The World Bank is interested in how “big data” can be used to address development questions, including how climate change affects food security and forestry and watersheds. Solutions may include but are not limited to analytical methodologies, APIs, algorithms, software applications, tools, and new data set generation. Technologies may include artificial intelligence, crowd-sourcing applications, data science, dynamic visualizations, machine learning, and predictive analytics. The Challenge will award US$10 thousand to the winner in each of the following two categories: (i) food security or nutrition, and (ii) forestry or watersheds. Submissions are invited from individuals, students, entrepreneurs, start-ups, university labs, private companies, nonprofits, and public sector agencies legally established in member countries of the World Bank Group. The closing date for submissions is 09 November 2016. Link
social enterprise
OpenIDEO — Economic Opportunities for Youth in East Africa
OpenIDEO convenes a global community to collaboratively create solutions addressing the world’s biggest challenges. Among these challenges is the Youth Empowerment Challenge for East Africa, which aims to empower young people in East Africa to participate in the economy. OpenIDEO invites new ideas that motivate and inspire youth; build skills; support their transition into financial stability; include the private sector; or harness the potential for the participation of young people in agriculture. The Challenge is looking for ideas that answer its challenge question and that are targeted at youth between ages 18-35 in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. At least five winners of this challenge will receive a grant of between US$50 thousand and US$150 thousand, plus training and design support from IDEO. The challenge is open to all creative thinkers worldwide, and in any discipline. The deadline for submissions in the ideas phase is 31 October 2016. Link
Global Social Venture Competition — Competition 2017
The Global Social Venture Competition (GSVC) is a partnership of business schools in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with mentoring, exposure, and funding to support their social ventures. Past winners include plans for water supply, energy micro-credit, agricultural processing, ecological building materials, and other environmental themes. The GSVC will award cash prizes up to US$25 thousand. The deadline for the first entry round in most regions is 05 December 2016. Link
European Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) — Enterprises in e-Agriculture
“Pitch AgriHack!” is sponsored by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation ACP-EU, in partnership with other organizations. The aim is to help young start-ups in e-agriculture develop business services. The programme is open to start-ups whose owners are ages 18 to 35, and who have a prototype or operating mobile application or ICT service for agriculture in any of the ACP (Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific) countries. There will be a selection to determine which start-ups and teams will attend a boot camp and pitching event in Kenya. Winners for proof of concept will receive grants up to €7.5 thousand; winners for scaling-up will receive grants up to €15 thousand. The deadline for applications (English, French) is 25 September 2016. Link
The DO School — Apprenticeship Challenge
The DO School sponsors and funds the Entrepreneurship for Good Program to build the capacity of social entrepreneurs in strategies and methods of promoting on-the-job learning, e.g., apprenticeships. The Apprenticeship Challenge will accept 20 individuals for a 10-week incubation phase in Brazil, followed by 10 months of implementation in the participants’ home countries. Applications are invited from talented young adults worldwide regardless of their socioeconomic or educational backgrounds whose interests may include green economy, sustainability, international development, etc. The course is subsidized; financial support is offered in relation to the specific needs of each applicant. The application deadline is 15 September 2016. Link
Securing Water for Food — SWFF Grants, Round 4
The Securing Water for Food Grand Challenge for Development (SWFF) is a collaborative initiative among the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Swedish International Development Agency, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Government of South Africa. The current call for proposals focuses on improving water efficiency and reusing agricultural wastewater; effective water capture and storage systems for extending temporal availability of water supply; and management of salinity in water supplies. Awardees will receive between US$100 thousand and US$2 million in funding and acceleration support to bring their innovations to scale. The deadline for applications is 10 October 2016. Link
Tata Group — Tata Social Enterprise Challenge, 5th Edition
The Tata Group, in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta (IIMC), seeks to identify promising social enterprises in India. Proposals are invited for social enterprises in agriculture, water and sanitation, energy, and other thematic areas. The proposed enterprises should create social impact in India, although applicants do not have to be Indian nationals. Selected social entrepreneurs are offered funding opportunities, mentorship, and an opportunity to be incubated at IIM Calcutta’s Incubation Center. The deadline for submitting impact proposals (business plans) is 11 October 2016. Link
Human Development Innovation Fund — Mawazo Challenge in Tanzania
The Human Development Innovation Fund (HDIF) is funded by the UK government to create social impact in education, health and water, and sanitation and hygiene (WASH) across Tanzania. The Mawazo Challenge invites ideas to design a competition or award scheme that will foster and support promising ideas to solve problems in these areas. The best three ideas will be awarded cash prizes, including five million Tanzanian shillings for the first prize. The application deadline (first stage) is 15 August 2016. Link
Santa Clara University — Global Social Benefit Incubator 2017
The GSBI at Santa Clara University (USA) is an annual program to strengthen social enterprises that use science and technology to address problems of people living in poverty. Past participants include many in water supply, energy, agriculture, and environment in developing countries. The GSBI Accelerator assists selected participants with business plans and other capacity building in support of investment. The GSBI Accelerator invites applications from social entrepreneurs around the world. The application deadline is 21 October 2016. Link
West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development — Young Agricultural Entrepreneurs in Africa
In collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) invites applications for a one-year mentoring process on agricultural technologies and innovations. The program aims to reach 1,000 “agripreneurs” in West and Central Africa. Candidates are expected to have a business idea or a start-up related to agriculture, preferably in relation to the 15 technologies developed by CORAF/WECARD. Applications from women are particularly welcome. The deadline for applications (English, French) is 24 July 2016. Link