Summary
NeedsList is a global B2B marketplace connecting local non-profits working with displaced people with INGOs and corporate donors to create efficiency and transparency in the humanitarian aid system. We offer real-time information sharing and tracking tools to first responders from vetted charities and make this data available to the private sector in order to engage their communities in direct, measurable, authentic giving, to meet real needs for real people with their products, services and talent.
Investment thesis
Needslist earns revenue through commissions from enterprise users of the platform such as WeWork, Starbucks, and TripAdvisor along with affiliate suppliers such as Mpowerd, which creates inflatable solar lamps and goTenna which has developed offline mesh network technologies. In June 2019 NeedsList raised $1 million from Amplio Ventures, Marigold Capital, Omidyar Network, Next Wave Impact, Silicon Valley Social Ventures and the Kuo Sharper Fund.
Potential refugee impact
Through NeedsList, supporters are able to fund a variety of humanitarian assistance needs including those focused on refugees. Needslist also enables governments, businesses, and aid organizations to better communicate needs on the ground and organize coordinated responses. By aggregating real-time data on needed supplies and volunteers, Needslist promotes collaborative humanitarian aid delivery, connecting businesses with vetted NGOs, suppliers, and other stakeholders. Catering to both individual and corporate donors, Needslist is a global marketplace for those committed to providing aid during times of critical need.
Management
Natasha Freidus – Co-Founder & CEO
Amanda Levinson – Co-Founder & COO
Daniel Molinet – CTO
Structure
Needslist is a Delaware Public Benefit Corporation based in Durham, NC, founded by Natasha Freidus and Amanda Levinson, who have extensive experience in the public, non-profit, and private sector, a long-standing commitment to refugee and migration related issues, and two decades of experience in the tech sector.