Leveraging the Role of the Private Sector in Istanbul to Spur Sustainable Development

Technology and Communications sector players come together for the second time in 2022 for an investor-enterprise convening to boost SGD investments in Turkey

March 22, 2022

 

 

Sustainable Development goals provide a blueprint to achieve a more equitable and sustainable future. 5 to 7 trillion dollars need to be invested annually to achieve the SDG Agenda by 2030. To close this gap and expand SDG-related investments, it is essential to mobilize the efforts of the private sector.

To contribute to private sector engagement in development, UNDP Turkey and UNDP IICPSD organized the “Technology and Communications Sector Investor Convening Event” in March 2022 with the contributions of the UK Prosperity Fund. The event brought together industry leaders, enterprises and investors to accelerate private sector contributions towards the SDGs. The event was organized as a part of the SDG Investment Initiative, which was launched by UNDP Turkey and UNDP IICPSD in October 2021, aiming to raise awareness about the potential impact of different investment decisions and promote standards to measure impact.

The event followed the format of the first Technology and Communications sector Investor Convening Event, organized in February 2022. Technology and Communications was identified as a priority sector by “SDG Investor Map Turkey” given its ability to boost progress towards all SDGs, especially SDG 9. “SDG Investor Map Turkey” is a guide that consists of detailed investment information on 27 investment opportunity areas identified across 9 priority sectors and 14 subsectors.

The event started with opening statements by IICPSD and the UNDP Turkey Country Office, and an introduction to the SDG Investor Map Turkey. The opening remarks were followed by the session for the Technology and Communications sector. The session was conducted with the participation of 5 investors and 5 companies.

During the session, participants discussed SDG-aligned investment opportunity areas and shared their business plans. Presentations were delivered by Pons Digital, Tolkido, Medroco, Negentra and Bren. Business models such as medical devices and telemedicine for remote diagnostics, digital learning material for children, robotic rehabilitation devices, augmented reality and IoT games and programmes for education purposes, and energy efficiency technologies were at the center of the presentations with SDG-aligned solutions. Ida Capital, Leonie Hill Capital, Sarus Select Capital, Bethnal Green Ventures and Vestel Ventures have also delivered presentations about their investment strategies in the sector. The participating investors were highly interested in the companies’ presentations. Following the event, participants have exchanged contact information for further bilateral communication.

As a result of the first Technology and Communications Sector Investor Convening Event organized in February 2022, one of the participating companies – WeWalk was able to connect with the Singapore-based Leonie Hill Capital (LHC). WeWalk, a producer of smart canes with ultrasound technology for visually impaired populations, signed an engagement letter on the 1st of March with LHC as lead investor, initiating a long-term SDG-anchored partnership to create a unique brand with sustainable revenue streams, market distribution, supply chain optimization, successful growth in target markets and transparent impact measurement and management processes.