanon and across Asia.
Kevin Dubon 

Kevin Dubon 

Programme Manager

Kevin Dubon is an industrial engineer with specializations in Data Science, Machine Learning and Deep Learning for Computer Vision. Kevin runs T&M (Thinkers & Makers), an entrepreneurial community focused on digital training to boost careers and transform businesses throughout Central America. Prior to this, Kevin led training programs through Smart City Honduras, was the program manager for the incubation program Honduras Digital Challenge, and won the Technological Innovation Prize for the development of Amino Diagnostics.
Kyriacos Koupparis 

Kyriacos Koupparis 

Head of Frontier Innovations, United Nations World Food Programme

Head of Frontier Innovations at the United Nations World Food Programme. He leads a team that explores how frontier technologies - such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robotics - can be harnessed to catalyze impact within the context of humanitarian assistance and food security. Previously, he worked for USAID as Senior Innovation Advisor where designed multi-million dollar programs to advance social and environmental prosperity across the globe.
Michael Cooper 

Michael Cooper 

Director—Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, Learning and Adaptation (MERLA), Panagora Group

Michael is an experienced practitioner in MEL, adaptive management and ICT4D.  He served as a planning and evaluation advisor to U.S. Embassies and USAID Missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, and as Associate Director for Policy and Evaluation with the Millennium Challenge Corporation. Michael completed an Associateship with the Pulte Institute for Global Development at Notre Dame on the use of data science methods in decision-making for social impact. He actively publishes on the implications of blockchain technology on social impact, data sovereignty and innovations in methods.
Siobhan Green 

Siobhan Green 

Division Lead, IMC’s Digital and Data Governance and Transformation team

Division Lead for IMC’s Digital and Data Governance and Transformation team, focusing on digitalization, improved data use for development and humanitarian activities, and responsible data. Areas of expertise include data governance, responsible data, digital inclusion, gender and ICTs, and ICT entrepreneurialism.
Sudhi Mukherjee

Sudhi Mukherjee

CTO, arara.io

Sudhi is a sustainability professional with global experience in integrating environmental, social and governance factors to shape investment decisions that drive sustainability in business processes. Sudhi is the Chief Technology Officer at Arara.io, a fintech platform for supply chain finance focused on climate change mitigation and sustainability. Previously, Sudhi had successful careers in IFC, academia and consulting engineering. He has a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering and an MBA in Finance.
Zamani Moodie 

Zamani Moodie 

Operations Officer, Caribbean Development Bank

Trade and business development expert with 18 years’ experience in small business development, trade and export promotion, market intelligence and economic research, and currently Operations Officer at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).

The Team

Fabio Pittaluga

Fabio Pittaluga

Launchpad Jedi

Supposedly creative thinker, wannabe artist, ex-many things and ideator of Startup Jamaica, KingstOOn, Digital Jam and Honduras Digital Challenge.
LinkedIn profile
Jessica Mecker

Jessica Meckler

Evaluation Enthusiast

Evaluation specialist and strategy officer with the GEI. She is passionate about M&E, gender and inclusion, and innovation.
LinkedIn profile
Paula Bianco do Carmo

Paula Carmo

Business Nerd

Expert in Program and Change Management, with a MBA from USC – University of Southern California. Design thinking, user-centered approach, new technologies, and innovation are some of her favorite areas and interests.
LinkedIn profile
Valentine Gandhi

Valentine Gandhi

Tech4Good Wizard

Senior, evaluation, innovation and tech4good specialist, with over 20 years of interdisciplinary experience at both field and policy level. He is the founder of the think tank The Development CAFÉ, and an expert in use of emerging tech for M&E
LinkedIn profile

Do you have any questions about the GEI Launchpad? Contact us at geilaunchpad@globalevaluationinitiative.org