Deadline: 8 February 2024

Applications for the Kofi Annan Prize for Innovation in Africa 2024 are now open. The Kofi Annan Prize for Innovation in Africa was initiated by the Austrian Federal Chancellery in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator, the Austrian Development Agency and the Kofi Annan Foundation. The Prize aims to identify and support promising social entrepreneurs with digital or technological solutions for people in Africa, to help them build foundations at scale.

After a successful first edition, the second edition of the Kofi Annan Prize for Innovation in Africa is committed to identifying and supporting innovative solutions that improve food security and the resilience of food systems across Africa. As such, they are looking for innovative solutions across Africa that contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, with a strong focus on achieving food security and improving nutrition.

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Benefits

The WFP Innovation Accelerator, together with the Austrian Federal Chancellery (BKA), the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), wants to support innovative solutions that address the urgent food security needs of people across Africa. The programme offers:

• Acceleration Bootcamp: Nine (9) promising teams will participate in a fully virtual WFP Innovation Bootcamp. During this bootcamp, participants will have valuable opportunities to collaborate with technical and industry mentors who will provide expert guidance to further refine and develop their innovative solutions.
• Funding opportunities: Ventures that successfully progress to the bootcamp phase will gain eligibility to apply for non-equity funding, with the possibility of receiving financial support of up to 250,000 euros per innovation, for a total of three awards.
• Sprint Programme: The three ventures selected to receive 250,000 euros in equity-free funding will also be welcomed into WFP's Sprint Programme. This 12-month acceleration programme grants access to mentoring, a global network of influential partners and resources designed to accelerate their growth and impact.
• Network of innovators: All nine ventures, regardless of the outcome of the funding, will have the opportunity to tap into and leverage a robust network of relevant companies, investors and mentors, increasing their potential for long-term success and sustainability.

Eligibility

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• Your enterprise must be a legal for-profit entity and have been established for at least two years at the time of registration.
• Its solution is anchored in at least one African country.
• The candidate must have existing contacts/presence in the country of implementation: office in the country or other permanent presence, subsidiary, long-term operations or partnerships in the country.
• Your innovation clearly addresses one or more of the priority themes included in this call for applications.
• Its innovation has more than 1 million people in the total addressable market.
• Your innovation must be at least at the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage; a prototype validated with user tests may also be eligible.
• Your solution must have a committed founding team of at least three full-time employees.
• Candidates must be able to provide evidence of validation of the value proposition by the user/customer.
• Your enterprise must develop a clear path to commercial viability and financial sustainability (business model suitability).
• Your solution should have a potential plan to be implemented as part of the 12-month Sprint programme.
• The innovations must change existing routines or establish new ones and have a positive impact on one or more of the following aspects: food security, job and income generation and/or climate resilience and the protection of natural resources.
• Ventures must be able to demonstrate that they have a diverse, non-discriminatory and gender-balanced enterprise, with demonstrated leadership and entrepreneurial mindset, and the vision of the team.
• They prioritise ventures that focus on promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women through their beneficiaries, job creation or the presence of a high representation of women in leadership positions.
• The organisation does not fit into any of the points listed in the solemn declaration.
• The enterprise pays attention to environmental protection and climate change, gender equality and women's empowerment, as well as social inclusion (leaving no-one behind).

Application

The deadline for applications is 8 February 2024 at 23:59 (CET).

Click here to register