Deadline: 30-Sep-2022
The E4Impact Accelerator is seeking applications for O-Farms Accelerator Program, an African SME accelerator completely focused on circular agribusiness with the goal of making circularity a mainstream approach for improved rural livelihoods and sustainability.
The program is funded by Ikea Foundation and is partnered with Villcarp and Bopinc. It is implemented by E4Impact Accelerator in Nairobi- Kenya.
O-Farms, led by Bopinc and Village Capital, is focused on accelerating the next generation of innovative circular agribusinesses in Kenya and Uganda. Agri-circularity creates a more sustainable food system that drives innovation through developing innovative business models that reduce agricultural losses thereby creating new economic opportunities and jobs in the region. In this regard, Kenya is able to sustainably feed its growing population, without depleting the natural resources. In doing so, O-Farms will build innovation support infrastructure that enables circular agribusiness to grow and develop.
In Kenya, E4Impact Accelerator is implementing the O-Farm’s Accelerator Program targeted to Agri-circular SMEs, with the aim to support them to refine their innovations, strengthen their business models, access financing opportunities and create a founding community advocating for better adoption of a circular economy and supportive policies & legislation.
Agri-circularity creates a more sustainable food system that drives innovation through developing innovative business models that reduce agricultural losses thereby creating new economic opportunities and jobs in the region. In this regard, Kenya is able to sustainably feed its growing population, without depleting the natural resources. In doing so, O-Farms will build innovation support infrastructure that enables circular agribusiness to grow and develop.
Benefits
- For the second cohort, up to 10 enterprises will be selected to join the program. The enterprises can expect to receive the following benefits:
- Customized training program on agri-circularity business.
- Technical Assistance to embed circularity principles in the business model including strengthening the systems and processes.
- Coaching and Mentorship – personalized and group coaching to unpack training into business implementation.
- Links to financial and investment opportunities.
- Networking and peer learning to strengthen innovations and build a community of best practices in agri-circularity.
- Networking opportunities to showcase your solution and meet with investors and other stakeholders.
- 2 peer-selected SMEs will receive milestone based grant funding of upto Euro 25,000 to implement identified milestones.
- It is a 6 month program with a 3 month mentorship bootcamp for all the 10 selected enterprises and a number of enterprises will be selected to receive technical assistance from Bopinc.
Eligibility Criteria
- Have an innovative business that uses food losses (e.g. Rejected tomatoes) or by-products (e.g. Rice husks).
- To make and sell new agrifood products, such as:
- Human food (e.g. turning rejected tomatoes into ketchup).
- Animal feed (e.g. using orange peels).
- Biodegradable packaging materials for the food industry (e.g. using Pineapple crowns).
- Compost/organic fertilizers (e.g. using rice husks).
- Bio-energy for agri-processing (e.g. using agri-processing waste).
- Be a growth stage enterprise with an existing customer base (post revenue) that’s buying your agri-circular products.
- Be a Kenyan registered enterprise with at least one of the founder/co-owner being Kenyan.
For more information, visit https://www.e4iaccelerator.org/o-farms-accelerator-program/