GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech

Mobile for Development

The GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech is now open. If you have an innovative solution that addresses barriers to digital inclusion of people with disabilities then don’t miss this opportunity from the GSMA, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

About the GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech

The GSMA is looking for start-ups, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and social enterprises in Africa and Asia that are driving the digital inclusion of people with disabilities by addressing one or more of the following barriers:

Access;
Affordability;
Relevance;
Knowledge and skills; and
Safety and security.

Successful projects will receive an equity-free grant of between £100,000 and £250,000 to scale their innovation over a 15- to 18-month period.

Today, over one billion people need at least one form of assistive technology (AT), but around 90 percent do not have adequate access to the AT they require. Digital assistive technologies, particularly mobile-based ATs, have the potential to be a valuable and cost-effective tool for people with disabilities. This fund aims to support the innovators of digital ATs and projects that advance the digital inclusion of people with disabilities and advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Funded projects will focus on reducing the gap in access and usage of mobile-enabled products or services, and will look to demonstrate commercially sustainable models that can be scaled and replicated in similar markets.

We’re particularly interested in start-ups, SMEs, and social enterprises that have entrepreneurs with disabilities, female founders, local entrepreneurs, and those who can proactively demonstrate their solution reaches women, in addition to people with disabilities, or have solutions that disproportionately and actively reach more women users.

Additional information

Applications are open until 23:59 BST Friday, 16 October. If you would like to know more about this round of the GSMA Innovation Fund, you will find more detail in the links below:

If you have any further questions, please email GSMAIF@gsma.com

Join one of our webinars to learn more about the GSMA Innovation Fund for Assistive Tech

In this webinar, we will share additional information about the Fund and will provide you with guidance to help you complete your application. The webinar will cover:

The objective of this fund;
The eligibility criteria for applicants;
The type of impact your innovation should demonstrate;
The funding and other support available to the winners;
The requirements and commitments of applicants;
The application process, including key dates;
A demonstration of ScreenDoor, the application portal; and
Any accessibility queries.