Jacqueline Novogratz is the visionary Founder and CEO of Acumen, a global nonprofit dedicated to transforming how the world tackles poverty by investing in sustainable businesses, leaders, and ideas. Her work is centered on a philosophy of patient capital, challenging conventional philanthropy and demonstrating that market-based solutions can deliver affordable, essential services—like healthcare, water, and energy—to the world’s poorest populations.
Under Novogratz's leadership, Acumen has approved investments of more than $83 million in over 75 companies across South Asia and Africa. These companies have created and supported 58,000 jobs and brought basic services to more than 100 million people, demonstrating the massive, scalable impact of her investment model. Prior to Acumen, she was a co-founder of Duterimbere, a micro-finance institution in Rwanda, and began her career in international banking with Chase Manhattan Bank.
Her influence in the field of social innovation is broadly recognized. She has been featured on Foreign Policy’s list of Top 100 Global Thinkers and The Daily Beast’s 25 Smartest People of the Decade, and Acumen was featured on the cover of Forbes magazine. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council for Social Innovation, advising on the highest levels of global strategy.
As a speaker, Novogratz provides a compelling, morally grounded call to action. Her bestselling memoir, The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World, challenges readers to grant dignity to the poor and rethink their engagement with the world. Her presentations offer invaluable, firsthand insights into the power of social enterprise, the need for values-based leadership, and the strategic rigor required to achieve sustainable impact.
