Deadline: 30-Sep-20
Apply now for ShelterTech Accelerator to join the world’s leading platform for affordable housing innovation. Spanning across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, it is designed to build and advance a thriving, connected affordable housing ecosystem.
ShelterTech accelerator is a program designed to support entrepreneurs who are solving the most pressing issues in the shelter through innovative, scalable solutions. Through a dedicated program, enterprises will receive customized support to strengthen and scale their solutions through bespoke business mentorship, one-to-one industry mentors, connections to market partners, and unparalleled investment readiness support. Selected enterprises will also have access to Catalytic Funds to conduct lean experiments through the program.
A sector-specific accelerator, ShelterTech combines Habitat for Humanity’s decades of global experience, extensive network and expertise in the industry, and Villgro’s tried and tested methodology, tools, and investor networks to help ventures scale, succeed and raise venture capital.
The accelerator is part of ShelterTech’s innovation platform that brings together ecosystem builders, partner corporations, investors, and sector experts in rolling out initiatives to maximize a venture’s market-readiness, growth, and funding opportunities. Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter has partnered with Villgro Philippines to bring the accelerator program to Southeast Asia, in collaboration with Global Urban Village. Villgro brings its 20-years of experience in funding and mentoring over 300 enterprises in Asia and Africa, helping them scale business models and succeed in the market and raise institutional investment while creating a direct impact on the lives of the marginalized. Villgro Philippines is joining hands with Global Urban Village, bringing the team’s specialized expertise in taking innovations in housing to market and focused investment readiness advisory.
Program Aims
- Support startups and scaleups to grow into successful forces within affordable housing.
- Bring together ecosystem builders, partner corporations, investors, and sector experts to maximize startup’s market-readiness, growth, and funding opportunities.
- Provide catalytic funds to help enterprises refine solutions to create an ideal product-market fit.
- Connect a community of entrepreneurs digitally with global networks, peer learning, ongoing mentorship opportunities, engagement with sector experts, and funding or recognition opportunities.
- Create a pipeline of scalable and investable enterprises in housing for the ShelterTech Venture Fund and make housing one of the top five impact investment categories within five years.
Priority Areas
- Core Housing:
- Materials
- Labor
- Finance
- Land
- Markets
- Allied Services:
- Water and sanitation
- Energy
Benefits
Each selected venture will get:
- Business and leadership training & tools
- World-class business mentors and sector advisors
- Guaranteed funding of USD 10,000 and access to in-house venture capital
- Partnerships with corporations and industry networks
- Robust global alumni network and connections
Eligibility Criteria
Innovative for-profit enterprises that:
- Are solving a key challenge to improve the livability and affordability of housing for low-income families
- Are in the prototype, startup, or scale-up stages and have at least a minimum viable product (MVP) or meaningful customer validation
- Are based and operating in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, or Vietnam.
- Are looking to strengthen and scale their businesses
- Are committed to creating a responsible, inclusive, and impactful enterprise.
For more information, visit http://villgrophilippines.org/sheltertech/#