Technology holds tremendous potential to transform and accelerate global development, but innovators need enabling environments to do their work effectively. That was a key takeaway from a panel discussion at Devex World, where four leaders across geospatial data, school feeding, digital health, and renewable energy showcased transformative solutions.
To meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, an estimated $4.2 trillion needs to be mobilized annually, as per the Financing for Sustainable Development Report published earlier this year — a concerning increase from around $2.5 trillion per year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Technology can act as a force multiplier, driving down development costs. One powerful example is geospatial technology. Abe Tarapani, CEO of Atlas AI, said his company intends to be a “force multiplier underneath the work of so many critical social enterprises, by providing that data layer and the system of intelligence that helps to target resources and supply chains efficiently.”