Press Release
Press Release Download PDF- Reckitt Catalyst aims to deliver health and hygiene solutions to five million people worldwide by 2030
- Serena Williams, Reckitt's first Entrepreneur-in-Residence, will provide mentorship to help founders scale
- Reckitt opens the door for more U.S. founders to apply at Reckitt.com
NEW YORK CITY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2025 – Reckitt, the company behind some of the world’s most trusted health and hygiene brands, is bringing its social impact investment programme, Catalyst, to the United States.
The expansion, announced this week in New York, coincides with Catalyst’s global selection of 23 new health and hygiene ventures primarily led by women and underrepresented founders. This week, Reckitt and Serena Williams, Catalyst’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence, are convening global leaders from finance, health, academia and government to accelerate social entrepreneurship by helping grassroots innovators overcome challenges to access and scale.
Globally one in two people lack access to basic health care and one in four lack access to clean water . In the U.S., nearly 80% of counties are considered ‘healthcare deserts’, where residents have limited or no access to essential health services such as hospitals, pharmacies, and primary care providers, leaving one in three Americans underserved . Environmental stressors are compounding these health delivery challenges, especially in underserved and rural areas across the country.
“At home in the States, far too many communities are facing barriers to accessing essential healthcare services for their families and loved ones and it’s time we took meaningful steps to address them,” said Serena Williams. “When we back bold ideas and founders with genuine support – funding, mentorship, and belief - we unlock powerful solutions for the communities that need them most. I’m proud to stand with Reckitt Catalyst to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses and create lasting change in their communities.”
Many of the start-ups backed by the Catalyst initiative will be women-led ventures or businesses founded by other underrepresented entrepreneurs. As a successful entrepreneur and impact investor, Serena Williams will play a pivotal role in mentoring and championing the ventures. She is encouraging eligible U.S. businesses to apply for a place in the Reckitt Catalyst program by visiting Reckitt.com.
Through Reckitt Catalyst, we’re proud to extend our global commitment and, for the first time, bring our support for social entrepreneurs to the U.S. For nearly 200 years, Reckitt has worked to elevate health and hygiene standards, making a lasting impact in communities worldwide. At Reckitt, care is action. And when we act, we don’t just solve problems – we can be a catalyst for positive change that extends far beyond our products.
About Reckitt Catalyst
Reckitt Catalyst is a five-year, up to £10m commitment to provide funding, mentorship and expertise from Reckitt leaders and Serena Williams, to enable innovative businesses to scale rapidly and help solve health and hygiene challenges in communities across the world. In partnership with Yunus Social Innovation, Acumen America, and Health Innovation Exchange (HIEX), Reckitt is scaling its existing commitment to support up to 200 founders over the next five years, across more than 13 countries, including the United States, Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
Catalyst builds on Reckitt’s existing work to further strengthen its social impact projects around the world with flexible funding and expert mentorship. Since 2020, the company has supported more than 60 entrepreneurs across 13 countries, helping unlock access to better health, clean water and sanitation for one million people.
The first cohort of Catalyst entrepreneurs in the U.S.
In partnership with Acumen America, Reckitt Catalyst will support American entrepreneurs, including founders working to improve healthcare access, affordability, and reduce disparities in health outcomes, particularly for underserved populations. The collaboration will provide early-stage companies, and founders often overlooked by traditional investors, with catalytic capital and sector-specific expertise to help their solutions scale quickly. To mark this expansion, an inaugural U.S. cohort will consist of three start-ups, each demonstrating the kind of scalable innovation Catalyst exists to champion.
Acumen America Managing Partner, Catherine Casey Nanda, comments, “We’re thrilled to officially kick off our partnership with Reckitt Catalyst and Serena Williams. This shared work will expand our ability to invest in visionary entrepreneurs; provide founders with mentorship and strategic guidance from Reckitt and Serena’s team; and unlock barriers to funding for women and underrepresented founders.”
Call for Entries
Reckitt Catalyst is powered by expert partners who bring decades of deep experience in working with founders and scaling breakthrough innovations. With the U.S. programme now live and the first cohort announced, the call for entries is open for additional U.S. entrepreneurs to apply.