According to the data released by the United Nations (UN) Development Program UNDP, annual investment requirements in all sectors are estimated to be between 5 and 7 trillion dollars in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP explains that only developing countries face a huge financing gap of $2.5 trillion annually in SDG investments. While every person and institution has important responsibilities for a more livable future, the startup ecosystem is also working on SDGs.
The digital acceleration platform in4startups, which enables startups to commercialize and meet with investors, has published its sustainability manifesto. It was also announced that the platform, which was established in 2022 by Ahmet Sefa Bir and Şerafettin Özsoy, developed an impact analysis that measures the sustainability of startups.
Manifesto in line with the UN framework
Making a statement on the subject, in4startups Founders Ahmet Sefa Bir and Şerafettin Özsoy stated that the entrepreneurship ecosystem is of great importance for a sustainable future, and said, “For this reason, we have published our own commitments under the name of ‘in4startups Sustainability Manifesto’ in order to contribute to the SDGs.” The manifesto includes commitments that In4startups will comply with, as well as that it recommends the startups it works with. The manifesto, shaped by the framework drawn by the UN SDGs, consists of 14 items.
Startups can do impact analysis
Working with hundreds of startups to date, in4startups first applied the analysis to itself, mapping which SDGs and how much they overlapped. Startup startups using the analysis can also identify which of the UN’s 17 SDGs they carry out activities. After the SDG determination, it is possible to measure the percentage of the impact of corporate sustainability in environmental, economic and social dimensions. Impact analysis results are visualized and reported in accordance with 17 SDGs.
“Entrepreneurship deeply affects the course of the world”
In4startups founding partners Ahmet Sefa Bir and Şerafettin Özsoy stated the following about the manifesto they published: “We believe that our services, which facilitate the commercialization of startups and find investments through acceleration programs, which is our main field of activity, play a key role in making our country and our world a more livable place. Because we think that entrepreneurship is not just a commercial activity, but a great entrepreneurial ecosystem is formed as a result of all entrepreneurial efforts, innovative business models, products and services, and from this perspective, entrepreneurship is a very important activity that deeply affects the course of the world. For this reason, we think that our own activities and the products and services we develop contribute to the development of the entrepreneurship ecosystem and thus to make the world a more livable place.
We want to build a sustainable future for both our country and our world. For this purpose, we are happy to share our sustainability manifesto with the public in order to ensure that our activities comply with the United Nations Global Development Goals and contribute to these goals.”
