Funding Friday...
Develop Impact - Issue 146
Hello friends!
Happy Friday and welcome back to Funding Friday. I hope you have been having a creative and impactful work week.
This week, we are sharing eleven global funding opportunities for your #techforgood projects in developing and implementing technological solutions to address challenges and help build a more sustainable and inclusive world.
As always, please let me know if you have anything you’d like to share with this community, I would love to hear from you!
Enjoy reading!
Jesse
What’s funding this week…
Global
Westerwelle Foundation: Young Founders Programme
The Young Founders Programme is a 6-month fellowship for outstanding young entrepreneurs from emerging markets. It brings together leaders from all over the world, who are united in the pursuit of achieving entrepreneurial greatness.
Benefits:
Content
Mentoring: A unique experience with a successful entrepreneur or investor, who becomes your sparring partner.
Peer Learning: Exchanges with other successful young founders of the cohort to share knowledge and support each other.
Expert Sessions: In-depth sessions on relevant topics with high-class experts.
International Community: Access to new business opportunities by connecting to program alumni, partners, and other members of the Westerwelle Foundation network.
Berlin Conference: Exposure to the Berlin Startup Ecosystem through a fully funded 5-day conference with the other founders for the top 10 participants.
Ocean Resilience Innovation Challenge 2023
ORRAA’s Ocean Resilience Innovation Challenge (ORIC) – now in its third year – connects projects with potential investors to help bridge the gap between locally-led innovation and investment, to accelerate their growth and wider positive impact. It provides mentoring, leadership training, and funding, to help promising projects scale up.
There will be next-stage funding of up to $50,000 for selected solutions that graduate from the Challenge and meet pre-agreed criteria. This will be awarded after the initial mentoring period and the Leadership Academy, to be used for implementation over the following 12 months.
Nomination Open for WIPO Global Awards
WIPO Global Awards celebrates exceptional enterprises and individuals making smart use of intellectual property for commercialization while also bringing a positive contribution to society through their innovation and creativity.
The annual competition is open for self-nomination to applicants from around the world and from all industries. The inaugural phase has started with enterprises, but there are two other award categories planned for women and youth.
WIPO Global Awards benefits
International promotion, recognition, and visibility.
Travel to Geneva to attend the awards ceremony and other networking events.
A personalized mentorship program to achieve new business goals and facilitate access to funding and partnership opportunities.
Asia-Pacific
ASTN Startup Accelerator Program in Australia
The ASTN Startup Accelerator Program enables the ASTN to provide free guidance & advisory for suitable start-ups across Australia. We invite sports technology start-ups or companies that wish to focus on specific aspects of their development (e.g. sports digital, advanced materials, sports performance & wellness applications suitable for participants and all abilities, and that your product/service/platform/application is driven by technology) to apply for positions available in the ASTN Accelerator Program.
The program will help you to:
Assist in developing an innovative business model, that is sound & prepares your company to scale
Improve the market readiness of your company
Accelerate your company's time to market, and/or
If your company already has a product and market, assist in your ongoing development and expansion within Australia and overseas
It follows its main mission to ensure Australian sports tech companies are "Born Global"
During the program you will receive:
A dedicated advisor, and access to the broader ASTN export pool
Up to approximately 40 hours of free advisory comprised of:
1-on-1 sessions with an experienced sports technology advisor, and/or
a number of group workshops.
Reports on India’s Progress Towards Net Zero Through a Just Energy Transition
In recent years, several countries have set increasingly ambitious decarbonization goals. At COP26 in Glasgow, India committed to reaching Net Zero by 2070.
What will this transition entail? What steps are needed to move towards the target, and what will need to be done to ensure the country is on track for a just transition? In the coming years, the public will have to be kept informed about what’s at stake. As countries endeavor to transition to greener economies to meet their climate goals, reporters will need to develop their knowledge, skills, and capacity to cover these topics.
EJN will provide a grant of up to Rs 90,000 per report and mentoring from experienced practitioners to selected applicants. Interested applicants are encouraged to read EJN’s tipsheet, A Journalist’s Guide to Covering India’s Net Zero Transition, before applying.
Europe
Notice of Funding Opportunity: NGO Small Grants Program in Slovenia
The U.S. Embassy in Ljubljana, Slovenia announces this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Slovenian civil society organizations. The Embassy continues to offer grants for well-conceived and managed projects that strengthen ties between the United States and Slovenia.
Eligible topics for projects are broadly defined to include democracy and human rights, security and defense issues, and economic and business development. Typically grant awards range from $3,000 to $5,000, though some exceptional projects are funded up to $10,000, and may supplement other funding.
European Investment Bank Institute Social Innovation Tournament 2023
The Social Innovation Tournament recognises and supports the best European impact entrepreneurs. It promotes innovative ideas and rewards initiatives that contribute to creating social, ethical and/or environmental impact. Typically, it covers projects in the areas of education, healthcare, the environment, circular economy, climate change, sustainable cities, blue and green economy, inclusion, job creation, ageing and many more.
The winning projects in the General Category and the Special Category will be awarded a first or second prize of €100 000 and €40 000 respectively. In 2023, the Special Category prizes will go to projects focusing on sustainable cities and communities. The grand finale will be held in Stockholm on 27-28 September 2023.
Middle East and Africa
6th Edition of the AFD Digital Challenge “Culture and Creativity: the digital way”
This latest edition of the AFD Digital Challenge is dedicated to digital technology for cultural and creative industries. The Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) are not only a place for entertainment, but they are also a major lever for economic and social development. The role of these industries goes beyond their mere potential for wealth creation, as they actively participate in strengthening social cohesion, inclusion, the valorization of African cultures, and the emancipation of citizens.
The ten (10) winners selected in the final selection phase will each receive a prize of up to €45,000. The awarding of the prize will be conditional on the production of a provisional budget highlighting the costs that will be covered by the prize. AFD and the Provider will provide technical and strategic support to the winning companies in this process.
OPEN offers Equity Investment of up to USD 100,000 to Women-led Businesses operating in Africa
OPEN is offering women-led businesses in the energy sector or those within the energy value chain in Africa, individual-tailored advisory services & operational support to maximize their impact and profitability. They are looking for women-led businesses operating in Africa, with an annual turnover of more than USD 25,000 per year and with at least 3 employees.
They offer companies in the energy sector across Africa individual tailored advisory services & operational support specifically designed around their needs. Their investees have OPEN access to:
Investment: They invest up to USD 100,000 as an equity investment alongside a comprehensive support package tailored to your business needs.
Expertise
Networks
Americas
UK-Latin America Net Zero and Resilience Programme
The UK-Latin America Net Zero and Resilience program at Connected Places Catapult is inviting UK and Latin American SMEs with ideas to tackle some of the region’s climate challenges to apply to access support for the uptake of their solutions.
At least eight UK and four Latin American companies will be selected to participate in this program and benefit from the opportunity to:
At the end of March, the selected companies will take part in the Net Zero Innovation Mission to Brazil
Successful applicants will also have access to its SME support and upskilling program pre-departure
Accelerating Digital Businesses Program – Brazil
ICFJ, in partnership with Meta and different Brazilian media associations, launches the Accelerating Digital Businesses program, which will contribute to the improvement of business models and financial sustainability for media organizations of all types, sizes, and locations that serve the Brazilian public. The program also seeks to help them to use digital tools in an innovative and strategic way for the development and growth of their businesses.
Participants can apply to receive exclusive mentorship for five months, in addition to financial support for the development of projects that will innovate or accelerate their digital businesses. The selected participants will be mentored by specialists in the market with substantial experience in the development of digital products and strategies. Media organizations can apply to receive up to $15,000 USD and independent journalists can receive up to $2,500 USD.