UNDP/UN Women Open Innovation Challenge and Call for Youth Led Social Entrepreneurship Innovative Solutions Facing Youth in Africa 2019

Are you an African youth entrepreneur passionate about the continent with an innovative solution? Then, read on – we have an opportunity for you! 

Application Deadline: 18th September 2018

About the Award: This Challenge invites African youth entrepreneurs to step forward to help realise the Goals of Africa: We call on young people, especially women and girls, to present us with their innovations for SDG attainment in their communities and countries across Africa. Areas of particular relevance for this Challenge include youth access to sustainable livelihoods, youth engagement in governance / political participation, leadership and decision making, as well as youth action in preventing violence and other harmful practices against young women and girls.

Type: Contest

Eligibility: You are eligible for the Challenge if you answer “yes” to all of the following questions:

• Are you African, aged between 15 and 35 years?
• Do you have an innovative, replicable, scalable idea that could transform your community, country… or even
  Africa?
• Would you like to contribute towards the attainment of the SDGs and therein especially gender-related targets and indicators of SDG 1 (poverty), SDG 5 (gender equality and empowerment of women and girls), SDG 8 (decent employment) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure)?
• Do you have the passion to help Africa progress – but struggle to find the support you need to turn your idea
  into reality?

If you are between 15 and 18 years old, you can still apply for the Challenge and stand a chance to be profiled and recognized at the Africa Youth Conference as an outstanding innovator. Grants, however, can only be awarded to
entrepreneurs with a minimum age of 18 years.

Selection Criteria: Key factors that are being considered are whether the proposed solution:

• Is inclusive and has great potential for impact (e.g., reduces poverty for the most disadvantaged especially
  women and girls).
• Is sustainable (e.g., provides a long-term solution, is gender balanced and sensitive, is environmentally sustainable, climate smart, financially sustainable, etc.).
  Is transformative, innovative and can be scaled up easily.
  Is replicable in other environments and can be replicated across more African countries than that of the applicant.
  Is broadly accepted and widely accessible to all targeted beneficiaries and/or potential users especially women
  and girls.
  Is available for sharing.
  Builds on technologies or methodologies that are adaptable to various contexts for the benefit of all population
  including women and girls.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: Winning entries will receive funding to develop, validate and scale innovative ideas. The grants will be awarded to entrepreneurswho would like to test their innovative solutions orgrow existing ventures, as per the following categories:

Idea Stage: 5,000 USD (seed grants)
Growth Stage: 10,000 USD (scale grants)

How to Apply: To apply for the Challenge and stand a chance to win grant funding to pursue your entrepreneurship venture and / or profile your innovative idea/solution, fill and submit the form below.
In addition to your written response, we encourage you to make multimedia submissions. This can include a short video (which can be recorded using a phone) narrating in a summary form your initiative or high-resolution action photographs of the solution.

Visit Programme Webpage for Details