Deadline: March 1, 2023
Applications are open for the WFP Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator Programme 2023. The Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator Programme, powered by the World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator, the Government of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg, and the Austrian Development Cooperation (ADC), is in search of high-impact innovative solutions that strive to solve emergency and humanitarian challenges faced by vulnerable populations and humanitarian actors.
The UN and partner organizations estimate that around US$51.5 billion will be required to assist 230 million people in need across 69 countries, which will still fall short of providing assistance to all those in need globally. The Humanitarian Innovation Accelerator Programme aims to support technology-powered solutions addressing pressing global challenges faced in the humanitarian space.
Benefits
- Hands-on support & Coaching: Selected ventures will receive access to coaching support from the WFP Innovation Accelerator and relevant partners through the duration of their Sprints.
- Funding: Selected ventures will be invited to participate in an entirely virtual WFP Innovation Bootcamp and a Pitch Event in Luxembourg in June 2023. These ventures will also be invited to apply to the WFP Sprint Programme – a twelve-month acceleration programme with equity free funding up to US$500,000 in the Scaling workstream and up to US$130,000 in the Early Stage workstream.
- Mentorship and Global Access: Mentorship and access to a global network of relevant stakeholders in the humanitarian, business and international development cooperation space.
Eligibility
- Your organization must be an established legal entity (for-profit, non for profit, social business, NGO, INGO).
- The applicant organization should have a presence or willingness to build a presence in the country of implementation in the form of a country office or other permanent presence, subsidiary, long-term operations or partnerships in the country, specifically with the relevant humanitarian actors.
- Your innovation clearly addresses one or more of the priority innovation areas related to pressing global challenges faced in the humanitarian space.
- Your innovation should match the solution maturity profile for either the Scaling or Early Stage workstream in the programme.
- Your innovation should have a clear pathway to scale and a potential plan to implement during the 6- to 12-month Sprint with the available funding.
- Applicants are expected to have strong intentions to collaborate with relevant humanitarian stakeholders, build up soft links with the Luxembourgish and/or the Austrian economic sector, and connect with the innovation ecosystem of Luxembourg and Austria.
- Applications from and cooperation with NGOs are highly encouraged.
Geographies of Interest
Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Uganda, Mozambique, Bhutan, Cabo Verde, Kosovo, Albania, Moldova, Georgia, Laos, Niger, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Jordan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Tunisia, Armenia, Palestine, Somalia, South Sudan, Mali, Senegal and Ukraine.
Selection Criteria
- Impact & Scalability: Applicants should have a defined vision, an identified target group, and be able to demonstrate the potential to solve the posed challenge(s).
- Team: Applicants should be able to demonstrate having a diverse, non-discriminatory, and inclusive organization with demonstrated leadership and entrepreneurial mindset.
- Novelty: Applicants should be able to show how their solution and business model are innovative while being technically suitable, and viable.
- Traction: Applicants should be able to present evidence of feasibility and adoption by the target group.
- Business Model: Applicants should demonstrate the viability of their business model, how they intend to achieve a sustainable business, pricing, and financial model.
Application
Do you have a technology-powered solution that addresses pressing global challenges faced in the humanitarian sector? If yes, then apply by March 1, 2023 at 11:59 pm (CET) with your innovative idea!
For more information, visit WFP.
