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New York, NY, March 17, 2025 —  The ̽����ѡ (̽����ѡ) is honored to be recognized by  as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025. The ̽����ѡ joins the ranks of global innovators such as OpenAI, Nvidia, and Duolingo in being recognized for its transformative impact.

“At a time when humanitarian needs are growing and funding is shrinking, innovation is not a luxury—it is a necessity," said Dr. Jeannie Annan, ̽����ѡ’s Chief Research and Innovation Officer and co-founder of ̽����ѡ’s. "We are committed to harnessing cutting-edge solutions to ensure life-saving aid reaches those who need it most, in the most effective and efficient ways possible. We're grateful to Fast Company for recognizing this work." 

This recognition comes at a time of mounting humanitarian challenges. Disruptions to US foreign aid funding mean vital humanitarian services are at risk for millions around the world. Global humanitarian aid funding dropped by $3 billion from 2022 to 2023, while the funding gap for urgent crises rose to $31 billion. 

The ̽����ѡ is responding by doubling down on innovation, partnering with the world’s leading companies to design tech and AI-enabled solutions to global challenges for greater reach, scale, and savings, ensuring that every dollar spent delivers maximum impact through evidence-based, cost-efficient programming. 

• Signpost: Signpost is a community-led digital help center providing life-saving, timely, and contextual information to people affected by crises in nearly 20 countries and 25 languages. With the integration of AI-powered SignpostChat, response times have improved by 99%, allowing the platform to reach 10 times more displaced individuals with trauma-informed, multilingual support. The Signpost AI Prototyping Lab is the first-of-its-kind initiative dedicated to de-risking AI applications for humanitarian use, ensuring safety and ethical governance in crisis response. By developing open-source tools, impact research, and industry-wide AI standards, the lab is shaping the responsible use of AI in humanitarian aid.
• Anticipatory Action (AA): ̽����ѡ’s Anticipatory Action approach leverages climate forecasting and AI-driven risk monitoring to trigger preemptive interventions, such as cash assistance, before disasters strike. With its “Follow the Forecasts” strategy, ̽����ѡ rapidly deploys aid where climate hazards are most likely to occur.
• Education Technology (aprendIA): ̽����ѡ’s aprendIA chatbot leverages AI to provide students and teachers in crisis zones with personalized, evidence-based learning experiences via accessible messaging platforms. Currently piloted in Nigeria, Bangladesh, and DRC, the tool integrates OpenAI’s ChatGPT to design remote but personalized educational content.
• Virtual Reception and Placement (VR&P): The VR&P program transforms refugee resettlement by offering virtual support services, allowing refugees to settle anywhere in the U.S., closer to family and job opportunities. The suspension of the US Refugee Admissions Program means that this program will terminate, while the ̽����ѡ’s virtual infrastructure and expertise  active. 

Across all its programming, the ̽����ѡ is relentlessly focused on improving the efficiency of its operations. It developed Dioptra, a web-based costing tool, to rapidly and rigorously analyze costs. Dioptra is now used by seven additional non-profits representing around $7 billion in annual programming. Alongside its partners, the ̽����ѡ is further scaling Dioptra so that the humanitarian sector can reach even more people with more impactful programming, at no additional cost.

“The ̽����ѡ is a tried and tested delivery partner, a sensible reformist, and a champion of innovation in the humanitarian sector,” Dr. Annan continued. “We aspire for every humanitarian program to be high impact, cost-effective and scalable and consistently test for this at each stage in our innovation process. While only accounting for three percent of overall humanitarian sector funding, the ̽����ѡ has conducted one-quarter of humanitarian cost-effectiveness analyses and one-third of the humanitarian impact evaluations in the sector. In the face of increasing global crises and diminishing resources, we are committed to meeting the moment—continuing to pioneer solutions that shape the future of humanitarian response.”

About the ̽����ѡ: The ̽����ѡ (̽����ѡ) helps people affected by humanitarian crises—including the climate crisis, conflict, and disaster—to survive, recover, and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the ̽����ѡ works in more than 40 countries and over 28 U.S. cities to deliver life-saving aid, innovative health and education programs, and economic empowerment services. The ̽����ѡ is dedicated to using research-driven solutions to maximize impact and ensure accountability in humanitarian response efforts. For more information, visit www.rescue.org.

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Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list is one of the most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. This year’s list recognizes 609 organizations across 58 sectors and regions, spanning from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.