After spending several years working for international non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh, I am currently studying sustainable finance and development at the Graduate Institute and had the opportunity to engage with these intersecting fields at the Building Bridges 2026 event in Geneva.

Guided by the event’s focus on connecting finance with the Sustainable Development Goals, I attended sessions dedicated to identifying investable, scalable opportunities and understanding how financial technology (Fintech) and artificial intelligence (AI) are supporting that journey. Speakers discussed the side effects of AI, yet the overall sentiment highlighted its potential. During a session on information integrity, a Swiss National Councillor spoke about the challenge of “infobesity” and the need for AI regulation, whilst representatives from ETH Zurich highlighted gaps in data availability and confidentiality in a different forum. The benefits, however, were evident. In a session on “Engineering trust and designing an AI backbone for impact investing”, Tameo Impact Fund Solutions showcased a database mapping the flow of impact funds, their net returns, and their catalytic effects.

Similarly, another presentation by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) introduced their new “Net Zero Finance Tracker (NZFT)” platform, which tracks how companies are progressing towards reducing their carbon footprint. It enables financial institutions and investors to evaluate the extent to which their portfolios align with decarbonisation goals. This helped to clearly visualise how standardising data is transforming the financing of climate related actions.

Coming from Bangladesh, witnessing these platforms and practices by actors and financial institutions is a relatively new experience. To the best of my knowledge, these concepts remain in the discussion and trial-and-error stages in my home country, often disappearing once funding windows (of institutional donors) close. The application of standardised data and AI-based models to analyse the impact of blended financing represents an opportunity that could help project managers approach international investors. Currently only a couple of NGOs, and a handful of consultancy firms, incubators, and think tanks in Bangladesh focus on innovation-centric and financing goals, yet the majority remain grant-dependent. Engaging with the Building Bridges community made me reflect on how a shift from grant-based to commercial funding could attract foreign investment in the long term for Bangladesh.

Representing a country from the Global South, I was left with two important thoughts from the talks and plenaries during the event. First, while the progress in tracking emissions reductions and the impact of blended finance is encouraging, the capacity to extract and leverage data through technology remains behind in many regions. These areas often happen to be the hardest to reach and contain vulnerable communities who face high exposure to climate change. When capital naturally gravitates towards organisations already equipped to report this information, it risks excluding promising initiatives where they are needed most. To ensure equal opportunity, there is a strong case for treating data infrastructure as a foundational investment rather than a strict prerequisite. Prioritising this capacity would level the playing field and provide investors with the confidence to support solutions in regions where data is currently limited.

Second, there was very little discussion on and examples of funding humanitarian action through impact investment. It would be interesting to explore how and if blended financing can be applied during emergencies and displacements. Furthermore, testing the application of AI and fintech in could help optimise benefits for a wider group across diverse and challenging contexts. Maybe by focusing on how communities and their skills can be utilised for marketable solutions, sustainable financing can begin to create a pathway toward self-sustaining, long-term support.

Reflecting on the event and my professional journey, there has been a clear shift from traditional grant funding towards results-based financing and impact investment. Today, there is a demand for models that generate financial returns alongside social, environmental, and pro-poor benefits. Understanding how technology and AI can support this transition is a timely topic that must be explored across different contexts. Ultimately, we need mechanisms that create jobs and business opportunities whilst serving the needs of the people, the economy, and the ecology. The good news is that, from the event, I felt there were an ample number of pension funds, asset managers, philanthropies, and commercial banks, alongside multilateral banks, who are eager to invest. It is only a matter of connecting finance with the right projects, a task made much easier with AI and Fintech!

Author: Labiba Samad, Master of Advanced Studies in Sustainable Finance and Development.

Guest Contribution: This article is brought to you in collaboration with the Geneva Graduate Institute, an Ecosystem Partner of Building Bridges 2026.

Photo Credit: Mark Henley.

Note: The views, information, data and figures presented in Guest Contributions are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily represent views or position of Building Bridges. Information, data and figures provided by guest contributors have not been independently verified by Building Bridges.