Deadline: 18-Jan-2025
The Challenge for Change is a 7-week intensive program designed to accelerate the impact of emerging Saudi NPOs and social ventures addressing global challenges.
The journey consists of hands-on guidance in how to properly design and manage impact driven initiatives that solves social and environmental challenges. Participants will engage in tailored bootcamps, one-on-one mentoring sessions, and receive technical consultations to refine their projects for maximum impact. Key skills developed include crafting an impact plan, validating impact metrics, impact execution and impact measurement.
This program offers structured support through bootcamps, mentorship and financial grant for winners. The program has 3 tracks, that are:
- Technology: Digital education, emerging technologies, and career preparation in tech.
- Health & Wellbeing: Enhancing quality of life of youth, psychological health and work life balance, adopting healthy lifestyle, community sports, and Medical research in issues related to Saudi priority needs.
- Environment: Sustainable agriculture, water solutions, solving air, plastic and sea pollution and food waste reduction.
Phases
- The program will have multiple phases of competition, where participants compete to build the most impactful social project.
- Thematic Expert Sessions
- World-class experts in each program track—technology, health & wellbeing, and environment—will lead sessions on current global challenges and innovative approaches to address them. These sessions will keep participants informed on the latest trends and insights relevant to their fields, empowering them to craft impactful solutions.
- One-on-One Mentorship Sessions
- Each team will have access to private mentorship sessions with industry experts who will provide tailored guidance on practical aspects of project implementation. These sessions are designed to address each venture’s unique challenges, helping participants refine their approach and maximize impact.
- Immunity Sessions
- In these rapid-fire sessions, participants will pitch their ideas in under 60 seconds, receiving immediate feedback and constructive critique. This exercise aims to challenge participants’ assumptions, strengthen their ideas, and prepare them to confidently present and defend their solutions in public.
- Idea Design Challenge
- The first competitive phase, where participants compete to refine and present a compelling design for their idea. Only the top 60% of participants will advance, ensuring that only the most impactful ideas move forward.
- Impact Plan Challenge
- In the second challenge, participants will create a realistic implementation plan for their proposed impact. Only one winner from each track will pass this challenge, setting the stage for impactful and achievable project outcomes.
- Financial Grant Support
- One winner in each track will be awarded a grant of SR 1M to execute their impact plan and achieve their goals. Winners will have the opportunity to showcase their results on both local and international platforms, amplifying their reach and recognition.
- Hybrid Design
- Program will be delivered in hybrid mode. It will have some physical activities (e.g. bootcamps) and other online one (e.g. 1:1 mentoring sessions).
Program Highlights
- Coworking Spaces
- Thematic Expert Sessions
- One-to-one Mentoring
- Immunity Sessions
- Financial Grant Support
- Demo Day
- Partnerships Building
- Pier Engagement
- Local and International Showcasing
Funding Information
- One winner in each track will be awarded a grant of 1 million Saudi Riyals to implement their project and achieve their social goals.
Eligibility Criteria
- Geographic Location
- Must be based in Saudi Arabia.
- Youth-Focused Impact
- Over 50% of the organization’s beneficiaries should be youth.
- Legal Status
- Registered NPO (e.g. Association, nonprofit company or endowment) or Social Business (e.g. has commercial registration along with social business accreditation). The entity should be under 3 years old or, unregistered social initiative, but aims to officially register during the program.
- Track Record
- Must have completed at least one pilot or test projects (teams who haven’t implemented any projects before will be rejected).
- Commitment to Participation
- Able to commit at least three core team members to full attendance throughout the program.
- Domain Alignment
- The organization’s mission must align with one of the program’s three Challenge Tracks: Technology, Health & Wellbeing, or Environment.
For more information, visit Misk Foundation.