Davos, Switzerland , January 20, 2026 — The International Rescue Committee (IRC) today announced the launch of Airbel Ventures, a new humanitarian impact investing fund designed to accelerate the entry and scale of breakthrough technologies in crisis-affected communities. The fund will invest in companies whose innovations have the potential to transform humanitarian response—from digital infrastructure for frontline health systems to climate-resilient agriculture. .
Many high-potential startups already operate in adjacent markets but face steep barriers to entering humanitarian systems, including complex procurement and limited opportunities to test products in crisis settings. Airbel Ventures bridges that gap by providing financing, humanitarian expertise, and real-world pilots through IRC programs across more than 40 countries.
Airbel Ventures aims to mobilize an initial $6m on the road to $55 million in catalytic capital to bring high-impact products and services into one of the world’s most complex operating environments.
“As world leaders gather to face humanity’s challenges this week in Davos, our message is clear: Innovation cannot be a luxury in today’s humanitarian landscape—it is a necessity,” said David Miliband, President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee. “Airbel Ventures is designed to bring new actors, new capabilities, and new technologies to address humanitarian challenges with the urgency this moment demands. It reflects the organization’s game-changing commitment to scaling new technologies, including AI, for humanitarian impact.”
Signalytic Brings Reliable Power and Connectivity to Rural Health Clinics
Airbel Ventures’ first impact investment is in Signalytic, a company delivering solar-powered computing devices that ensure reliable electricity and connectivity for remote health facilities. Today, 60–90% of rural health clinics in Africa lack stable power or internet access, cutting them off from digital tools that can improve patient care, streamline inventory management, and strengthen coordination across health systems.
Signalytic’s low-cost devices provide continuous digital uptime, allowing clinics to run electronic medical records, manage supply chains to prevent stock-outs, and support frontline workers with modern digital services. Following the investment, the IRC will pilot Signalytic’s technology with our Nigeria Health team, demonstrating the viability of next-generation digital infrastructure in humanitarian settings.
“We know breakthrough solutions already exist—what’s missing is the path to scale in humanitarian contexts,” said Dr. Jeannie Annan, Senior Vice President for Research & Innovation at the IRC and head of the Airbel Impact Lab. “Airbel Ventures gives entrepreneurs the support and the real-world testing environment they need to adapt their products for fragile settings, building evidence and momentum toward sustainable growth. Signalytic is a perfect example of the kinds of innovators we’re excited to partner with.”
Scaling our Investments in Innovation and AI
The launch of Airbel Ventures builds on a period of rapid innovation across the IRC, even as the humanitarian sector faces historic funding cuts. In the past year, the IRC’s Airbel Impact Lab has advanced more than twenty AI and technology initiatives—from anticipatory action tools powered by climate and vulnerability data, to frontline service delivery using safe, orchestrated AI systems, to breakthrough diagnostic tools for emerging diseases.
These efforts respond to a central challenge: needs are rising, resources are shrinking, and the sector must find ways to deliver better outcomes at lower cost. In 2026, the IRC will continue to grow its innovation and AI portfolio, through the expansion of initiatives including:
- Our Strategic Partnership with Anthropic: Thanks to a landmark partnership, the IRC is deploying Claude for Nonprofits, enabling safe, context-aware AI across frontline services, internal operations, and program delivery. The initial phase of work has included synthesizing evidence in minutes on integrated delivery systems to support our scaling efforts, sharpening compelling advocacy messaging reaching global decision-makers, and developing comprehensive training materials for sensitive healthcare programs in crisis contexts — all while maintaining the quality and nuance this work demands.
- Signpost AI: The IRC’s Signpost program is a global digital information service that provides life-saving, localized help to people affected by crises. Having reached 20 million people worldwide, Signpost has created a responsible AI platform - building bespoke AI agents fit for purpose for humanitarian programming in sectors including education, protection, anti-human trafficking, refugee resettlement, economic empowerment, mental health and more. With agents created in Signpost AI live in 8 countries, the IRC is rigorously evaluating the efficiency and impact of this frontier technology and is publishing results and guidance to promote responsible practice and share learnings and tools broadly within the sector.
- AI for Health Diagnostics: The IRC is pioneering AI-powered, smartphone-based diagnostic tools—starting with a model that can distinguish mpox from other skin conditions using datasets built for low-resource contexts. Developed from more than 50,000 curated clinical images and now undergoing evaluation in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi, this tool represents a step toward AI-driven diagnostics for a suite of high-burden diseases including TB, malaria, and other neglected tropical diseases. In 2026, this will be expanded as a diagnostic tool for over ten high-consequence neglected tropical diseases.
Together, these initiatives—and the launch of Airbel Ventures—signal the IRC’s commitment to shaping a new humanitarian future powered by AI. By pairing evidence-driven innovation with bold new financing models, the organization aims to extend the impact of every dollar and unlock solutions capable of scaling across countries, crises, and sectors.
(You can go behind the scenes of our AI work here)
“We are excited about scaling innovation—especially AI—because we’ve seen firsthand how the right tools can close the gap for communities long considered out of reach,” Miliband added. “From health to education to crisis response, these technologies can radically expand who we can serve and how effectively we can serve them.”
About Airbel Ventures
Airbel Ventures is a humanitarian impact investing fund launched by the IRC to accelerate breakthrough products into crisis settings. The fund provides risk-tolerant, catalytic capital to entrepreneurs developing high-potential solutions for vulnerable populations, with an evergreen model that reinvests returns to maximize long-term impact.