Chemonics partners with UNLEASH to empower young leaders to solve complex global challenges.

Chemonics International has announced an expansion of its partnership with UNLEASH, a global innovation lab that annually gathers 1,000 participants ages 20 to 35 — also known as “talents” — to collaborate on solutions to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As Lead Scale Partner for UNLEASH, Chemonics will provide year-round support to enterprising young people by connecting them to the resources they need to launch innovations designed to solve global development challenges.

UNLEASH is an opportunity for Chemonics to share its 45 years of experience in delivering multidimensional development programs and scaling innovations in complex environments with promising young thinkers and innovators. The company’s approach is based on creating partnership opportunities with others in the development community — and beyond — to find solutions to the world’s toughest problems.

“We’re always striving for more effective ways to work — challenging ourselves to bring fresh perspectives to the array of development challenges we face every day,” said Chemonics Executive Vice President Jamey Butcher. “UNLEASH is a new platform with incredible potential for tackling the SDGs. These [young people] have the ideas and the energy to get the job done, and they deserve the best resources the world has to offer.”

Chemonics will open its global network of experts to advise UNLEASH participants on navigating implementation challenges so they can bring their innovative ideas to life. The company is also building its methods for achieving and scaling impact into UNLEASH’s curriculum in Shenzhen in 2019.

The SDGs provide an opportunity for countries all over the world to collaborate to make sustainable development a reality. In more than 70 countries, Chemonics works across the SDGs — including agriculture and food security, health, education, gender equality, economic growth, and sustainable cities — and consistently measures its progress in meeting those goals.

“We’ve accomplished a lot over the years. We’re proud of our achievements, but we know that we can’t do it alone.” Butcher said. “We believe in the power of engaged youth, and we’re excited to put our heads together with like-minded people around the world. Together, we can make development work better and improve more lives as a result.”