We reviewed over 200 businesses worldwide*, and have identified over 165 businesses operating in the care economy across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia who met the following 4 criteria:
1. Geography focus: operating in project target countries.
2. Care economy impact: business activities recognize, reduce, reward or redistribute care work.
3. Proof of concept: care economy activities at least at the launch stage (none of the businesses are at concept stage).
4. Market-based intervention: already or planning to be financially profitable or to generate income in the medium term.
Out of the mapping we selected 60 businesses to conduct a full profile and showcase potential investment opportunities. These profiles have been created from information and data provided by the business itself. Use the filter on the left to access the businesses profiled.
* Disclaimer: The data presented in the business mapping and profiles is based on information provided by the businesses and has not been independently verified
1. Geography focus: operating in project target countries.
2. Care economy impact: business activities recognize, reduce, reward or redistribute care work.
3. Proof of concept: care economy activities at least at the launch stage (none of the businesses are at concept stage).
4. Market-based intervention: already or planning to be financially profitable or to generate income in the medium term.
Out of the mapping we selected 60 businesses to conduct a full profile and showcase potential investment opportunities. These profiles have been created from information and data provided by the business itself. Use the filter on the left to access the businesses profiled.
* Disclaimer: The data presented in the business mapping and profiles is based on information provided by the businesses and has not been independently verified
Acacia Innovations Ltd
Website: acaciainnovations.com
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Acacia Innovations is a for-profit, women-led social enterprise specializing in the manufacturing and sale of biomass briquettes (branded under Kuni Safi). It reduces care work by saving time, money & energy spent by women in cooking and fuel collection. Acacia manufactures and distributes affordable cookstoves & briquettes, a nearly smokeless alternative to firewood, made of sugarcane waste. The enterprise’s work has helped reduce deforestation and the risk of respiratory illnesses due to indoor air pollution. Acacia’s customers save an average of 35% compared to firewood and 50% compared to charcoal.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Labour saving solutions, Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Advenio
Website: advenio.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 51% owned by women
About the organization: ADVENIO are centers specialized in stimulating, educating, and developing children from 43 days to 6 years. Backed by more than ten years of experience and with centers in Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, ADVENIO offers adequate alternatives daycare centers within corporations, industrial parks, and business centers for families and companies interested in cultivating their human capital. ADVENIO offers customized daycare solutions and personalized projects, including individual online or in-home services, helping to redistribute caring responsibilities to other organizations in society.
This initiative directly impacts people with hearing impairments, reducing the amount of time their caregivers, especially women, spend to allow them to communicate with others.”
This initiative directly impacts people with hearing impairments, reducing the amount of time their caregivers, especially women, spend to allow them to communicate with others.”
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Labour saving solutions
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Aide
Website: www.aide-app.com
Headquarters: Philippines
Country of Operations: Philippines
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: AIDE provides reliable and affordable home care services to clients in Philippines. It offers a digital marketplace for healthcare service at home, patients can book an appointment for health care service such as nursing care and doctor home visit. This for-profit company reduces the burden of care work by providing affordable and standardized home-care services.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: “Infant-care (children younger than 1-year)
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5) Child-care (Ages 6 and above) Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above) Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons) Care for people with illnesses”
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5) Child-care (Ages 6 and above) Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above) Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons) Care for people with illnesses”
Activities in the care economy: services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration)
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Atend
Website: www.atend.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: Atend is the safest and most efficient way to find quality caregivers and nursing services to deliver home care for the elderly. The company offers ease of contracting and payment for elderly care, home nursing, short-term services, and nannies, for which they have trained their staff to respond fast and efficiently.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward, Redistribute
AYAT Care
Website: ayatcare.com
Headquarters: Bangladesh
Country of Operations: Bangladesh
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: AYAT Care provides personnel for care services which are tailored to the needs of the care receiver and includes health monitoring, mental health support and medical advice, in addition to traditional care for children and the elderly. It makes professional care services available to its customers by providing training for its care-givers. It provides employment opportunities to mostly female youth, who have dropped out from school, while serving customers who find it difficult to find trained and dependable caregivers. Although profit oriented, AYAT care is not profitable yet. It plans to become profitable in the next 3 years.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons), Care for people with illnesses
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
Baby Service
Website: www.babysservice.com
Headquarters: Peru
Country of Operations: Peru
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: Baby’s Service is a baby and child care service, which seeks and selects babysitters in Lima, Peru, and abroad. Baby Service offers a specialized childcare service with continuing training and first aid certifications for their caregivers. Baby service also provides geriatric nursing services and home assistants for the elderly. Its mission is to provide the best care services while ensuring good working conditions for its employees.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Babysits
Website: www.babysits.cl
Headquarters: Netherlands
Country of Operations: Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru, Other Latin America Countries
Women owned / led: At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Babysits is a company that offers families in Latam a platform for childcare so they can feel their children are in the best hands. The safety and comfort of children are Babysits’ top priority. The tool allows parents to take mandatory government measures and other activities to eliminate parental concerns in taking care of their children. In addition, Babysits offers multiple resources, such as childcare tips and craft activities, designed for parents to spend quality time with their kids. Their mission is to empower communities regarding childcare worldwide.
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Best Care
Website: www.bestcarelatam.com
Headquarters: Uruguay
Country of Operations: Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, Honduras, Other Countries
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions
About the organization: Best Care’s mission is to improve the quality of people´s lives. Best Care has a network of caregivers in several countries around the world that provides care, assistance, and support services to people, both in hospitalization and at home. Best Care’s commercial models are affordable to all population segments. They offer services with an innovative commercial model, focused on B2B and B2C.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons), Care for people with illnesses
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas), Awareness raising on the care economy through marketing, information campaigns & programmes that raise awareness & increase motivation
Pathway to impact:
Redistribute, Reduce, Reward
Redistribute, Reduce, Reward
Bitmec
Website: bitmec.com
Headquarters: Guatemala
Country of Operations: Guatemala, Other Latin America Countries
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: “Bitmec Health Technologies Limited (“Bitmec”) is a Guatemala-based technology startup developing telemedicine tools (hardware + software) that facilitate access to high-quality, cost-effective, and scalable primary healthcare services. Their medical devices seamlessly and efficiently capture health information to prevent diseases. All Bitmec devices are interconnected and IoT-enabled, providing accurate real-time data for healthcare providers and decision-makers.
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Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for people with illnesses
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Reduce
CarePlus Ghana
Website: careplusghana.com
Headquarters: Ghana
Country of Operations: Ghana
Women owned / led: Information not available
About the organization: CarePlus Ghana is a home & family care and support agency that specialises in providing personalised at-home and community care and support services. It specializes in providing care services for people living with disability, the elderly and children. It is a for-profit company based in Ghana that reduces the burden of care-work on famiy members, predominantly women.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: “Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)
Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Care for people with illnesses
Domestic services”
Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Care for people with illnesses
Domestic services”
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Earlybird Educare
Website: earlybirdeducare.co.za
Headquarters: South Africa
Country of Operations: South Africa
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Earlybird is a social enterprise that seeks to address the shortage of high-quality early childhood development (ECD) services in South Africa. The entity uses multiple delivery channels to provide children from across the socio-economic spectrum with the tools that they need to thrive at school and beyond. Earlybird has helped reduce the career-family trade-off that particularly affects women as 61% of non-working women in South Africa cite ‘family responsibilities’ as the primary factor that curtails their labour force participation.
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Eshururu Training Center (ETC)
Website: eshururucenter.com
Headquarters: Ethiopia
Country of Operations: Ethiopia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: ElleSolaire is a solar social enterprise in Senegal. This non-profit enterprise bridges the gap between international manufacturers of breakthrough solar technologies and those who most need their products in remote off-grid communities. ElleSlaire has developed a woman led distribution network and supply chain for products like solar lamps, home solar systems and clean cookstoves. ElleSolaire’s solutions help reduce the amount of time women spend on domestic work, enable children to study after dark and help families to stay connected by mobile phones. So far, the enterprise has helped over 3,500 people and over 125 children with access to affordable electricity.
Stage of Growth: Established/Mature
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce
HIPOCAMPUS
Website: www.hipocampus.mx
Headquarters: Mexico
Country of Operations: Mexico
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman, At least 30% women in senior leadership positions, At least 30% of women in board of directors
About the organization: Hipocampus is a social enterprise that provides high-quality and affordable early childhood care and education for working families in Mexico. Hipocampus partners with employers to provide on-site childcare services fully aligned with parents´ needs. With a B2B business and distribution model, Hipocampus operates under a community-centered approach (ie. providing opportunities to educators-mostly women- from the same communities where the centers operate.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute
Hogaru
Website: www.hogaru.com
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: None
About the organization: Hogaru is a digital platform that provides housekeeping, cafeteria and childcare services in Colombia. Hogaru has an innovative and rigorous hiring process and offers cutting-edge technology to manage large groups of keepers/cleaners through a friendly algorithm system for scheduling services. Hogaru´s mission is to formalize and dignify domestic work in Colombia.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Domestic services, Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology & services that train/upskill domestic & care workers (e.g. technology that links employers to domestic/care workers), Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve condition for domestic & care worker (e.g. apps that calculate decent remuneration), Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products (e.g. product that makes washing, cooking more efficient)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward, Redistribute
Imvubu Projects Pty Ltd trading as Hippo Roller
Website: www.hipporoller.org
Headquarters: South Africa
Country of Operations: Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and most sub-saharan African countries
Women owned / led: None
About the organization: Imvubu Projects is a for-profit enterprise trading as Hippo roller. The rollers are an appropriate technology solution designed for tough rural conditions where access to water and water infrastructure is unstable. The rollers are used to transport more water using minimal effort. This reduces the care work undertaken mostly by women, children, and the elderly. Hippo roller’s capacity of 90 Liters provides adequate water for least 2 people to sustain themselves on a daily basis.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Labour saving solutions
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable time and labour saving technology and products
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Jazza Centre Limited
Website: www.jazzacentre.com
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Jazza Centre is a for-profit social enterprise that trains and places domestic workers in Kenya. The enterprise formalizes the employment process for domestic workers by ensuring that domestic workers and employers sign employment contracts. Jazza Centre increases recognition and reward for domestic workers by negotiating fair terms of employment and skill development. It reduces the burden of care work in households through provision of trained domestic workers.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5), Child-care (Ages 6 and above), Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above), Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons), Domestic services
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve conditions for domestic & care worker
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute
Jio Health
Website: jiohealth.com
Headquarters: United States of America
Country of Operations: Vietnam
Women owned / led: None
About the organization: Jio Health is a for-profit company that provides on-demand access to healthcare services such as primary care, chronic disease management, pediatrics and ancillary care services. It provides a mix of digital and physical services. As part of its digital services, it provides telemedicine and e-prescriptions. On the physical side, it runs smart clinics, has over 300 Jio-branded neighbourhood pharmacies and offers on-demand home care. The company’s services reduce the burden of care work.
Stage of Growth: Small scale roll-out/Early stage
Types of Services: “Infant-care (children younger than 1-year)
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)
Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Care for people with illnesses”
Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Elderly-care (Ages 60 and above)
Care for persons with special needs (disabled / differently abled persons)
Care for people with illnesses”
Activities in the care economy: Provision of technology, services & policies/practice that improve conditions for domestic & care worker
Pathway to impact: Reduce
Kanguritos
Website: kanguritos.co
Headquarters: Colombia
Country of Operations: Colombia
Women owned / led: Kanguritos is an education and care agency that offers teachers at home able to tailor children’s and parents’ educational needs reliably and safely to contribute to kids’ development. Kanguritos focuses on 0-7 years old children for whom they have developed innovative tools, such as the “neurolab kits,” a toolbox with a pedagogical approach that seeks to strengthen the basic and essential elements for children’s learning.
About the organization: Kanguritos is an education and care agency that offers teachers at home able to tailor children’s and parents’ educational needs reliably and safely to contribute to kids’ development. Kanguritos focuses on 0-7 years old children for whom they have developed innovative tools, such as the “neurolab kits,” a toolbox with a pedagogical approach that seeks to strengthen the basic and essential elements for children’s learning.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Redistribute
Kiddocare Sdn Bhd
Website: kiddocare.my
Headquarters: Malaysia
Country of Operations: Malaysia
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Kiddocare is an on-demand babysitting platform in Malaysia. It conveniently connects parents with trained and vetted Malaysian babysitters based on their preferred time and location. The for-profit company reduces the burden of care work by providing affordable and standardized home-care services.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year) Child-care (Ages 1 to 5) Child-care (Ages 6 and above)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work (e.g. affordable daycare services in rural areas)
Pathway to impact: Reduce, Reward
Kidogo
Website: www.kidogo.co
Headquarters: Kenya
Country of Operations: Kenya
Women owned / led: Founded by at least one woman
About the organization: Kidogo is a non-profit social enterprise that improves access to high-quality, affordable early childhood care & education in Kenya’s low-income communities. Kidogo supports women entrepreneurs to initiate or improve the quality of their own, community-based childcare micro-businesses. Kidogo reduces care work as parents have access to quality childcare service at the centres. 82% of Kidogo kids hit developmental goals. Kidogo kids receive health and nutrition interventions, that have also led to a 41% reduction in stunting.
Stage of Growth: Mass roll-out/Expansion
Types of Services: Infant-care (children younger than 1-year), Child-care (Ages 1 to 5)
Activities in the care economy: Provision of affordable services that provide care & domestic work
Pathway to impact: Recognize, Reward, Redistribute