Deadline: 15 May 2020
The call is designed for companies that have been operational for at least two years (with a local partner in case of foreign companies) in Cambodia, Ethiopia, Uganda or Zambia and are active in the following sectors: agriculture & food, energy, or water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH). All ICT based innovations should be applied to one of the three main sectors (it is not a stand-alone focal sector).
Innovations Against Poverty (IAP) is a specialized fund with the specific mandate to identify and support innovative products, services and inclusive business models that deliver both commercial benefits for the private sector and developmental benefits for people living in poverty, while paying specific attention to gender equality and climate protection. Developmental benefits include creating jobs, increasing incomes or cost savings, improving access to basic goods and services, and protecting the environment.
IAP is funded by Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency) and managed by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation in partnership with BoP Innovation Center and Inclusive Business Sweden.
IAP challenges the private sector to develop innovative products, services and business models that can contribute to poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability, while successfully maximizing their competitiveness and profitability. These are defined as innovative Inclusive Business ideas.
Focus Areas
Applicants are invited to propose innovative solutions to pressing development challenges that will benefit low-income people and the environment. The proposed inclusive business ideas should ideally be aligned to any of the themes listed in the table below, but Applicants are free to propose solutions to other pertinent development challenges within the three focus sectors:
- Agriculture
- Wash
- Energy
- Cross- Sectrol
Funding Information
- IAP will provide grants as a co-investment for up to a maximum of 49% of the total required investment for the proposed inclusive business idea to selected projects through competitive open calls.
- IAP will provide funding within the following range: From € 50 000 up to € 200 000. This amount reflects IAP’s contribution only, so the total size of the project should be greater.
- IAP’s investment size will depend on the level of innovation, commercial viability, and social impact potential of the selected projects.
What does IAP offer to selected Applicants?
- Inclusive Businesses, with a mission to include low-income people in their value chain as customers, suppliers, distributors, or employees – who lack access to the financial and knowledge resources required for growth, IAP offers grants as co-investment up to 49% of total investment and tailored advisory support to scale.
- In addition to financial support, companies are offered tailor-made advisory services in developing and rolling out their inclusive business ideas. This support is provided by local and international experts and the IAP team.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants should fully meet all the following criteria to be eligible for assessment:
- Business idea will be inclusive of low-income people (LIP) either as producers, suppliers, employees, distributors, sales agents and/or consumers for mutual benefits.
- Business idea is relevant to at least one of the three focus sectors of IAP and at least to one of the four target countries.
- Business idea brings a clear product, process or business model innovation
- Company or partner(s) related to the proposed business idea are not involved in the arms, tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries; registered in so called taxhavens; involved in environmental or human rights abuses or corruption; or have not been an EU beneficiary of € 200,000 or more in the last three years
- Application is submitted and led by a private company, registered in one of the four target countries, which secures a co-investment ≥ 51%, of which part of it should directly benefit the LIP.
- Company has been operational for at least 2 years.
Selection Criteria
- Each submitted concept note will be reviewed to ensure that it complies with the minimum eligibility criteria listed in above.
- All eligible Applicants are then evaluated against the concept note assessment criteria. Based on this first stage assessment, a short-list of approved Applicants will be finalized. These applications will be invited to do a face-to-face pitch to the IAP-team in-country.
- If successful, the Applicant will be invited to submit a full business plan, to be assessed in detail.
Eligible Countries
Cambodia, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia
For more information, visit http://innovationsagainstpoverty.org/how-to-apply/