UNDP and Trigger team up to supercharge SDG startups and businesses with smarter investment and support 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Trigger Asset Management (Trigger) have launched a landmark partnership aimed at unlocking capital and strengthening support for startups and businesses advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This collaboration brings together UNDP’s global innovation and finance expertise with Trigger’s strength in sustainable and scalable investment solutions. 

Led by UNDP’s Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), the initiative will enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of impact investment opportunities for mission-driven startups and businesses, particularly those nurtured by UNDP’s accelerator programmes. 

Based in Singapore, Trigger is a leading investment management firm committed to building impact-oriented financial ecosystems to tackle global challenges from climate action and poverty reduction to health and education.  

Through this partnership, UNDP and Trigger will co-develop infrastructure and strategies to help promising SDG-focused ventures and businesses reach scale and sustainability. 

Key areas of collaboration include: 

• Designing and launching investment opportunities for SDG-aligned startups and businesses that will be guided by structured acceleration and incubation pathways; 

• Creating a next-generation AI and Web3-powered digital platform to connect startups and businesses with investors and streamline collaboration; 

• Building a comprehensive, interactive database of startups and businesses supported by UNDP accelerator programmes, enabling smart matchmaking between ventures, donors, and investors; 

• Delivering tailored capacity-building programs, including training in SDG impact management, innovative financing, business development, and agile project design; 

• Rolling out a Digital MBA programme and peer learning workshops to upskill business owners and enhance organizational readiness for investment. 

“We’re seeing enormous potential in SDG-aligned startups, but they often struggle to attract the right kind of investment or support,” said Robert Pasicko, Team Leader for AltFinLab at UNDP Europe and Central Asia. “This partnership with Trigger is about bridging that gap—making it easier for impact investors to find and fund ventures solving real-world problems, while giving those ventures the tools and networks they need to thrive.” 

“This partnership is a critical step toward redefining how impact capital is mobilized and applied,” said Goh Seh Harn, Founder and CEO of Trigger Asset Management. “We are building an ecosystem where capital not only scales businesses but also fuels systemic change for people and the planet.” 

By combining UNDP’s global development reach with Trigger’s leadership in sustainable investment, the partnership is poised to support a new generation of investment-ready startups and businesses capable of delivering economically sustainable, and measurable social and environmental impact at scale. 

Media contact: 

Svetla Baeva 
Strategic Communications Lead, Innovation Team 
UNDP Europe and Central Asia
Email: svetla.baeva@undp.org 

Dr Jaslyin Qiyu,
Corporate Communications,
Trigger-UNDP Partnership
Email: comms@triggervc.com

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About UNDP 

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization working to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. With a presence in 170 countries and territories, UNDP helps nations build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow @UNDP. 

About UNDP AltFinLab 

AltFinLab is UNDP’s flagship innovation lab for alternative finance, pioneering solutions in blockchain, crowdfunding, and impact investing. It works with governments, startups, and private sector partners to mobilize resources for sustainable development. 

About Trigger 

Trigger Asset Management, headquartered in Singapore, is an investment firm that aligns private and institutional wealth for high-impact, sustainable ventures to preserve and grow economic and social capital. Through technology, strategic partnerships, and deep domain expertise, Trigger is building ecosystems where innovation meets purpose. Learn more at www.triggervc.com.