About Pivotal
We’re focused on
creating lasting change.
Pivotal was founded by Melinda French Gates to accelerate the pace of social progress. Through high-impact investments, philanthropy, partnerships, and advocacy, we’re working to get more power in the hands of more people—especially women.
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Photo by Katie Hayes Luke for Pivotal Ventures
(left to right) Kelsey Noonan, Emily Weinstein, Katya Hancock, and Kyra Kyles on stage at Pivotal's SXSW 2024 panel, "Teens, Screens & Wellbeing."
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Photo by Nicky Quamina-Woo for Pivotal Ventures
Melinda French Gates listening to a partner during their conversation.
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Photo by Tim Caver for Pivotal Ventures
(left to right) Erin Harkless Moore, Kimmy Paluch and Dr. Monique Couvson speaking on a Mosaic Genius panel, "Funding for Impact - Creating Economic Opportunities for Women of Color" in 2023.
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Photo by Jenny Jimenez for Pivotal Ventures
Nicole Bates and Haven Ley listening to a colleague in the Pivotal office.
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Photo by Kim Cook for Pivotal Ventures
(left to right) Sadie Kliner, Jennifer Stybel, and Celiné Justice during a team meeting.
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Photo courtesy of Pivotal Ventures
Renee Wittemyer speaking to colleagues in the Pivotal office.
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Photo courtesy of Pivotal Ventures
Renata Aráuz-DeStefano speaking on a panel at the Growth Warrior Capital Summit in 2023.
"We see expanding women’s power and influence not as a single issue but rather as a prerequisite to progress on more or less every issue."
Our Story
Melinda French Gates founded Pivotal to advance social progress in areas where it has stalled.
To date, Melinda French Gates has committed $2 billion to expand women’s power and influence.
“For too long, a lack of money has forced organizations fighting for women's rights into a defensive posture while the enemies of progress play offense. I want to help even the match.” Melinda French Gates
Bridging the Gap: Women‑led Funds Are Seizing Opportunities Others Have Missed
Our Leadership
Melinda French Gates
Melinda has spent more than two decades working to build a world where every person has what they need to reach their full potential. This is what drives her, and Pivotal, forward.
When it comes to solving big, complicated problems, it helps to have a lot of tools in your toolbox. That’s why we bridge the worlds of philanthropy, venture capital, and advocacy.
Since our founding in 2015, we've used different kinds of funding to achieve our mission to advance social progress—including venture capital investments, philanthropic grantmaking, and advocacy funding. In 2022, Melinda formed Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) private foundation, to support her grantmaking and help facilitate this flexible approach to driving impact.
