The Global Exchange for Social Investment (GEXSI)
links charitable donors, entrepreneurs and investors in funding exceptional
economic, ecological and social projects for sustainable development
in low income regions around the world.
GEXSI's key objective is to move social entrepreneurs "from Aid
to Market" - from charity dependency to the development of viable
businesses, which can support good causes. Social entrepreneurs provide
access to basic goods and services such as water, electricity, communication
or healthcare in poor regions around the world. They improve the lives
of millions of economically deprived people by creating employment
and income earning opportunities.
Initially, social enterprises often depend on grants. To move towards
self-reliance, many need start-up support - access to expertise, markets
and finance. GEXSI mobilises the capital and expertise needed by social
entrepreneurs to move from aid to market.
GEXSI is a UK charity, headquartered in London, with
an additional office base in Berlin. It counts on a small, high-calibre
staff, senior advisors with strong international development expertise,
volunteers, and partner organizations around the world.
GEXSI was launched originally at the World Economic Forum (Davos)
under the auspices of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship,
with private sector start-up sponsorship from Deutsche Bank, Foursome
Investments, The Open Society Institute, Bain & Company, and
subsequent public sector sponsorship also from the German Government
(BMZ/GTZ).
In its current form, GEXSI has been operating since 2004. Its charity
status was granted by the UK Charity Commission in January 2007
(UK Charity Registration No. 1117884). A for-profit entity - GEXSI
LLP (No. OC 320304) - was founded ion 2006 to provide market-based
services based on a shared vision. GEXSI LLP and the Charity are
independent organizations that share a similar vision and goals.
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