Building Bridges

What Building Bridges does

Building Bridges Foundation is a Swiss non-profit foundation (registered CHE-209.521.039) established in 2018 and headquartered at 1-3 Rue de Chantepoulet, Geneva. It operates a multi-stakeholder convening platform that aligns finance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by bringing together financial institutions, United Nations agencies, NGOs, academia, and public sector bodies. The foundation is chaired by Patrick Odier and led by CEO Karen Hitschke, and is governed by a network of founding partners including UNEP FI, WBCSD, AMAS, SSF, SBA, UN Geneva, WWF Switzerland, NatureFinance, SECO, SIF, and UNDP FC4S.

The foundation's core products are organized around its annual flagship event: the Building Bridges Summit (invitation-only in-person at CICG Geneva; free virtual participation via YouTube), Action Days (open-registration, 65+ community-led sessions including panels, workshops, and trainings), and the co-located biennial UNEP FI Global Roundtable. Surrounding the flagship, the foundation operates the Africa Programme (investor delegations, the Bridging Africa-Europe SDG Investment Summit, and Sub-Saharan Africa-focused webinars), a recurring webinar series (e.g., From Capital to Crops; From Data to Deployment; Scaling Impact), the We Build Bridges storytelling series, and the BB Connect mobile application for event navigation and attendee networking. The 2023 edition drew 2,500+ participants across 70+ events, and the platform has reached its 7th Edition (October 6-8, 2026).

The revenue model is event-driven and multi-stream: tiered event sponsorship (Diamond, Platinum, Silver, Bronze) from financial institutions (UBS, Pictet Group, Lombard Odier at Diamond; Edmond de Rothschild at Platinum; BlackRock, Deloitte, EY at Silver; KPMG, PwC at Bronze) underwrites the free-to-partners Summit, while Action Days registration fees in CHF (transaction-fee model) generate a secondary revenue stream from self-registered attendees. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Distribution combines in-person flagship events at CICG Geneva with global virtual access via YouTube livestream, plus year-round digital content (newsletter via Mailchimp, LinkedIn and X with #BuildingBridges24, webinars, and the website at buildingbridges.org).

Name

Building Bridges

Legal name

Building Bridges Foundation

Website

https://buildingbridges.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Building Bridges Foundation is a Geneva-based Swiss non-profit that convenes finance leaders, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, and public institutions through annual Summits, Action Days, and the Africa Programme to advance sustainable finance aligned with the SDGs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainable Finance Events & Convening

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Environment, Climate & Sustainability Congresses (THAHAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilient Cities Funds (FSANAJAC)

Keywords

• Sustainable finance events
• Multi-stakeholder convening
• SDG investment forums
• Financial sector dialogue
• Climate finance summits

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Event Registration Fees: Registration fees for event attendance, with invited participants from co-organizing organizations attending at no cost, while self-registered participants pay for tickets in CHF.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Building Bridges Foundation organizes flagship sustainable finance events in Geneva, including the invitation-only Summit and the community-led Action Days, complemented by webinars, investor delegations to Africa, and a mobile app (BB Connect). It serves as a multi-stakeholder convening platform connecting financial institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, academia, and public institutions to align finance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Product overview

Building Bridges Foundation operates a multi-platform sustainable finance movement organized around annual flagship events. The core offering consists of the Building Bridges Summit (high-level dialogues uniting finance leaders around SDG-aligned transition) paired with the Action Days (65+ community-generated sessions). The organization also maintains the Africa Programme for continent-specific investment initiatives, hosts webinars on sustainable finance topics, and provides the BB Connect mobile app for event navigation. The Registration Portal manages attendee access. Together these components form a multi-stakeholder platform connecting finance, government, civil society, and academia to shape the global sustainable finance agenda.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Building Bridges Summit

Quantifiable outcome

• 2500+ participants and 70+ events in 2023 edition
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Climate Week ZurichmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 May 2026Building Bridges served as community partner during inaugural Climate Week Zurich (4-9 May 2026) with over 250 events and 10,000+ participants. Engaged in multiple sessions including co-organizing events with UBS, Swiss Re, and Zurich Insurance Group.
• NatureFinance (Brazil/Global)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 October 2025Leading global work on nature finance, including Brazil operations focused on bioeconomy and Amazon restoration. Hosted at Building Bridges 2025 with European launch of TNFD at Building Bridges 2023.
• African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 July 2025Building Bridges is a proud partner of AVPA Conference 2025 in Nairobi, bringing together over 400 stakeholders to unlock catalytic capital for development. Building Bridges delegation participated in AVPA Conference.
• UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Co-organizes biennial UNEP FI Global Roundtable alongside Building Bridges events. UNEP FI unites over 500 banks, insurers, and investors globally and has been a pioneer in sustainable finance since 1992. The partnership combines UNEP FI's 30-year legacy with Building Bridges' multi-stakeholder platform.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner with over 230 ambitious member companies acting on climate crisis, nature restoration, and inequality. WBCSD is proud to be a founding partner of Building Bridges and supports the movement that bridges finance and sustainability.
• Asset Management Association Switzerland (AMAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner representing Swiss asset management industry with nearly 200 members. Aims to strengthen Switzerland's position as a leading asset management center with high standards of quality, performance, and sustainability.
• Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner with offices in Zurich, Geneva and Lugano, uniting over 250 members and network partners. Through research, capacity-building, and practical tools, SSF fosters integration of sustainability into financial services.
• Swiss Bankers Association (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner bringing together approximately 300 member institutions. Represents Swiss financial centre interests vis-à-vis politicians, authorities, and public.
• UN GenevacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner and global diplomatic centre fostering international cooperation and multilateralism. Works with governments, civil society, academia to drive efforts for Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
• WWF SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner working on biodiversity assessment frameworks and redirecting financial flows to reduce pressures on biodiversity and enable regeneration.
• NatureFinancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner - Swiss-based international not-for-profit dedicated to aligning global finance with nature-positive outcomes. Designs, tests, and scales financial tools to align economy with planetary boundaries.
• DeloittemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 December 2024Silver tier Event Partner helping organisations deliver sustainable value for stakeholders through redefining strategies, embedding sustainability into operations, and meeting regulatory requirements.
• EY (Ernst & Young)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 December 2024Silver tier Event Partner helping financial institutions contribute to sustainable, inclusive growth while managing regulatory impacts and incorporating ESG factors into decision-making.
• KPMGmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 December 2024Bronze tier Event Partner with global network providing understanding of economic, political, environmental and social landscape for multidisciplinary teams with international expertise.
• PwCmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 9 December 2024Bronze tier Event Partner focusing on sustainable capital to create thriving future. Connects profit and purpose, turning sustainability into cornerstone of business strategies while maximizing returns.
• State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner and Swiss Confederation's centre of expertise for economic policy, including economic cooperation and development. Mandate to facilitate economic growth and sustainable prosperity in developing countries.
• State Secretariat for International Finance (SIF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner representing Switzerland's interests in financial, monetary and tax matters internationally. Committed to ensuring Switzerland is an innovative, interconnected, sustainable financial centre.
• UNDP Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2024Founding Partner - global network of 44 financial centres working together for 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement. Represents 80% of global equity market and US$76.4 trillion equity market capitalisation.
• Embassy of Switzerland in KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2024Collaborated on Bridging Africa-Europe SDG Investment Summit in Nairobi, June 2024. Part of Building Bridges' Africa investment community development to strengthen sustainable investment bridges between continents.
• UN in Kenya (SDG Partnership Platform)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 June 2024Co-organized Bridging Africa-Europe SDG Investment Summit with UN SDG Partnership Platform in Kenya. Aims to forge links and cultivate trust to enable financing and investment pathways.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI): UN-convened coalition of 500+ banks, insurers and investors working on sustainable finance. Co-organizes the biennial UNEP FI Global Roundtable alongside Building Bridges and represents the closest functional peer in convening financial institutions around SDG alignment.
• Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF): Swiss membership organization with 250+ members that fosters integration of sustainability into financial services through research, capacity-building and tools. SSF is both a founding partner of Building Bridges and a directly comparable Swiss sustainable-finance convening platform.
• Climate Week NYC: Annual climate and sustainable finance convening organized by The Climate Group in partnership with the UN. Comparable in mission (driving finance to climate solutions) and global multi-stakeholder convening model, though materially larger in scale.
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD): CEO-led organization of 230+ member companies working on sustainability transformations. WBCSD is a founding partner of Building Bridges and a directly comparable convening platform bridging corporates with finance and policy stakeholders.
• Finance for Tomorrow (Paris Europlace): Paris-based sustainable finance center of excellence mobilizing European and French financial center stakeholders around the green and sustainable finance transition. Operates a similar neutral convening role for finance/policy/civil society as Building Bridges does in Geneva.

Emerging players

• Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD): Global framework for nature-related corporate disclosures launched at Building Bridges 2023. TNFD's rapid uptake (600+ organizations committed) makes it an emerging peer in shaping the sustainable finance agenda and convening corporate adopters.

Regional players

• African Venture Philanthropy Alliance (AVPA): Alliance mobilizing catalytic capital for development across Africa with annual conference convening 400+ stakeholders. Directly comparable to Building Bridges' Africa Programme as a regional sustainable-investment convening platform.
• Green Finance Institute: UK-based membership organization accelerating green finance through research, policy advocacy and convening. Comparable as a national-level sustainable finance convening platform, focused on the UK market rather than Switzerland/Geneva.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum (WEF): WEF's annual Davos meeting and Sustainable Development Impact Meetings convene finance leaders, policymakers, NGOs and multilateral institutions around global agendas including sustainable finance. WEF is a much larger, more established convening platform with similar multi-stakeholder DNA to Building Bridges.
• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): UN-supported network of 5,000+ signatories incorporating ESG into investment decisions. Operates its own annual PRI in Person conference and is comparable as a sustained global convening infrastructure for sustainable finance signatories.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bbridgesch?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@BuildingBridges
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/building-bridges-switzerland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Building Bridges