Digital Society Challenge: Innovators for Digital Wellbeing (India)

Deadline: 23-Oct-20

The Digital Society Challenge is a funding program for bold innovators who are creating solutions to make the internet safer for the Next Half Billion, such that online risks are better addressed and the NHB can communicate and transact more freely online. Winning proposals will receive funding from Omidyar Network India.

Type of Innovation

The challenge is looking for ideas or solutions that directly impact individuals. Applications under this challenge could be either:

• A direct-to-individual setting where the solution is directly provided to internet users, ideally the NHB. As an illustration, this could be an app that provides users information about digital risks or training gram panchayat members on these issues.
• An organisation-to-organisation setting where a solution directly empowers another organisation that is catering to individuals. As an illustration, this could be an open source tool that non-profits can use to engage their beneficiaries in a privacy-protecting environment.

Type of Investment

The challenge is open to both for-profit as well as non-profit organisations under three distinct tracks. Individual innovators can also apply, but they will need to collaborate with one of the eligible organisations. The three tracks are:

• Grants:
  • Grants to non-profit entities that habitually receive grants in compliance with applicable laws. These entities must have a valid and subsisting FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act) registration.
• Service Agreements:
  • Service Agreements to entities that habitually provide such services to their clients. Both non-profit and for-profit entities can propose service agreements.
• Equity Investments:
  • Equity investments in for-profit enterprises willing to receive equity investments. The for-profits enterprises need to be registered companies.

Benefits

• Grant & Service Agreements will receive:
• • The winners will receive:
    • Funding to take their idea forward;
    • ONI access, advice and mentorship;
    • Invitations to ONI events for networking.
  • It is a variable funding. Applicant should provide the amount of funding looking for to make their product or program viable and to effectively reach the NHB. It can fall under one of following categories:
    • Small: Less than Rs. 50 lakhs;
    • Medium: Rs. 50 lakhs to 1.5 crore;
    • Large: More than Rs. 1.5 crore.
• Equity Investments:
  • The winners will receive:
    • Equity investment to take their idea forward, on terms to be agreed, based on usual market standards for early stage start up investments;
    • ONI access, advice and mentorship;
    • Invitations to ONI events for networking.

Eligibility Criteria

• Grant:
  • Any non-profit organisation that has a valid and subsisting FCRA registration can apply to the challenge.
  • Individual innovators can also apply if they have collaboration with such an organisation having a valid and subsisting FCRA registration. The validity period of the FCRA registration must be provided by the applicant organisation.
  • ‍If applicants are participating as an individual, they must be above 18 years of age.
  • The challenge will fund non-profits who address digital safety for India’s Next Half Billion. The organisation must be based in India.
  • The challenge can only accept submissions in English.
• Service Providers:
  • Any for-profit or not-for-profit organisation that habitually provides services to its clients, in its ordinary course of business (which can be clearly demonstrated), can apply to the challenge. Individuals can also apply as independent contractors.
  • The applicant can be an organisation/individual at any stage of innovation. It can be a concept, a minimum-viable product, a locally implemented solution or a scaled up innovation.
  • For early stage ideas however, it is important to be able to defend applicants credibility as an innovator in the form of POCs or by sharing previous work, organisational collaboration etc.
  • The challenge will award contracts to innovators who address digital safety for India’s Next Half Billion. The organisation itself can be based outside India.
  • ‍If applicants are participating as an individual, they must be above 18 years of age.
• Equity Investment:
  • Any early-stage for-profit organisation can apply to the challenge.
  • The challenge will fund entrepreneurs who address digital safety for India’s Next Half Billion. The start-up itself can be based outside India.

For more information, visit https://www.digitalsociety-india.com/