2021 Regional Call for Innovations

Deadline: 25-Nov-21

The Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) has launched its 2021 Regional Call for Innovations to expand the scale of Innovations that impact the sectors food and water, food and energy or all three sectors of the nexus (food, water, energy) to increase the sustainability of agricultural food value chains, improving energy and water efficiency as well as to improve climate resilient agriculture and sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity in developing countries and emerging markets, with a particular focus on the poor and women.

• To achieve this goal, the effort must include partners from the private sector, NGOs, other research institutions, and other donors who share the common goal of increasing food production through sustainable water and energy usage.
• A key consideration of this effort is to ensure that feedback loops are created that integrate local conditions and new knowledge into both national and international policy and decision-making as well as to integrate capacity development, knowledge management and financial and nonfinancial instruments in a smart way to create an enabling environment in the partner countries.
• They are looking for Organizations who can use WE4F funding as a catalyst to (for example) buy down the risk of entering new markets; attract partners who can help bring an Innovation to sustainable scale; expand to wide-scale adoption of an Innovation; and attract private capital.
• If you have a product or business model that you would pitch to an investor, they want you to apply to WE4F. If you have a great idea for a development project, WE4F is probably not the right vehicle for you.

• Increase food production along the value chain through a more sustainable and efficient usage of water and/or energy
• Increase income for base of the pyramid (BoP) women and men in both rural and urban areas working in farming and/or consuming food products
• Sustainably scale the Organizations’ solutions to meet the challenges in the WE4F nexus.
• Promote climate and environmental resilience and biodiversity through the sustainable, holistic management of natural resources and ecosystems

• Join a network of innovative game-changing entrepreneurs: Winners will be part of an extensive network and introduced to various partners, mentors, and service providers to help them achieve their expansion goals. They will also have access to an exclusive learning community where they can exchange ideas with their cohort peers in the cohort and other Regional Innovation Hubs through regular workshops and meetings.
• Receive technical support and investment facilitation: Receive support to expand the business to other geographies, products, or services. Attract and secure external investors by working with S/SEA RIH’s Brokering Unit.
  • Examples of support categories:
    • Investment readiness
    • Commercial expansion
    • Marketing and communication
    • Digitalization and technology enhancement
• Unlock grant funding to help your innovation grow: Select organizations may qualify for grants to help achieve scaling goals, funding size ranges from $25,000 to $200,000 USD.

• Location: The MENA RIH supports innovators from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen. Applicants must be legally registered in at least one of these countries. If expansion into a new country is a key part of an applicant’s business plan, they must demonstrate that they already have partners in place in that country to be considered.
• Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to participate in the call for Water and Energy for Food:
  • Type – WE4F is open to legally incorporated / registered for-profit and not-forprofit organizations or academic institutions which are responsible for generating revenue and maintaining a self-sustaining operational budget (i.e., covering costs).
  • In addition, these organizations should be able to demonstrate a revenue track record selling the water-energy-food nexus-relevant product or service. WE4F is focused on financially viable businesses or organizations that can showcase a proven and sustainable revenue model.
  • Size – Water and Energy for Food is open to all relevant organizations / companies regardless of size. They encourage applications from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
  • Language– Application responses must be written in English, French or Arabic.
  • Matching funds – Awardees must secure matching funds;
  • Local presence – All applicants must use the funds to implement the Innovation in a developing or emerging country. In addition, applicants must either already have a presence in MENA or must have a local partner (supporting documentation required).
  • Impact – Innovations must have a direct linkage between water/energy and the food value chain. In addition, Innovations must directly or indirectly benefit the
  • poor (income, products, opportunities). In addition, applications must contribute to gender equality and strive for a positive impact on the environment while avoiding negative environmental effects and local market distortions.
• Applicants from nearly any category of organization or institution are welcome to respond to this solicitation. Specific categories of organizations and institutions that are welcome to respond include, but are not limited to, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, and regional organizations. Water and Energy for Food welcomes and encourages high-quality applications, especially from women-owned/women-led enterprises and entrepreneurs from developing countries.

For more information, visit https://we4f.org/apply-mena

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