Initially founded in the Netherlands, Solvoz is a humanitarian startup that provides a range of services for agencies and organisations all over the world. Developed by humanitarians for humanitarians, Solvoz is particularly focused on supporting aid, health and social impact organisations in LMICs and areas affected by humanitarian crises.
Solvoz’ CEO Claire Barnhoorn is a seasoned humanitarian who has over 15 years of experience in the sector, and who has worked and supported a number of humanitarian agencies including MSF, UNICEF and UNHCR during her varied career. Due to her resourcefulness, adaptability, and inspiring enthusiasm, Claire has been described by previous colleagues as ‘a human(itarian) HDMI/USB cable’ – essentially someone who can help connect the dots between multifaceted problems and credible solutions – with the Solvoz ecosystem exemplifying this.
In witnessing the demand for humanitarian assistance consistently rise over the last decade, many humanitarians like Claire have acknowledged that the aid industry simply cannot continue ‘as is.’ And it is now understood there is a growing need for systemic change within the sector to ensure that it remains fit-for-purpose and able to deliver humanitarian support to everyone that needs it.
With procurement activities accounting for approximately 65% of humanitarian agency budgets, Claire recognised that identifying more responsible and efficient ways of procuring the products and services that constitute humanitarian responses was vital to this process.
Solvoz has therefore been developed in direct response to the need for more effective, sustainable, and ideally localized, procurement practices within the humanitarian sector. The Solvoz ecosystem combines the experience and knowledge of a network of committed humanitarians with the latest advances in technological innovation to offer guidance and support to organisations that are striving to develop greener humanitarian responses and more localized supply chains.
Through such collaboration and partnership, Solvoz endeavours to both drive and facilitate systemic change, empower local responders and ultimately, contribute to the development of a more sustainable and future-proof humanitarian sector.
