UpLink drives global sustainability innovation

UpLink, co-founded by Salesforce, the World Economic Forum, and Deloitte, has become a powerful global innovation engine accelerating solutions aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Over five years, UpLink has supported more than 500 early-stage ventures across 75 countries, contributing to over 19, 000 jobs worldwide. These ventures have delivered measurable environmental outcomes, such as protecting 140 million hectares of natural habitat and treating 2.5 billion liters of wastewater. This data-driven approach demonstrates how UpLink effectively combines innovation with tangible impact.

Curated challenges fuel measurable progress

At the core of UpLink’s success are curated innovation challenges that invite entrepreneurs to submit breakthrough solutions addressing critical sustainability issues. More than 60 challenges have been launched, each designed with expert input to spotlight areas where innovation can create lasting change. Selected Top Innovators receive tailored support including mentorship, investment connections, and partnerships with city leaders. This structured ecosystem accelerates the journey from early-stage ideas to scalable real-world solutions, resulting in concrete metrics like over 142, 400 metric tons of waste collected through circular economy initiatives.

Yes San Francisco model scales local solutions globally

In 2023, UpLink debuted its first location-based challenge, Yes San Francisco, aimed at fast-tracking urban sustainability innovations within Salesforce’s hometown. Supported by Salesforce, Deloitte, Citi, and the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the initiative selected 14 ventures focused on green jobs and sustainable urban practices. Notably, the startup It’s Electric reduced city deployment time from over 12 months to just five months by leveraging expedited support from local government. The success of Yes SF has led to a second cohort with 12 innovators selected from more than 200 applicants, many applying AI to urban sustainability. This model is now being replicated globally, proving local innovation can create worldwide impact.

Salesforce evolves from supporter to strategic driver

Salesforce’s role in UpLink extends beyond sponsorship to strategic leadership and operational support. The company has backed numerous challenges, including nature-based carbon market solutions and sustainable aviation fuels, alongside Yes SF. UpLink innovators gain early access to Salesforce Launchpad tools and go-to – market resources, critical for scaling impact. A standout example is Epic Cleantech, an UpLink alum that now treats 100% of blackwater in Salesforce Tower, embedding innovation directly into Salesforce’s infrastructure. Salesforce director and UpLink fellow Steve Schwartz’s two-year secondment at the World Economic Forum exemplifies the company’s hands-on commitment to scaling sustainable innovation.

Collaboration ecosystem enhances innovation impact

UpLink actively builds a collaborative ecosystem where innovators, investors, mentors, and civic leaders co-create value. The Yes SF headquarters serves as a hub for networking, co-working, and partnership formation. This environment has catalyzed joint go-to – market strategies and data sharing across cohorts, amplifying impact through interconnected solutions. According to Schwartz, this ecosystem approach leads to innovations that reinforce and accelerate each other, driving more efficient and scalable outcomes in sustainability efforts.

Agentic AI accelerates solution development and impact

UpLink is leveraging agentic AI to transform how sustainability solutions are designed, measured, and scaled. AI-powered innovations within UpLink have evolved from early adoption to mainstream tools, enabling autonomous prototyping and real-time impact measurement. Agentic AI also enhances collaboration by intelligently matching innovators with stakeholders and tackling complex systemic challenges with adaptive solutions. This integration of advanced AI technology positions UpLink to accelerate its mission, optimizing execution infrastructure alongside innovative ideas.

UpLink

UpLink proves scalable impact with data-driven results. Celebrating five years, UpLink stands as a blueprint for sustainable innovation with quantifiable results. Its ecosystem has generated over 19, 000 jobs, protected millions of hectares of habitat, and advanced circular economy practices on a large scale. As Schwartz states, UpLink provides a system that helps innovators go further and faster with real support, turning bold ideas into measurable global impact. This case study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining corporate leadership, curated challenges, collaborative networks, and cutting-edge AI to deliver scalable sustainability solutions.