Deadline: 31-Oct-21
The lab of tomorrow (lot) would like to invite you to develop and implement New Business Solutions to protect the Biodiversity in Namibia!
The lab of tomorrow (lot) is your chance to expand your market, product portfolio and revenue. At the same time it is your opportunity to help address critical development challenges with the products and services you create.
Biodiversity is of crucial importance for Namibia. It is estimated that 70% of Namibians depend on biodiversity and natural resources for their livelihood. However, biodiversity and conservation areas are increasingly under pressure through poaching, population growth, unsustainable farming practices, reduction of arable land due to climate change, and human-wild-life conflict. Furthermore, economic pressure has further risen during the COVID-19 crisis, due to significantly reduced tourism and, therefore, dramatically reduced income for Namibians.
Aims
To help improve income for communities who derive their living from biodiversity and natural resources, the lab of tomorrow challenge “Biodiversity Protection Pays Off Digitally” was initiated. This process aims to:
- Increase incomes for the local population in rural areas through jobs that are dependent on biodiversity,
- Strengthen the connection to “Landscape Philanthropists”, who support local people and nature conservation regularly
- Facilitate the development of virtual tourism products and other digital solutions to connect (1) rural populations with (2) Landscape Philanthropists.
Sub-challenges
Within the general challenge, several “sub-challenges” or specific needs have been identified, through the customer-based research. They are therefore defined on a level that can be addressed with specific marketable solutions. The product development will be supported with a profound set of information and analyzes on the customer group and need. When applying, please select the sub-challenges, you would want to address. Typically each company can only participate in one of the sub-challenges-teams.
- How might they enable the tourism sector and / or zoos to add new income streams by allowing people to experience the Namibian nature virtually via digital (live) content provided by local tourism actors and research institutions, as well as landscape guardians?
- How might they incentivize and enable individuals to engage with the Namibian nature virtually provided via offerings from local tourism actors, research institutions, as well as landscape guardians?
- How might they enable local artisans to interact virtually with customers in the creation process of biodiversity-based products?
- How might they encourage gamers and nature lovers to engage in biodiversity-based digital and gamified experiences, that build on content provided by local communities?
- How might they digitally and directly connect nature-lovers with local communities guarding wildlife (landscape guardians) to increasing spending for nature protection?
Benefits
- New revenue streams
- Networking opportunities (private & public sector)
- Product development & business innovation insights
- Visibility / Image
- Strong development support
- Market insights
- Impact! Protection of Biodiversity
Eligibility Criteria
- You are strongly interested in addressing the biodiversity market by developing and implementing a new business solution with SDG impact.
- You have an entrepreneurial spirit, the drive to tackle biodiversity related challenges and are ready to drive the development and implementation of the emerging solution.
- You have relevant products or services in your portfolio that might be adapted to become part of new business solutions or relevant resources for business solutions.
- You have a background in business development and operations, product development & innovation, or a related field.
- You can commit time and resources to the development and implementation of your emerging solution in the market.
- You can participate in a venture team in all 4 days of the Innovation Sprint to cocreate a new solution together with other entrepreneurially-minded experts from the region.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3B59kIk
