The Role of Philanthropy in Entrepreneurship andInnovation: The Case of theGulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
C3 was featured in a case study in the paper The Role of Philanthropy in Entrepreneurship and Innovation: The Case of the GCC (page 18), highlighting its partnership with HSBC, UAE. Together, they launched the Impact Accelerator Program in 2018, which supported 145 impact-driven startups—38% of them women-led—with 95% still active and collectively raising $288 million in funding. Building on this success, the partnership expanded in 2024 with the C3 Net Zero Catalyst, designed to accelerate late-stage, sustainability-focused tech startups contributing to global climate goals. HSBC also advanced initiatives such as the Sustainability Skills for a Better Tomorrow curriculum, now embedded in higher education across the Middle East, and nature-based solutions projects with Emirates Nature-WWF and ICBA. The case study illustrates how strategic philanthropy, combined with ecosystem expertise, can catalyse impact across youth empowerment, climate action, and entrepreneurship.
