# IDB Lab

IDB Lab is a Government / Public Body based in Washington, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Government / Public Body
- **Headquarters:** Washington, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 1300 New York Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., 20577, United States
- **Founded:** 1993
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** idblab.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/idblab
- **Wikidata:** Q6934723

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

IDB Lab is the innovation and venture arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group. We focus on entrepreneurship and technology to cocreate solutions for development challenges and spark new industries for growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. IDB Lab supports high-impact startups and the innovation ecosystems they need to thrive through flexible financing, practical knowledge, and global connections. www.idblab.org Follow us on X: @IDB_Lab Social Media Community Guidelines: https://www.iadb.org/en/home/terms-conditions-and-notices/social-media-community-guidelines ----- BID Lab es el brazo de innovación y venture del Grupo Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. Nos enfocamos en el emprendimiento y la tecnología para cocrear soluciones a retos del desarrollo y activar nuevas industrias para el crecimiento en América Latina y el Caribe. BID Lab apoya startups de alto impacto y los ecosistemas de innovación que necesitan para prosperar a través de financiamiento flexible, conocimiento práctico y conexiones globales. www.bidlab.org Síguenos en X: @IDB_Lab Guías de comunidad de redes sociales: https://www.iadb.org/es/inicio/terminos-y-condiciones/guia-de-comunidad-de-redes-sociales

## Sectors

- FinTech
- AgriTech & FoodTech
- ClimateTech
- Digital Health
- Education
- Financial Inclusion

## Offices

- Santiago, Chile

## People

- Irene Arias Hofman — CEO

## Questions

### Does IDB Lab take equity positions in startups, or is it grant-only?

IDB Lab deploys grants, reimbursable and non-reimbursable technical cooperation, equity investments, and guarantees. It takes direct equity stakes in startups and venture funds where a return is possible, but also funds pure experiments with no expectation of financial return — a blend uncommon among even impact-first allocators.

### What investment stages does IDB Lab target?

Seed and pre-seed for direct startup investments; first-time and emerging fund managers for venture-capital and blended-finance vehicles. The lab targets the segment of the risk spectrum that angel networks find too unproven and institutional venture capital finds too small or unbankable.

### Which sectors does IDB Lab explicitly avoid?

IDB Lab does not invest in extractive industries, gambling, weapons, or activities inconsistent with the IDB Group's environmental and social safeguards. It also avoids financing activities that duplicate existing commercial markets without a clear inclusion or innovation rationale.

### How is IDB Lab funded?

Funding comes primarily from IDB Group capital allocations and donor trust funds contributed by IDB member countries — including the United States, Canada, Japan, and European nations — rather than from a single endowment or wealth origin. It does not raise outside limited-partner capital.

### What is IDB Lab's relationship with corporate venture partners?

IDB Lab co-founded CIVLAC with Wayra, Telefónica's corporate venture arm, to connect Latin American startups with corporate pilot opportunities. It also maintains partnerships with the la Caixa Foundation for the silver economy and has co-designed pilots with financial institutions such as Davivienda.

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- [Idaho Youth Ranch](https://altss.com/profile/idaho-youth-ranch)
- [IDBI Bank](https://altss.com/profile/idbi-bank)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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