UAE-based social enterprise C3 – Companies Creating Change has released its 2025 Impact Report, highlighting a year of significant growth in supporting impact-driven startups across the Middle East and Africa. In 2025 alone, C3 supported 52 companies operating across more than 60 countries, helping scale solutions that reached 69.3 million people. The report details the organization’s progress in advancing impact across critical sectors including Climate & Resource Efficiency, Future Skills, Inclusive Finance, and Advanced Health.
Accelerating Ecosystem Maturity and Resilience
Since its inception, C3 has accelerated a total of 400 startups, achieving a remarkable 86% survival rate among its alumni. The cumulative impact of these companies is reflected in their financial performance, with C3 alumni collectively raising approximately $1 billion in total funds. The network is diverse, boasting 31% female founders and representing 73 different nationalities.
Geographically, the alumni footprint spans both the MENA region—with strong concentrations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt—and Sub-Saharan Africa, with significant activity in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. The portfolio is sector-agnostic but shows strong clusters in high-impact industries: Climate & Energy accounts for 23% of the alumni distribution, followed by Education & Workforce at 20% and Health at 15%.
Driving Innovation Through Specialized Programs
The 2025 report breaks down the specific outcomes of C3’s specialized accelerator tracks. The C3 Impact Accelerator, the organization’s flagship program for early-stage startups in the Middle East and Africa, supported a cohort of 11 startups in its fourth edition. This cohort, which included 40% female founders, raised $2.5 million in funding.
Parallel to this, the C3 Climate Accelerator focused on empowering 12 climate-tech startups from 11 different countries. Running from seed to pre-Series A stages, this program achieved a 100% operational rate for its participating startups, providing them with essential resources, governance training, and access to networks to scale impactful climate solutions.
Collaborative Impact with Corporate Partners
C3’s model relies heavily on co-creating programs with major corporate and government partners to enable founders to scale with purpose. The organization works through various structures, including customized programs focused on funding readiness with partners like HSBC and Google, and building hubs and ecosystems with entities such as DMCC and Merck.
Furthermore, C3 facilitates innovation initiatives and corporate challenges to translate high-level sustainability goals into on-the-ground entrepreneurship opportunities. These initiatives align with partner objectives in priority areas like climate, health, and inclusion, involving stakeholders such as Standard Chartered, Accenture, and Engie.
About C3 – Companies Creating Change
C3 – Companies Creating Change is a UAE-based social enterprise dedicated to unlocking the potential of impact-driven entrepreneurs in the Middle East and Africa. C3 provides changemakers with the knowledge, coaching, and connections needed to scale their businesses and maximize their positive impact on the community and the environment. By aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and using frameworks like IRIS+, C3 ensures its programs deliver measurable progress across climate, inclusion, health, and finance.
Source: C3 – Companies Creating Change
