World Social Innovation Forum

What World Social Innovation Forum does

World Social Innovation Forum (WSIF) is a non-profit, privately held global convening platform founded in 2020 and headquartered in San Jose, California. It organizes events, webinars, and partnership programs that connect social changemakers, social entrepreneurs, impact investors, policymakers, and corporate leaders across government, non-profit, and private-sector channels. The organization is structured around five named focus areas: Impact Investment, Smart City Initiatives, Digital Education, Digital Healthcare, and Digital Entrepreneurship, with stated alignment to six UN Sustainable Development Goals. WSIF operates a tri-hub model with regional offices in Singapore (Ayer Rajah Crescent) and Abu Dhabi (ADGM Square, Al Maryah Island), enabling cross-regional programming across North America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

WSIF's product surface is limited. Its principal technology artifact is the Shohojoddha Plasma Network Platform, a digital donor-to-recipient matching service developed in partnership with Bangladesh's ICT Division, DGHS, UNDP, a2i Innovation Lab, and eGeneration to facilitate COVID-19 convalescent plasma collection in Bangladesh. Otherwise, WSIF does not sell software products; its core deliverables are conferences (Asia Meeting, Annual Meeting), partnership-driven webinars, and partner co-branded initiatives such as the Startup World Cup/Startup Hub Nepal collaboration. The Global Steering Committee and board draw from senior partners at venture firms including Pegasus Tech Ventures, Quest Ventures, Shorooq Partners, and Click Ventures, with Chairman Shameem Ahsan concurrently serving as General Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures.

WSIF's revenue model is event- and partnership-driven. The organization generates income through event participation fees, sponsorships, and partnership contributions, though no public pricing, sponsorship rate cards, or membership tiers are disclosed. As a non-profit with 51–100 employees and no disclosed revenue, financials, or funding rounds, WSIF's revenue mechanics are opaque to external observers. Customer-facing "paying" counterparties are best characterized as event participants, sponsoring partners, and government/agency co-funders on specific initiatives; the named anchor relationships (Bangladesh government cluster, Nepal startup ecosystem, and VC partner cluster) suggest concentrated project-level sponsorship rather than a diversified membership revenue base.

Name

World Social Innovation Forum

Legal name

World Social Innovation Forum

Website

https://www.wsif.world

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

World Social Innovation Forum (WSIF) is a non-profit global convening platform that connects social innovators, impact investors, policymakers, and corporate leaders through events, webinars, and partnerships, with offices in San Jose, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Jose

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Platform Membership and Event Participation: WSIF operates as a convening platform bringing together social innovators, impact investors, and policymakers through events, webinars, and partnerships. Revenue is generated through participation fees, sponsorship, and partnerships with organizations aligned with their mission.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

World Social Innovation Forum (WSIF) operates as a global convening platform that educates, engages, and connects social changemakers, social innovators, impact investors, policymakers, and thought leaders from government, non-profit, and corporate sectors. It organizes flagship events such as the WSIF Annual Meeting and the WSIF-Asia Meeting, hosts partnership webinars, and develops digital initiative platforms (notably the Shohojoddha plasma network in Bangladesh) focused on five impact areas: Impact Investment, Smart City Initiatives, Digital Education, Digital Healthcare, and Digital Entrepreneurship.

Product overview

World Social Innovation Forum (WSIF) operates as a global networking and conference platform for social changemakers, impact investors, policymakers, and thought leaders. Rather than offering a unified software product, WSIF functions as a forum that facilitates connections and partnerships across five key impact areas: Impact Investment, Smart City Initiatives, Digital Education, Digital Healthcare, and Digital Entrepreneurship. The organization has developed the Shohojoddha Plasma Network Platform, a digital health initiative that connects plasma donors with recipients in Bangladesh. WSIF's primary offerings include organizing regional meetings (such as the Asia Meeting and Annual Meeting), facilitating partnership webinars, and supporting impact startups aligned with Sustainable Development Goals through collaborations with organizations like Startup World Cup and Startup Hub Nepal.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• World Social Innovation Forum Annual Meeting An annual in-person convening event organized by WSIF that brings together social changemakers, social innovators, impact investors, policymakers, and thought leaders from government, non-profit, and corporate sectors across regions.
• World Social Innovation Forum - Asia Meeting A regional convening event organized by WSIF focused on connecting Asian social innovators, impact investors, and policymakers with global networks.
• WSIF Partnership Webinars Joint webinar programs co-organized with partners such as Startup World Cup and Startup Hub Nepal that connect impact startups with global investors, social innovation networks, and policy audiences on topics including SDG-aligned funding and green/resilient economy building.
• Shohojoddha Plasma Network Platform A digital plasma network platform designed to connect plasma donors and recipients in Bangladesh, enabling recovered COVID-19 patients to register as donors and patients to search for and obtain convalescent plasma; developed with Bangladesh's ICT Division, DGHS, UNDP, a2i Innovation Lab, and eGeneration.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 100 startups from Nepal and around the world participated in WSIF-organized webinar
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• theunconnected.orgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 January 2022World Social Innovation Forum and theunconnected.org announced partnership to cooperate, synergize opportunities, and collaborate in projects that align with shared goals. The partnership aims to bridge the digital divide by connecting people to the internet, enabling access to employment, education, healthcare, agriculture, financial services, and entertainment. Focus areas include keeping schools and students connected and bringing rural villages into the economy.
• Startup World CupcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 May 2021WSIF partnered with Startup World Cup and Startup Hub Nepal to jointly organize a webinar titled 'Funding Social Innovation: Fostering a Green & Resilient Economy Through Startups' to provide the startup ecosystem of Nepal with guidelines on establishing impact and compassionate capitalism. Going forward, the organizations will work together to connect Nepali startups with global startups, social innovation networks and investors.
• Startup Hub NepalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2021Joint organizer of webinar for Nepali startup ecosystem support. WSIF, Startup World Cup and Startup Hub Nepal will work together to connect Nepali startups with global startups, social innovation networks and investors, and help the government of Nepal formulate frameworks for implementing impact and compassionate capitalism.
• Bangladesh ICT DivisioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 May 2021WSIF partnered with Bangladesh's ICT Division to launch the 'Shohojoddha' plasma network - a platform designed to connect plasma donors and recipients in Bangladesh during the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform was developed in collaboration with DGHS, UNDP, a2i Innovation Lab, and eGeneration to facilitate collection and distribution of plasma from coronavirus recovered patients.
• Pegasus Tech VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a valuable partner. Shameem Ahsan, General Partner at Pegasus Tech Ventures, serves as Chairman of World Social Innovation Forum and is actively involved in WSIF initiatives.
• Quest VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a valuable partner. James Tan, Managing Partner at Quest Ventures, serves as Board Member of World Social Innovation Forum and Chairman of Action Community for Entrepreneurship.
• Shorooq PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a valuable partner. Mahmoud Adi, Founding Partner at Shorooq Partners, serves on the Global Steering Committee of World Social Innovation Forum.
• eGenerationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a valuable partner and active participant in WSIF initiatives. Shameem Ahsan is Group Chairman of eGeneration and presented keynote on the 'Shohojoddha' platform.
• a2i Innovation LabminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBangladesh government innovation lab that served as Project Director for the 'Shohojoddha' plasma network initiative. Led by Dr. Md Abdul Mannan, Project Director (Additional Secretary), a2i.
• UNDPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Development Programme partnered as part of the consortium launching the 'Shohojoddha' plasma network in Bangladesh.
• Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) BangladeshminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBangladesh's health services directorate partnered in the 'Shohojoddha' plasma network platform. Dr. Md Aminul Hasan, Director at DGHS, served as Special Guest at the launch event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Aspen Institute: A long-established US-based policy and leadership convening organization running sector-specific programs and an annual Ideas Festival. Comparable to WSIF as a high-touch convener of policymakers, investors, and thought leaders, though much broader in scope and better funded.
• World Economic Forum (WEF): The flagship global convening body for heads of state, investors, and innovators, including the annual Davos meeting and growth-stage platforms. WSIF operates a regionalized, SDG-focused version of the same convening model WEF pioneered.

Direct peers

• Skoll Foundation / Skoll World Forum: Global platform funding and convening social entrepreneurs, anchored by the annual Skoll World Forum in Oxford. Closest direct competitor to WSIF: targets the same intersection of impact investors, social innovators, and policymakers, with deeper brand recognition.
• Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship: Affiliated with the World Economic Forum, this foundation curates a global network of social entrepreneurs and impact investors. Operates in the same convening-and-recognition niche as WSIF, with far greater institutional reach and brand.
• Impact Hub: Global network of innovation hubs and incubators for social entrepreneurs, with locations across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Comparable to WSIF as a global platform for social innovators, though with a physical co-working and incubation focus rather than a convening-events focus.
• Echoing Green: US-based non-profit that identifies, invests in, and convenes emerging social-impact leaders. Comparable to WSIF in serving the social-entrepreneur talent pipeline with a fellowship model and a global community.
• Global Steering Group for Impact Investment (GSG): International body promoting impact investment through national advisory boards and partnerships with governments and investors. Directly comparable to WSIF's impact-investment convening and policy-advocacy function.

Emerging players

• NetHope: A consortium of leading international NGOs and technology partners focused on digital development and ICT4D. Comparable to WSIF through its digital-development focus and multinational NGO/government partnerships, though technology-deployment focused.
• Social Enterprise Alliance (SEA) / Social Enterprise World Forum: Global network supporting social enterprises with annual international forums. Comparable to WSIF as a convener for social entrepreneurs and policymakers, with a more regional/local-chapter structure.
• TechSoup Global: Non-profit that equips civil-society organizations with technology and capacity-building resources globally. Overlaps with WSIF on digital-development initiatives targeting non-profits and social-mission organizations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wsif
• Facebookfacebook.com/WSIF.world

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Social Innovation Forum