Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter

What Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter does

The Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter is a nonprofit innovation unit within Habitat for Humanity International, a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1976 and headquartered administratively in Atlanta, Georgia (with operational headquarters in Americus, Georgia). It is dedicated to advancing affordable housing solutions globally by convening startups, governments, and industry partners around shelter innovation, with active programs in sustainable construction materials, water treatment, modular housing, and passive cooling systems. Its core known programs include the SHElterTech Acceleration Program, India's first accelerator dedicated to women-led startups in the housing and construction sector (six startups supported in its inaugural cohort in Hyderabad in June 2026), and the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative, launched in 2022 with the Inter-American Cement Federation (FICEM) to replace 100,000 dirt or poor-condition floors across Latin America and the Caribbean by 2028. Operating subsidiaries include Centro Terwilliger de Innovación en Vivienda (CTIV) offices in Mexico and Peru, and the center leverages Habitat for Humanity's broader network of more than 60 countries to distribute innovations through government housing agencies, CSR foundations, and country-level Habitat affiliates.

Name

Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter

Legal name

Habitat for Humanity International, Inc.

Website

https://habitat.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter is a nonprofit innovation unit within Habitat for Humanity International that advances affordable housing solutions by running accelerators for women-led housing startups and partnering with governments, cement-industry players, and CSR foundations across more than 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable housing innovation services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI)

Keywords

• Affordable housing
• Shelter innovation
• Housing market systems
• Construction innovation
• Nonprofit housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable donations and grants: Habitat for Humanity International, under which the Terwilliger Center operates, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization also receives programmatic grants for specific initiatives such as the SHElterTech Accelerator and the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter is a specialized innovation unit within Habitat for Humanity International that drives more efficient and inclusive housing market systems through accelerators, market-system partnerships, and field pilots. Its flagship offering is the SHElterTech Acceleration Program, which supports women-founded startups in the housing and construction sector with market access, investment introductions, and matchmaking with enterprise buyers and government stakeholders. It also co-implements the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative, aimed at replacing 100,000 dirt or poor-condition floors with concrete floors in vulnerable homes across Latin America and the Caribbean by 2028.

Product overview

The Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter operates as an innovation unit under Habitat for Humanity International, focused on advancing affordable housing solutions. Its primary known program is the SHElterTech Acceleration Program, which supports women-led startups in the housing and construction sector through business matchmaking, market access, and investment opportunities. The center also collaborates on initiatives like the 100,000 Floors to Play On campaign in Latin America and the Caribbean region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SHElterTech Acceleration Program: Accelerator program dedicated to women-led startups in the housing and construction sector
• Let's Open the Door
• 100,000 Floors to Play On

Products and services

• SHElterTech Acceleration Program India's first accelerator dedicated to women-led startups in the housing and construction sector, providing market access, investment opportunities, and strategic industry connections. Supported startups operate in sustainable construction materials, water treatment solutions, modular housing, and passive cooling systems for the affordable housing market.
• 100,000 Floors to Play On Cross-country field initiative replacing 100,000 dirt or poor-condition floors with concrete floors in vulnerable homes across 16 Latin America and Caribbean countries, with country pilots such as PISOS S3 in Guatemala with Cementos Progreso, the Cement and Concrete Institute of Guatemala (ICCG), and the Network of Indigenous Entrepreneurs (REI).
• Centro Terwilliger de Innovación en Vivienda (CTIV) country offices In-country Terwilliger Center innovation units operating as wholly owned subsidiaries of Habitat for Humanity, including CTIV México and CTIV Perú, delivering housing innovation programming across the Latin America and Caribbean region.
• Let's Open the Door global campaign Habitat for Humanity-led global campaign creating public awareness of the housing need across more than 60 countries during the organization's 50th anniversary year.

Quantifiable outcome

• In the Dominican Republic, families with a concrete floor saved $17.70 per month and invested 12% more in improving their house.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WE HubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 June 2026WE Hub, India's first state-led nodal agency for women entrepreneurs, partnered with the Terwilliger Center to implement the SHElterTech Acceleration Program, India's first initiative dedicated to women-led startups in the housing and construction sector. Six startups showcased innovations at a cohort showcase attended by real estate developers, CSR foundations, and government stakeholders. The program included business matchmaking designed to connect women founders with enterprise buyers, investors, and strategic partners.
• Telangana Housing Corporation LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2026The Managing Director of Telangana Housing Corporation Limited attended the closing ceremony of the SHElterTech Acceleration Program and stated the government is ready to work with program innovators to develop smarter, cost-effective construction solutions for affordable housing.
• Inter-American Cement Federation (FICEM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Habitat for Humanity partnered with the Inter-American Cement Federation (FICEM) to launch the 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative in 2022, seeking to replace 100,000 dirt floors with concrete floors in vulnerable homes across Latin America and the Caribbean by 2028.
• Cementos Progreso (Guatemala)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCementos Progreso partnered with Habitat for Humanity Guatemala on the PISOS S3 pilot project, alongside the Cement and Concrete Institute of Guatemala (ICCG) and the Network of Indigenous Entrepreneurs (REI), focused on replacing dirt floors with concrete in vulnerable communities.
• CSR Foundations and Real Estate DevelopersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate social responsibility foundations and real estate developers attended the SHElterTech cohort showcase and industry networking event, connecting with women-founded startups for potential investment and partnership opportunities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Self-Help Enterprises: California-based nonprofit developer of affordable housing and community facilities for low-income rural families. Closely comparable to Habitat's community-led affordable housing and rural home-repair programming.
• Mercy Housing: One of the largest US nonprofit affordable-housing developers, operating across multiple states with a mission-driven model aligned to Habitat for Humanity's affordable-housing focus and partner-ecosystem approach.
• World Habitat: UK-based charity that funds and recognizes housing innovation globally through annual awards and grants. Closely comparable as a mission-aligned funder of housing-innovation projects in low-income countries, similar to Terwilliger's accelerator-style support model.
• Enterprise Community Partners: US-based nonprofit that invests in affordable housing development and community development financial institutions. Directly comparable to the Terwilliger Center as a nonprofit housing-innovation intermediary that channels capital and partnerships into affordable-housing solutions.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National nonprofit that mobilizes corporate, government, and philanthropic capital for affordable housing and community development in the US. Comparable to the Terwilliger Center in serving as an intermediary that funds and supports place-based affordable-housing interventions.

Emerging players

• Acumen: Global nonprofit impact investor that runs accelerator-style programs (e.g., Acumen Academy, accelerators for social enterprises) targeting sectors like energy, agriculture, and housing. Comparable to the Terwilliger Center in deploying cohort-based programs to scale mission-driven startups in underserved markets.

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: Largest development nonprofit in the world, headquartered in Bangladesh with significant affordable-housing and slum-upgrading programs. Comparable to the Terwilliger Center in operating housing-and-shelter innovation across multiple emerging markets, though at far larger scale.
• UN-Habitat: United Nations agency for sustainable urbanization and housing, coordinating global policy and programs for adequate housing. Comparable in mission and global footprint, though operating as a multilateral agency rather than a nonprofit innovation unit.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Parent umbrella organization that houses the Terwilliger Center. Comparable as the broader affordable-housing nonprofit whose global network, brand, and donor base the Terwilliger Center leverages and depends on.

Others

• Kiva: Global nonprofit crowdfunding platform that finances microloans for housing, sanitation, and small business in underserved markets. Comparable as an enabler of housing-related capital access in low-income communities, complementing the Terwilliger Center's accelerator and innovation work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/terwilligerctr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hphlac
• Facebookfacebook.com/habitatparalahumanidad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/habitat-for-humanity-international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments2 records

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

Frequently asked questions about Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter