Deadline: 14-Apr-23
USAID’s Innovation, Technology and Research Hub (ITR) is making a special call for partnership concepts under the “Digital Invest: Mobilizing Private Capital for Internet Connectivity and Digital Financial Services in Developing Markets” program to catalyze investment in digital solutions that strengthen open, interoperable, reliable, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems. This program will support private sector partners to accelerate sustainable market growth for digital connectivity and financial technology companies serving traditionally excluded consumer populations in developing markets.
The specific objectives of this call for concepts are to:
- Objective 1: Support the sustainable growth and expansion of competitive internet service providers (ISPs) and related telecommunications infrastructure companies in developing markets.
- Objective 2: Support the sustainable growth and expansion of competitive financial technology companies in developing markets.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $15,000,000
- Award Floor: $200,000.
Evaluation Considerations and Criteria
- This call for concepts is open to all eligible private sector actors with a high value proposition to mobilize private capital to support digital finance, internet service, and related telecommunications infrastructure companies in developing markets. The following outlines target partner characteristics and partner commitment requirements.
- Target Partner Characteristics:
- Under this Addendum, USAID will prioritize innovative, cost-effective, market competitive concepts with high impact potential. Proposed alliances will be evaluated based on the considerations and criteria set forth in Section VI of the GDA APS. Beyond the core requirements set forth in the GDA APS, USAID is seeking partners offering the following characteristics:
- Deep and extensive access to an investor network relevant to the activity (e.g., large institutional investors and funds, impact investors)
- Deep and extensive market expertise in the ICT industry, especially in the areas of digital infrastructure development, financial inclusion, and enabling market conditions for digital ecosystems in developing markets
- Strong performance record of fundraising across the ICT sector, especially in developing markets
- Strong track record of structured finance and transaction development in partnership with institutional investors, commercial investors, impact investors, and development finance institutions
- Strong communication skill set to ensure effective industry messaging around best practices for building open, inclusive, and secure digital ecosystems in developing markets.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.