Intro Power Inclusive Future For All FY23 Purpose Report | 52 Looking Ahead Empowering women-led Training problem-solvers companies and innovations across Zimbabwe Less than 3 percent of venture capital funding is invested in women- Nkosana Butholenkosi Masuku, a 28-year-old from Zimbabwe, won led companies. Astia addresses this disparity for companies led by the 昀椀fth annual 2023 Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership women, especially women of color. Cisco has provided early-stage Award and a US$250,000 grant for his outstanding work creating funding and subsequent investments to develop Astia Connect, the learning platform, Sciency Learning. Inspired by his experience a tech-enabled platform through which all of their deal sourcing, teaching in rural schools, Sciency Learning provides a昀昀ordable and screening, and investment occurs. Cisco’s funding helped Astia accessible STEM education to students across Zimbabwe. Having deliver on its mission to level the investment playing 昀椀eld for more reached over 65,000 learners to date, Nkosana hopes to reach than 1300 women-led companies each year. Recent funding enabled 1 million more across Africa in the next 昀椀ve years. Astia to reach a more diverse investor pool and more completely Advancing opportunities for support investments in highly innovative women-led ventures globally. Cisco and Villgro®, an Indian social enterprise incubator, joined forces skills training to launch Tvaran, an India-based startup accelerator program. Seven winning startups, all led by women entrepreneurs, were selected to Generation helps adults of all ages achieve economic mobility participate in Tvaran’s inaugural year and received support, resources, by training, placing, and supporting learners in careers that and mentorship. These startups address various facets of climate would otherwise be out of reach. With a footprint in 18 countries, resilience—including waste management, sustainable agriculture, plastic Generation targets a diverse spectrum of learner groups who have waste reduction, and sustainable mobility. Explore the impact report been disproportionately a昀昀ected by unemployment. The majority for more details on this program. of Generation learners identify with underrepresented communities within their respective countries. The Cisco Foundation invested to enhance Generation’s digital training ecosystem, which will allow the The Global Citizen Prize: nonpro昀椀t to o昀昀er a uni昀椀ed and streamlined experience for learners, Cisco Youth Leadership Award alumni, and sta昀昀 across its network. Since 2018, Cisco and Global Citizen have partnered to recognize young people who are working to end extreme poverty and using technology as a force for 88% 3X good. The 昀椀ve extraordinary young winners from around the world have been honored for their solutions in education, agriculture, clean water, and healthcare. average of Generation participants The Youth Leadership Award is awarded annually to an individual aged 18-30 increase employed 180 days after and includes a US$250,000 prize paid to the organization to which the individual in income job placement contributes to help them scale and amplify their impact.