2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award

Inviting applications from social entrepreneurs working to make healthcare financially more accessible in low and middle-income countries

The Swiss Re Foundation Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award recognises initiatives by social entrepreneurs that take innovative approaches to build resilient societies in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Major progress has been made in improving the health of millions of people globally, with higher life expectancy, lower maternal and child mortality and better prevention of prevalent communicable diseases. But in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries, access to quality healthcare remains unaffordable for most people.

Health expenditures push an estimated 100 million people worldwide into extreme poverty every year. Without a financial safety net, a single illness can threaten the health and well-being of entire families. New approaches to financing healthcare are more urgently needed than ever. The Swiss Re Foundation aims to make basic healthcare accessible to at least 1 million more people by 2024. This call for applications is an invitation to social entrepreneurs working in LMICs to make healthcare financially more accessible in low-income communities.

The 2023 Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award focuses on innovative, market-based solutions that increase financial access to healthcare in low-income communities, and that:

• increase household resources available for healthcare (e.g. through savings, payment and credit solutions)
• reduce health shocks that can lead to poverty or economic vulnerability after a disease or an accident (e.g. through microinsurance or other “safety nets”)

The three finalists will be awarded with funding up to USD 700,000 and non-financial support from experts across Swiss Re and beyond.

Award components

• A total grant of USD 700 000 for the three finalists. This amount is divided among the winner (which may receive up to USD 350 000) and the two runners-up and paid in instalments over two to three years.
• Non-financial support such as coaching and technical advice from Swiss Re employees and experts, tailored to each finalist’s needs.
• Members of the general public are invited to vote for their favourite finalist. The recipient of the most votes wins the People’s Choice Award and receives a special prize.

Eligibility criteria

• Mission and purpose
  Applicants must demonstrate high levels of social impact and are ideally able to measure it in a reliable manner (eg, improved health indicators or/and reduced out-of-pocket expenses).
• Target group
  At least 30% of the people served by applicants must come from poor to very poor communities. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the specific circumstances of the people – both women and men – they serve (eg barriers to using financial instruments to better manage their healthcare). We will prioritize enterprises that are gender-inclusive.
• Geography
  Applicants must operate in countries that are defined as low-income or lower-middle-income by the World Bank.
• Maturity
  Applicants must be formally established, serve at least 20 000 people and have the potential to reach at least 100 000 people in the coming three years.
  They should also be on a clear path to financial sustainability yet still require grants (or other support) to improve their business model, reach low-income households and/or attain full financial sustainability.
• Scalability
  Applicants must use digital technology or have highly digitalized processes to deliver value to underserved populations at scale.
• Organisation
  Applicants must have a solid management team where responsibilites are distributed and well defined. They should also have a diverse, well-structured workforce.
• Legal compliance
  Applicants must comply with the legal framework of the country or countries in which they operate and are registered and must be allowed to receive grant funding from a Swiss non-governmental organization such as the Swiss Re Foundation.

Applications and more info

The application period will be open from 2 December 2022 through 23 January 2023. Applicants are asked to complete the online questionnaire by 23 January 2023, 23:59 CET. Only applications submitted in English and before the deadline will be considered. We expect to use the following process and timelines to arrive at the final grant decisions estimated to be made by September 2023.

Read the program brochure to find out more about focus area, and process of screening for this edition’s Entrepreuners for Resilience Award 2023.

• Program Brochure in English, click here to download
• Program Brochure in French, click here to download
• Program Brochure in Spanish, click here to download