The DIV Fund: Evidence-Driven Innovation from Pilot to Scale

​About the session
The DIV Fund is an evidence-driven open innovation fund for global development that advances solutions with the potential to cost-effectively improve millions of lives. Building on a 15-year track record within USAID, the Fund supports early-stage pilots of promising ideas, rigorous evaluation of innovations with demonstrated traction, and the scale-up of cost-effective solutions proven to deliver real impact.

​With its first call for proposals launching in April 2026, this session offers an opportunity to engage directly with the team behind the DIV Fund and explore how evidence-driven innovation can drive meaningful, measurable change.

​The conversation will draw on lessons from past DIV-supported organizations that have rigorously tested and operationally refined innovative models to generate impact at scale.

​Who this is for
This session is for practitioners, researchers, and funders interested in innovative, evidence-based approaches to scaling impact and improving cost-effectiveness in global development.

​What you will get out of it

• ​Insight into how the DIV Fund identifies and supports high-potential innovations

• ​Real-world lessons from organizations that have rigorously tested ambitious ideas and brought high-impact innovations to scale through the public and private sectors

• ​A deeper understanding of how evidence can strengthen innovation and enable decision-making

• ​Discussion on what it takes to achieve lasting, large-scale impact

​Speakers

• ​Curt Bowen, Executive Director - Semilla Nueva

• ​Ella Gudwin, CEO - VisionSpring

• ​Pranav Kothari, CEO - Educational Initiatives

• ​Jeff Brown, CIO - DIV Fund

• ​Sasha Gallant, CEO - DIV Fund

• ​Amy McDonough, Strategic Partnerships & Technical Assistance - DIV Fund