2024 Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa for Social Entrepreneurs (3 x EUR 250.000 grant plus funded WFP Innovation Bootcamp)

The second edition of the Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa is now open for applications! After a successful first edition, the second edition of the Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa is committed to identifying and supporting innovative solutions that enhance food security and food systems resilience throughout Africa.  As such, Kofi Annan foundation seek innovative solutions from across Africa that contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, with a strong focus on achieving food security and improving nutrition.

The 2024 Kofi Annan Award seeks to support technology-powered solutions and approaches that are helping to improve food security and systems in African countries.

Requirements

The award welcome applications from social entrepreneurs with digital or technology-powered solutions for people in Africa. Innovations should address one or more of the following priority topics:

• Inclusion of marginalized groups in food security
• Enhanced nutrition for women
• Circular solutions and reduction of post-harvest losses

The Austrian Federal Chancellery, together with the Kofi Annan Foundation, invites entrepreneurial start-ups with a proven business model and a demonstrated social impact to submit their business plans in order to bring their impact to scale and benefit as many Africans as possible. The award is operationally supported by the Austrian Development Agency and the WFP Innovation Accelerator. The Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa seeks to raise awareness for the potential African entrepreneurs hold to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and honor the late Kofi Annan’s legacy and commitment to a more just and equitable world.

Eligibility Criteria

• Your venture must be a for-profit legal entity and incorporated for at least two years at the time of application.
• Your solution is anchored in at least one African country.
• The applicant must have existing contacts/presence in the country of implementation: country office or other permanent presence, subsidiary, long-term operations, or partnerships in the country.
• Your innovation clearly addresses one or more priority topics included in this call for applications.
• Your 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 validated prototype with user testing can also be eligible.
• Your solution should have a committed founding team with at least three full-time employees.

Benefits

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

The program offers:

• Acceleration Bootcamp: Nine(9) promising teams will participate in the inafullyvirtualWFP Innovation Bootcamp. During this boot camp, participants will have valuable opportunities to collaborate with technical and industry mentors who will provide expert guidance to refine further and develop their innovative solutions.
• Funding opportunities: Ventures that successfully progress to the BootCamp stage will gain the eligibility to apply for equity-free funding, with the possibility of receiving financial support of up to EUR250,000 per innovation for a total of three awards.
• Sprint program: The three ventures selected to receive EUR250,000 in equity-free funding will also be welcomed into a WFPSprint Program. This 12-month acceleration program grants access to mentorship, a global network of influential partners, and resources designed to expedite their growth and impact.
• Network of innovators: All nine ventures, regardless of funding outcomes, will have the opportunity to harness and leverage a robust network of pertinent businesses, investors, and mentors, enhancing their potential for long-term success and sustainability.

Deadline: February 8, 2024

Click HERE to Apply