IFFEd was pleased to participate in Building Bridges 2026 drawing together representatives from the development cooperation, philanthropy and the financial sector, as a next step in the conversation about bringing philanthropy into the multilateral development system.
Our CEO, Karthik Krishnan, was a panellist on the session on Building Sustainable and Scalable Investments in Education and Skills Development, alongside the Global Partnership for Education, Jacobs Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, the Julius Baer Foundation and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.
It was one of the few sessions on education and brought together public, private and philanthropic partners in a crowded room to discuss how various forms of capital can be brought together to drive greater impact. The session focussed on continuing the conversation from UNGA on the use of philanthropic guarantees and other catalytic financing mechanisms as a pathway to unlocking additional capital for education, alongside the importance of partnerships across sectors.
Through the discussion, there were several core themes that emerged:
- Financial additionality: Ensuring catalytic finance mobilises resources that would not otherwise be available, rather than simply substituting for existing funding.
- Mechanics matter: Practical instruments are what enable commitments to become action.
- Country ownership: Aligning financing behind nationally determined education priorities and system-level reforms.
- Evidence, implementation and outcomes: Pairing financing innovation with credible delivery models and meaningful measurement systems.
It was clear that strong advocates matter, both personal and institutional. Discussions on how public, private and philanthropic capital can be better aligned to finance quality education at scale, rather than piecemeal or in parallel.
Public resources alone cannot meet today’s development challenges. Mobilising private capital for sustainable development is about more than financial innovation. It requires trust, aligned incentives and partnerships that deliver real impact.
7th October 2026
