Scaling new ideas into social ventures with impact

Giving ambition a chance

Allianz SE | Munich | Feb 20, 2019

Four countries, eight ventures and thousands of young people encouraged to believe in a better future: the Impact Hub and Allianz are gearing up for the second cycle of the Investment Ready Program.

“At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.”

- Salvador Dali

Ambition, when harnessed, can be powerful. When fostered, it can become a driving force with wide-reaching impacts. But to make a positive difference with that ambition, the key is to nurture it into initiatives that can make a real difference in our society.

The ‘Future Generations Award’ Investment Ready Program is one way that Allianz is realizing the ambitions of those determined to make a change for the better. In collaboration with the Impact Hub, Allianz has chosen eight social ventures from Greece, Indonesia, Spain and Germany this year to undergo a six-month intensive training program. Designed to upskill their business savviness, the program helps the bright minds behind these ventures develop the tools and confidence needed to pursue their ambitious ideas and attract future investment.

And that drive – the ambition – is the common thread between the social ventures chosen: their work encourages future generations to strive for more.

The Future Generations Award is a reflection of the importance that Allianz places on social inclusion, especially for the younger generation. “It is essential for us as a company, but also for our society, to provide children and young adults with the right skills – both technical as well as social – to be able to successfully start their professional lives. This year’s ventures have taken on this task and we are looking forward to supporting, guiding and accompanying them in becoming stronger in their endeavors,” explains Katharina Latif, Head of Corporate Responsibility of Allianz Group.

The next six months will see the chosen ventures undergo multi-day workshops, focused mentoring sessions, business model reviews, team building, and the opportunity to pitch in front of a jury for the 2019 Future Generations Award. The recipient of the Award, to be presented on July 19, 2019, will receive a 40,000 euro grant for further development of their venture. It just goes to show: a little bit of ambition can go a long way.

About Allianz

The Allianz Group is one of the world's leading insurers and asset managers with around 125 million* private and corporate customers in nearly 70 countries. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 746 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 1.8 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2023, over 157,000 employees achieved total business volume of 161.7 billion euros and an operating profit of 14.7 billion euros for the group.

* Including non-consolidated entities with Allianz customers.
** As of March 31, 2024.