ICONIQ Impact, the collaborative philanthropy arm of ICONIQ Capital, has unveiled the Women’s Health Co-Lab, a global initiative launched in partnership with Co-Impact. Announced during the 2025 Forbes Impact Summit, the fund is backed by philanthropic leaders including Melinda French Gates, Jennifer Gates Nassar, Phoebe Gates, and 14 additional donors. The goal is to mobilize $100 million to support 22 organizations addressing systemic inequities in maternal health, sexual and reproductive rights, and the fight against gender-based violence. With $70 million already pledged, the collaboration aims to channel capital directly into organizations led by local experts working on the ground.
Why are philanthropists concentrating $100 million in funding on women’s health and agency at this moment in history?
The launch of the Women’s Health Co-Lab comes at a time when global progress on women’s health has stalled in several critical areas. Despite decades of investment, maternal mortality rates remain unacceptably high, especially in low-income regions. According to World Health Organization data, more than 800 women die daily due to complications from pregnancy and childbirth. Beyond maternal health, the number of women lacking access to sexual and reproductive healthcare is projected to reach 470 million by 2030 if current trends continue. At the same time, gender-based violence remains pervasive, with one in three women experiencing violence in their lifetime.
ICONIQ Impact framed the initiative as a turning point for philanthropy to address the root causes of these challenges. Matti Navellou, head of ICONIQ Impact, emphasized that the philanthropic sector must meet this defining moment by accelerating support for organizations with proven models. This sentiment reflects a broader trend in philanthropy where pooled funds and collaborative models are replacing fragmented, small-scale giving.
How does the women’s health co-lab reflect the shift toward collaborative philanthropy in global funding models?
Collaborative philanthropy has emerged as a dominant trend over the last decade, driven by the recognition that no single donor or foundation can address systemic global inequities alone. ICONIQ Impact, founded as the philanthropic platform of ICONIQ Capital, has built its reputation by convening capital from ultra-high-net-worth families and directing it toward pressing issues. Its partnership with Co-Impact, a global collaborative for systems change, reflects this philosophy.
Co-Impact, under the leadership of founder Olivia Leland, has previously mobilized large-scale pooled funds targeting education and gender equity. The Women’s Health Co-Lab fits squarely into its strategy of resourcing local leaders and institutions to strengthen systemic resilience rather than relying solely on short-term project-based interventions. Leland noted that this collaboration seeks to bolster maternal care systems, expand reproductive healthcare access, and build protective environments for women facing violence.
The approach is part of a wider recognition that philanthropic impact is amplified when donors coordinate efforts, create unrestricted funding streams, and build long-term institutional strength for grantees.
What organizations will benefit from this initiative and how are they addressing systemic inequities?
The Co-Lab has already identified 22 organizations to receive unrestricted funding over the next three years. These groups represent a cross-section of approaches, from direct service provision to advocacy and cultural change campaigns.
In maternal health, organizations such as Every Mother Counts and the Maternal and Reproductive Health Research Collective are being supported to scale healthcare delivery systems, deploy technology for maternal care, and strengthen the capacity of frontline healthcare workers.
In sexual and reproductive health and rights, groups like Americans for Contraception and Girl Effect will focus on expanding access to care, launching awareness campaigns, and shaping policy frameworks across the Global South.
On the issue of gender-based violence, organizations including Serenas and Ujamaa Africa will work to strengthen legal protections, shift patriarchal social norms, and provide survivor support services. By providing unrestricted grants, ICONIQ Impact and Co-Impact aim to empower these groups to respond flexibly to emerging challenges, an approach many advocates argue is crucial for sustainability.
Why is women’s health increasingly viewed as a driver of economic and social stability worldwide?
Beyond its moral and human rights dimension, women’s health has become an economic and social imperative. Analysts point out that healthier women contribute directly to stronger labor markets, more resilient families, and greater economic growth. According to McKinsey Global Institute estimates, closing gender gaps in health, education, and labor force participation could add trillions of dollars to global GDP by 2030.
Melinda French Gates and her family members, long-time advocates for women’s health and rights, have emphasized that investments in maternal care, reproductive freedom, and gender-based violence prevention unlock ripple effects across communities. Phoebe Gates highlighted that while women still face many of the same struggles as past generations, the organizations being funded provide evidence that systemic change is possible.
This recognition is also influencing capital markets, where environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria are increasingly shaping investor decision-making. While ICONIQ Impact’s initiative is philanthropic rather than investment-driven, it parallels institutional interest in gender equality as a core driver of long-term sustainability.
How does this initiative fit into broader philanthropic and impact investment trends shaping global development?
The Women’s Health Co-Lab is emblematic of several broader shifts in global philanthropy and development finance. First, it underscores the increasing role of private capital in addressing systemic health and equity challenges, often stepping in where public funding has fallen short. Second, it signals the growing emphasis on unrestricted, trust-based funding rather than tightly controlled grants. Third, it highlights the power of convening influential donors—from Silicon Valley executives to global family offices—into collaborative pools that accelerate impact.
The initiative also reflects a growing intersection between philanthropy and impact investment. While ICONIQ Impact is a philanthropic platform, its parent ICONIQ Capital is a global investment firm with clients across technology, finance, and real estate. This dual positioning has allowed ICONIQ to straddle the line between financial and social capital, signaling that large investment platforms are increasingly integrating philanthropic vehicles into their portfolios.
The announcement at the Forbes Impact Summit further situates the initiative within a high-visibility platform for global business leaders, ensuring the effort is framed not only as a philanthropic story but also as an economic and policy narrative.
Can this model of pooled funding for women’s health attract new philanthropists and create lasting momentum?
The Co-Lab begins with $70 million already pledged, leaving an additional $30 million to be mobilized toward its $100 million target. Founding donors, ranging from technology executives to long-standing philanthropic families, represent a cross-generational mix. Supporters such as Holly Fogle of the Monarch Foundation have publicly urged additional donors to join, framing women’s health as a collective investment in society’s future.
The open call for new philanthropists to participate suggests that ICONIQ Impact is seeking to build momentum beyond its immediate network. Analysts note that pooled philanthropic funds often gain credibility once early capital is secured, making it easier to attract follow-on donors. If the Women’s Health Co-Lab can sustain visibility and demonstrate measurable results from its 22 grantees, it could become a model for similar funds in adjacent sectors such as climate resilience or global education.
What does the future of women’s health philanthropy look like in the wake of this announcement?
The launch of the Women’s Health Co-Lab reinforces the growing sense that women’s health is not an ancillary cause but a central pillar of global development. With maternal health, reproductive rights, and gender-based violence prevention all under pressure worldwide, the $100 million fund represents both a symbolic and practical commitment to systemic change.
The initiative is likely to be closely monitored by policymakers, institutional investors, and other philanthropic networks to see whether pooled capital at this scale can deliver measurable improvements in health outcomes. If successful, it could pave the way for further collaborative models that blend philanthropy, public finance, and private capital to address systemic inequities.
By embedding trust in local leaders, prioritizing unrestricted funding, and framing women’s health as both a rights and economic issue, ICONIQ Impact and Co-Impact have positioned the Women’s Health Co-Lab as more than a philanthropic experiment. It is a test case for whether philanthropy can meaningfully shift global health systems at scale.
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