Established in 2015, TRANSFORM was a joint initiative led by Unilever, the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and EY. Together, we set out to help impact entrepreneurs test and scale commercially self-sustaining, market-driven solutions to some of the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.
We built TRANSFORM on the principles of public-private collaboration and reciprocity, combining resources, expertise and networks to support locally led innovation. Through this approach, we worked alongside impact enterprises to create value for communities, entrepreneurs and partners alike.
Over the course of the initiative, we supported over 160 impact enterprise and research projects across 19 countries in Asia and Africa, reaching more than 21 million people.
The initiative came to an end in 2026 having exceeded its original ambition, but we have captured insights and lessons in our open-access playbook. We hope the TRANSFORM model lives on through others who adapt it, apply it and take its impact further.
enterprise & research projects supported
provided in grant funding and business support
people reached
Whether you're a donor, enterprise, business, investor or simply want to learn more, explore our collection of insights, tools, case studies and learning resources.
Academic Research Studies
Regenerative agriculture enterprise, Sugata, supports the development of more sustainable, traceable, and ethical supply chains of fermented cocoa beans, which…
Impact Stories
Lagos residents generate 15,000 tons of waste per day, of which only 40% is collected by the municipal government. I…
Impact Stories
In our Insights Series, TRANSFORM shares successes and learnings from our projects to help the SME and entrepreneur community gain…
Resources
1) Build links with existing networks of sales agents Often, it will be quicker and cheaper to access an existing…
TRANSFORM's impact enterprises are tackling some of the world's most pressing development challenges in an inclusive, sustainable and innovative way.
Flexible plastic accounts for between three and five percent of municipal waste in India, measuring 3.6 million tonnes annually. Flexible…
Bolsiyo is a cash register app that helps micro-merchants digitise their operations in order to become more competitive. Micro-merchants in…
Ghana generates around 840,000 tons of plastic waste per year, of which only 9.5% is collected for recycling. Alongside widespread…
Deshifarmer is an agri-tech platform that equips farmers with climate-smart tools and knowledge while connecting them directly to consumers. In…
Ecobora equips underfunded schools across Kenya with clean, solar-powered cooking boilers. These boilers deliver affordable and sustainable energy for cooking…
Protection against mosquito-borne diseases, such as malaria and dengue, remains patchy in many low-income areas of urban and rural Myanmar…
Digital innovations can support inclusion in sub-Saharan African markets and provide micro, small and medium enterprises with access to fundamental…
Women in rural Bangladesh do not have access to products and services commonly available for people in cities. This is…