Who We Are

WDI is a solutions-driven non-profit affiliated with the University of Michigan that operates at the intersection of education, entrepreneurship, and impact across emerging markets. We are dedicated to unlocking the power of business to tackle critical global challenges and drive inclusive economic growth.

We’re not just solving for business—we’re solving for the future.

We mobilize entrepreneurs, investors, governments, and academia to drive pioneering solutions across health, climate-health, and energy.

A Knowledge
Builder

We deliver research-based business insights and actionable tools to enhance decision making.

An Enterprise
Accelerator

We equip entrepreneurs and accelerators with skills and strategies for scale and impact.

A Systems
Catalyst

We strengthen ecosystems and unlock funding through powerful partnerships and catalytic collaboration.

What Drives Us

ENTREPRENEURS LEAD

Entrepreneurs in emerging markets are stepping up to tackle the world’s toughest challenges, from just energy transitions to equitable health care access, but face significant barriers from startup to scale.

CONTEXT MATTERS

Best practices and cross-learning can accelerate scale, but don’t always translate to every setting. Business solutions thrive when adapted to local and regional needs.

SYSTEMS SCALE

Strong leadership across the entire innovation ecosystem is critical to overcoming market barriers and delivering inclusive, scalable solutions.

DATA DRIVES IMPACT

Measuring what matters ensures businesses deliver meaningful change that lasts.

Why It Matters

The challenges we face—from just energy transitions to health care access—are urgent and complex. Solving them requires collaboration, innovation, and action at scale.

The size and speed of our impact reflect the strength of our partnerships and the interconnectedness of our work. Together, we’re proving that scaling businesses can change systems—and change lives.

WDI staff and CEO of Wahu electric bicycles talking with innovators during a tour of New Lab facilities in Detroit, Mi

What Sets Us Apart

BUSINESS-DRIVEN, SYSTEM-FOCUSED

We blend entrepreneurship expertise with a deep focus on ecosystem-level transformation.

GLOBAL CONNECTOR

Operating across markets, we connect the dots to enable cross-learning and support businesses at every growth stage.

PROVEN INSIGHTS

Our work is backed by top-tier research from the University of Michigan, inspired by Michigan’s vibrant innovation ecosystem, and informed by our decades of experience in business education, leadership development, entrepreneurship support, and impact measurement in emerging markets.

Where We Focus

We tackle challenges that can transform lives and economies at scale, focusing on:

Energy & Mobility

Driving just transitions to clean tech, electric mobility, and sustainable energy solutions.

Climate-Health

Scaling business solutions to clean cooking, cooling, water and sanitation.

Health

Revolutionizing access to pioneering health tech and private health delivery.

Featured Work

NextBillion: The Gender Aspect of the E-Mobility Transition
Webinar: E-mobility Around the World—Lessons and Opportunities from Mexico, Costa Rica and the Philippines
Webinar: How Research is Sparking Innovation in Incubators and Accelerators and the Entrepreneurs They Serve
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