AI for Climate Resilience in Emerging Markets

Call for proposals: AI for Climate Resilience

Mercy Corps Ventures is launching a call for proposals focused on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Climate Resilience. This initiative seeks startups or organizations deploying innovative AI-based solutions for climate resilience in emerging markets. This is the second call for proposals from our Climate Venture Lab, following the Climate Tech Facility launched in November 2023, which received 412 proposals from over 50 countries. Through these initiatives, we are committing up to $1,000,000 to test first-of-a-kind solutions increasing the resilience of climate vulnerable people in Africa, Asia and Latin America, aiming to build the knowledge base on how innovative technology can increase climate resilience for the most vulnerable.

In the AI for Climate Resilience call, we seek partners to test these potential uses of climate analytics and AI to enhance the resilience and sustainability of agriculture and food production, increase access to finance, and address climate change in emerging markets. We are looking for solutions that benefit low-income and underserved populations.

We will select applications that intersect AI with the following themes, in line with our Resilient Futures Thesis:

• Adaptive Agriculture: How can we feed the world without harming the environment? Can AI improve soil diagnostics, help scale regenerative agriculture, or make supply chains more efficient and less wasteful? We seek AI-based solutions that help smallholder farmers in emerging countries improve yields, protect the environment, transition to sustainable practices, and reduce waste, among others.
• Inclusive Fintech. How can we facilitate financing for climate resilience? What role can AI play in increasing access to finance for smallholder farmers? We seek innovative financial solutions in the food and agriculture space that can unlock finance for climate resilience.
• Climate smart technologies: How can AI help address other challenges related to strengthening climate resilience? For example, how can we protect forests, land, oceans and glaciers? How might AI enhance the use of renewable energy for productive use? We welcome ideas that leverage AI to strengthen the climate resilience of smallholder farmers, indigenous communities, and low-income communities.

In addition with thesis alignment as described above, Mercy Corps Ventures (MCV) will select pilots based on the following criteria:

1. Impact. Who is the pilot serving and what impact will be achieved? We expect proposals to include actionable plans to demonstrate impact on MCV’s target populations, including smallholder farmers, refugees and migrants, underserved women, marginalized communities, and those living in climate-vulnerable contexts.
2. Innovation. How transformative is the solution? How likely is this product / service to scale / replicate broadly? Is it first-of-a-kind?
3. Traction & team. How likely is this team to execute as designed? Does the team have the capacity to successfully deliver the pilot? This can be evidenced through current track record, team credentials, technological maturity of the product / service, etc.
4. Geographic scope. Will the pilot be implemented in one or more MCV’s target regions: Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Latin America?
5. Scalability. For for-profit solutions, how do the economics work? For for-profit and nonprofit solutions, who will carry the work forward if the pilot succeeds?

The selected pilot partners will receive equity-free grants of up to $100,000 each. Alongside capital, MCV will also provide mentorship, impact measurement advisory, access to partnership opportunities, knowledge exchange, and brand exposure.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Deadline for submission Jul 21, 2024. To apply, fill in this form.

We will hold an info session about the AI for Climate Resilience on July 10, 2024 at 8:00 am GMT -6. Register here.