Digital Innovation Accelerator

A multi-stage Acceleration programme & Competition for start-up teams with innovative solutions for sustainable development.

The Innovation Factory Digital Innovation Accelerator is a multi-stage programme that includes a 6-month acceleration programme and a final competition.

ACCELERATOR PROCESS

1. APPLY

Call for applications open to start-ups, companies, non-profits to submit innovations for sustainable development: Gender Equality, EduTech or Environmental Climate Action.
Submit your application & tell us why your innovation idea/prototype needs acceleration & funding support.

2. ACCELERATE

45 shortlisted teams will take part in the 6-month Digital Innovation Accelerator to:

• Receive capacity-building support;
• Be guided in business model refinement;
• Become investment ready;
• Optimise SDG impacts;
• Develop a comprehensive business plan

The Accelerator programmes will be held in-person in the respective local countries. More information about venue and dates will be revealed in due time. Please be sure to select the correct countries in your application.

3. COMPETE

Teams successfully completing the Accelerator Programme will submit supporting documents for jury assessment. 12 winning teams will be selected to win tailored support packages equivalent to 15.000€ each.

SECTORS

GENDER EQUALITY

Women and girls make up half the global population and therefore half its potential. However, gender inequality in various forms still persists everywhere and stands in the way of sustainable economic growth and social progress. Similarly, this disparity between genders is also reflected in the access to digital technology.

Whether it is providing equal education access or increasing access to adaptive microfinance, technology provide endless possibilities to improving quality of life and enabling women and girls to participate in building resilient communities.

EDUTECH

Good quality and accessible education is a crucial foundation for sustainable development. In addition to improving quality of life, it equips locals with tools to further develop innovative solutions to global problems. According to the UN, 617 million children and adolescents lack minimum proficiency in reading and mathematics, and up to 750 million adults still remain illiterate*.

Digital technology has a high potential to help propel forward impoverished communities and to help youth gain relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills for employment.

*Source: UN (2019) The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2019

ENVIRONMENTAL CLIMATE ACTION

Climate change affects all communities globally with increasingly severe weather pattern changes, rising sea levels and extremely high greenhouse gas emissions. Limiting global warming to 1.5ºC will require drastic changes in all aspects of society. Furthermore, the poorest and most vulnerable people are affected the most.

Digital innovations that contribute to climate and environmental action can deliver scalable solutions to enable countries to increase local adaptation efforts across all communities and advance quicker towards cleaner and more resilient economies.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Have a clear business case and feasible financial sustainability for future/current revenue model

Have a digital innovation that delivers positive impact in the areas of Gender Equality, Environmental Climate Action or EduTech

Digital innovation solution is operational & has been introduced to the market & its intended users

Being locally-driven or locally-led from one of these 5 countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Mexico, and Senegal

Have potential for scale and significant replication to maximise impact