Our teams

Gemmes was founded in 2020 by Caroline Avanzo. After starting her career as a lawyer, she devoted over 15 years to the field of human rights. She worked for several non-governmental organizations in France and India, and for the United Nations in Geneva. Having been exposed to real human tragedies over the span of several years, and eager to work more upstream on societal issues, she decided to invest in those she considers to be the builders of tomorrow’s world: youth. In 2019, she left the UN to focus entirely pro-bono on her project. After carefully crafting partnerships and synergies, Caroline created Gemmes, as a non-profit organization under French law. The organization is managed by a seven-member Board of Directors and an advisor to the Board. Since 2024, Gemmes is also assisted by a Scientific Board.