Women Innovators in WASH Incubation Program 2022 for Innovative Solutions

Women Innovators in WASH Incubation Program 2022. Apply below.

When is Application Deadline?

21st October 2022

What is the Award?

The Women Innovators in WASH Incubation Program’s overall goal is to sustainably improve access to safe and affordable Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) products and services for communities living in Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa as well as Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia.

We will support 50 women-led startups in the target countries with high-growth potential businesses in any of the WASH sectors and position them to scale their impact and reach more underserved communities by the end of the program. 

As a selected entrepreneur, you will benefit from a 4-month incubation and business mentoring program to further develop the viability of your venture, take part in sessions led by experts in the WASH sector, and pitch your business in front of a high-level jury for a chance to win a seed grant for your business.

Throughout the program, you will create your own executive summary business plan to present to potential investors or new co-founders while receiving the necessary support from a personalized mentor, and having the certainty that you are building a business validated by your potential clients.

Which Fields is/are Eligible?

WASH is an acronym that stands for “water, sanitation, and hygiene”. Together, we want to support you to develop and scale your innovative solutions to any of the following WASH challenges:

(Safe) Water:

Type of innovations may include but are not limited to: 

• Household/ community water treatment and safe water storage
• Innovative water treatment and water filtration in homes and emergency contexts
• Products for testing water quality
• Provision of safe water

Sanitation:

Type of innovations may include but are not limited to: 

• Lightning and amenities for safer latrines
• Fecal sludge treatment
• Innovative fecal sludge disposal

Hygiene:

Type of innovations may include but are not limited to: 

• Innovative handwashing solutions for difficult contexts
• Affordable soap and soap alternatives
• Affordable or sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions

Which Countries are Eligible?

Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa) or Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia).

What Type of Award is This?

Entrepreneurship

Who is Eligible?

This Program is perfect for you if:

• You are or identify as a woman and your business is women-led (or at least 50% of the founding team is female).
• You are based in and your venture impacts Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Tanzania, South Africa) or Latin America (Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia).
• You have an early-stage innovation-based business (you have a business concept developed or an MVP recently launched) and your business is either a for-profit or a social enterprise.
• You can dedicate at least 6-8 hours per week during the duration of the program (4 months) to work on the platform and have online meetings with your mentor.
• You have access to a computer or tablet and a reliable and stable internet connection, as all the program will be online.
• You speak fluent English (keep in mind the whole program and all activities related will be in this language).

What is the Benefit of Award?

• METHODOLOGY AND STRUCTURE: You will follow our step-by-step methodology, working directly on your business and making the most important decisions. You will also be able to visualize your financial projections, growth, and impact plan for the next years.
• FIND YOUR MENTOR: You’ll be partnered with a professional to personally guide you in weekly mentoring sessions so that your project grows in the right direction.
• SEED FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES: Pitch your business in front of a top-level jury and win a seed capital prize, granted to the finalists of our final Demo Day event ($15K in total divided for the top 4 entrepreneurs: $5K each for the first two and  $2.5K each for the other two).
• EXPERIENCE ACTIVE LEARNING: Our platform offers a learn-by-doing approach inspired by MIT’s Disciplined Entrepreneurship and you’ll get to generate a business plan in PDF.
• ANYTIME, ANYWHERE: Collaborate from anywhere at any time through our online platform; no barriers, limits, or excuses; just an internet connection.
• GLOBAL NETWORK: Become a part of a supportive community of founders from 89 countries that share resources and harness challenges together. So far, 3000+ entrepreneurs from 126 countries have gone through our programs!

How to Apply:

Apply to the program

Goodluck!

Visit Award Webpage for Details