News & Insights

Our Learnings

Keeping learning and insights at the center of our approach

Explore the latest from Mercy Corps Ventures: insights, stories, and updates from the frontlines of climate resilience, financial inclusion, and emerging market innovation. We share what’s working (and what’s not) so others can learn, adapt, and build better solutions that scale impact.

Investments

Featured

Blog
Why We Invested in PowerLabs | Reimagining energy transmission in Africa
Why We Invested in PowerLabs | Reimagining energy transmission in Africa

Mercy Corps Ventures invested in PowerLabs to accelerate access to clean, reliable energy in Nigeria. By transforming businesses into local solar power hubs, they reduce dependence on costly diesel, expand affordable energy to communities, and strengthen resilience against climate shocks.

Why We Invested in Poás Bioenergy | Transforming the agricultural waste crisis into a circular and regenerative model
Why We Invested in Poás Bioenergy | Transforming the agricultural waste crisis into a circular and regenerative model

We invested in Poás Bioenergy to scale a circular model that turns agricultural waste into clean energy, biochar, and carbon credits. Their approach cuts emissions, supports smallholder farmers, and drives climate-positive value chains across Latin America.

Why We Invested in Blooms | Unlocking smart capital to drive the next wave of Latin America’s fresh produce boom
Why We Invested in Blooms | Unlocking smart capital to drive the next wave of Latin America’s fresh produce boom

MCV backed Blooms to help close Latin America’s $3B agricultural financing gap. By using AI-powered tools to unlock liquidity for exporters and smallholder farmers, they improve financial access, strengthen supply chains, and enable investment in climate resilience.

Why We Invested in AgRails | Powering first-mile data analysis with AI in Africa
Why We Invested in AgRails | Powering first-mile data analysis with AI in Africa
Why We Invested in Mazaohub | Data-Driven Farming: Transforming Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Why We Invested in Mazaohub | Data-Driven Farming: Transforming Smallholder Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa
Why We Invested in Seabex | Powering Farmers at Scale with AI-Driven Precision Irrigation
Why We Invested in Seabex | Powering Farmers at Scale with AI-Driven Precision Irrigation
Why We Invested in Popular Power | Powering the Resilient Energy Future
Why We Invested in Popular Power | Powering the Resilient Energy Future
Why We Invested in Abaco | Empowering Micro and Small Business Entrepreneurs through Financial and Climate Resilience
Why We Invested in Abaco | Empowering Micro and Small Business Entrepreneurs through Financial and Climate Resilience
Why We Invested in Satellites on Fire | Cutting Edge AI and Next Gen Satellites Outperforming NASA to Protect Communities from Unprecedented Wildfire Outbreaks
Why We Invested in Satellites on Fire | Cutting Edge AI and Next Gen Satellites Outperforming NASA to Protect Communities from Unprecedented Wildfire Outbreaks
Why We Invested in Epoch | Driving Resilience, Sustainability and Decarbonization in Soft Commodity Supply Chains
Why We Invested in Epoch | Driving Resilience, Sustainability and Decarbonization in Soft Commodity Supply Chains
Unlocking the Promise of Africa’s Blue Economy With Digital Aquaculture Solutions for Fish Farmers
Unlocking the Promise of Africa’s Blue Economy With Digital Aquaculture Solutions for Fish Farmers
Why We Invested in Tolbi | Data-Driven Precision Agriculture Optimizing Food Production in Francophone Africa
Why We Invested in Tolbi | Data-Driven Precision Agriculture Optimizing Food Production in Francophone Africa

Pilots

Featured

Blog
Pilot Launch | Satellites On Fire: Using the Power of AI to Prevent and Predict Wildfires
Pilot Launch | Satellites On Fire: Using the Power of AI to Prevent and Predict Wildfires

Mercy Corps Ventures is partnering with Satellites on Fire to pilot an AI-powered wildfire prediction model in Misiones, Argentina. Using satellite imagery, real-time data, and local knowledge, it will forecast fire spread to enable faster response, protect ecosystems, and build climate resilience.

Pilot Launch | Anzi Finance: Leveraging Grain Tokenization to Unlock Credit for Argentina’s Smallholder Farmers
Pilot Launch | Anzi Finance: Leveraging Grain Tokenization to Unlock Credit for Argentina’s Smallholder Farmers

Mercy Corps Ventures, in partnership with Anzi Finance, Origino, PrimaryX, and Grassi, is launching a groundbreaking pilot to use blockchain-backed grain tokenization and credit guarantees

Pilot Launch | Regini Finance: Using stablecoins to build financial resilience for Kenyan informal waste collectors
Pilot Launch | Regini Finance: Using stablecoins to build financial resilience for Kenyan informal waste collectors

Mercy Corps Ventures, together with Regini Finance and Mr. Green Africa, is piloting a stablecoin-based savings tool accessible through WhatsApp and USSD. This tool enables informal waste collectors in Kenya to start saving from as little as $2.70 and strengthen their financial resilience against inflation, climate shocks, and income volatility.

Crypto For Good Fund IV — Ecosystem Insights
Crypto For Good Fund IV — Ecosystem Insights

Based on 800+ proposals across four funding rounds, our latest insights from the Crypto For Good Fund IV highlight where and how web3 builders are advancing financial and climate resilience in emerging markets—from ReFi and humanitarian aid to MSME finance and on/off ramps.

GSR Foundation Backs Mercy Corps Ventures via Lido Impact Staking, Advancing a New Model for Philanthropic Capital Deployment
GSR Foundation Backs Mercy Corps Ventures via Lido Impact Staking, Advancing a New Model for Philanthropic Capital Deployment

The GSR Foundation is backing Mercy Corps Ventures through Lido Impact Staking, unlocking a regenerative, crypto-native way to fund global development. This partnership enables capital to stay in ETH while directing staking rewards to support real-world solutions for underserved communities.

Pilot Launch | BlockBima: Reducing climate vulnerability through insurance-embedded MSME loans
Pilot Launch | BlockBima: Reducing climate vulnerability through insurance-embedded MSME loans

Mercy Corps Ventures has partnered with BlockBima, Fortune Credit, Shamba Network, and RiskShield to launch a pilot in Kenya testing blockchain-powered parametric rainfall insurance embedded in microloans for MSMEs.

Pilot Launch | Taking Root: Scaling resilient agroforestry for smallholder farmers with AI in Nicaragua
Pilot Launch | Taking Root: Scaling resilient agroforestry for smallholder farmers with AI in Nicaragua
Pilot Launch | Solena Ag: Leveraging AI to improve soil health and crop yields for sugarcane farmers in Mexico
Pilot Launch | Solena Ag: Leveraging AI to improve soil health and crop yields for sugarcane farmers in Mexico
Pilot Launch | HesabPay: Digital currency for last mile cash in rural Afghanistan
Pilot Launch | HesabPay: Digital currency for last mile cash in rural Afghanistan
Scaling Up Anticipatory Cash Transfers Pilot in Kenya
Scaling Up Anticipatory Cash Transfers Pilot in Kenya
Mercy Corps Ventures Introduces ETH Staking Donations to Fuel Blockchain for Financial Inclusion
Mercy Corps Ventures Introduces ETH Staking Donations to Fuel Blockchain for Financial Inclusion

Mercy Corps Ventures has partnered with Lido Impact Staking to enable donors to support blockchain-based financial inclusion by staking Ethereum. This innovative model allows donors to allocate a portion of their staking rewards to the Crypto for Good Fund, which backs Web3 startups addressing financial inequality in emerging markets.

Pilot Launch | HesabPay - Boosting financial access: Stablecoin aid payments to strengthen agricultural livelihoods in Northeast Syria
Pilot Launch | HesabPay - Boosting financial access: Stablecoin aid payments to strengthen agricultural livelihoods in Northeast Syria

Insights

Featured

Blog
GSR Foundation Backs Mercy Corps Ventures via Lido Impact Staking, Advancing a New Model for Philanthropic Capital Deployment
GSR Foundation Backs Mercy Corps Ventures via Lido Impact Staking, Advancing a New Model for Philanthropic Capital Deployment

The GSR Foundation is backing Mercy Corps Ventures through Lido Impact Staking, unlocking a regenerative, crypto-native way to fund global development. This partnership enables capital to stay in ETH while directing staking rewards to support real-world solutions for underserved communities.

Mercy Corps Ventures Introduces ETH Staking Donations to Fuel Blockchain for Financial Inclusion
Mercy Corps Ventures Introduces ETH Staking Donations to Fuel Blockchain for Financial Inclusion

Mercy Corps Ventures has partnered with Lido Impact Staking to enable donors to support blockchain-based financial inclusion by staking Ethereum. This innovative model allows donors to allocate a portion of their staking rewards to the Crypto for Good Fund, which backs Web3 startups addressing financial inequality in emerging markets.

ImpactAssets Reveals IA 50 2025, the Definitive Guide to Impact Investing Fund Managers, as Market Proves Its Resilience
ImpactAssets Reveals IA 50 2025, the Definitive Guide to Impact Investing Fund Managers, as Market Proves Its Resilience

ImpactAssets’ IA 50 2025 highlights 165 top impact fund managers, showcasing the growth of impact investing and a rising focus on climate and social outcomes. It’s a key guide for aligning investments with measurable positive impact.

Inclusive Climate Fintech: Harnessing financial innovation to build resilience
Inclusive Climate Fintech: Harnessing financial innovation to build resilience
Advancing Climate Resilience: Innovations in Data, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in Emerging Markets
Advancing Climate Resilience: Innovations in Data, Analytics and Artificial Intelligence in Emerging Markets
Adapting to a new reality (4): Introducing our Climate Adaptation & Resilience Framework
Adapting to a new reality (4): Introducing our Climate Adaptation & Resilience Framework
Opportunities in Off-Grid Energy for Productive Use
Opportunities in Off-Grid Energy for Productive Use
Opportunities in Precision Agriculture
Opportunities in Precision Agriculture
Adapting to a new reality (3): Our Climate Assessment
Adapting to a new reality (3): Our Climate Assessment
Adapting to a new reality (2): Building our Climate Venture Platform
Adapting to a new reality (2): Building our Climate Venture Platform
Opportunities in Fish Farming: A Deep Dive on Digital Aquaculture in Africa
Opportunities in Fish Farming: A Deep Dive on Digital Aquaculture in Africa
Driving MSME Resilience to Climate Change: Designing Right-fit Tools and Solutions
Driving MSME Resilience to Climate Change: Designing Right-fit Tools and Solutions

Want more content?

Join us in creating a climate-smart future.

We work alongside founders creating breakthrough climate solutions and funders who believe in a more resilient, equitable future.