WFP Climate Adaptation Innovation Accelerator Programme 2024

Every region of the world is experiencing the effects of climate change, a major driver of global hunger. In the past decade, 1.7 billion people have faced extreme weather events and climate-related disasters. Communities contributing the least to the climate crisis suffer the most, with limited coping means. The World Food Programme (WFP) Innovation Accelerator, with support from the Adaptation Fund, has launched the Climate Adaptation Innovation Accelerator Programme as part of the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) partnership. This initiative aims to identify, support and scale high-impact innovations that enhance climate adaptation in vulnerable regions.

They call on innovators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to bring forward groundbreaking solutions to drive resilience, enhance climate adaptability, and promote sustainable development in affected communities. By strengthening local capacities and fostering partnerships, they strive to enhance climate resilience and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 2: ‘Zero Hunger’ and SDG 13: ‘Climate Action’.

For this Innovation Challenge, the WFP Innovation Accelerator is looking for both low- and high-tech solutions specifically tailored to meet distinct climate adaptation challenges in Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon along the food system value chain. They aim to identify and support exceptional innovations from around the world that hold the potential to address these challenges in three target countries.

Benefits of Adaptation Innovation Accelerator

• Invitation to participate in a four-day WFP Innovation in-person Bootcamp in Munich.
• Access to WFP’s field operations and opportunity to engage in comprehensive field testing.
• Expert innovation management assistance from the WFP Innovation Accelerator.
• Extensive visibility across multiple WFP social media channels and other platforms.
• Access to a diverse pool of mentors from various sectors and top-tier organizations.
• Six-month Sprint Programme combining business-oriented training, mentoring, and technical assistance from the WFP Innovation Accelerator.
• More than US$ 1 million in equity free funding will be available for 8-10 startups that will be admitted to the sprint programme through competitive grants based on the stage of your solution:
  • Up to US$ 120,000 per venture for seed stage solutions.
  • Up to US$ 200,000 per venture for growth stage and expansion stage solutions.
• Exposure to national and international funders through an online pitch event at the end of the programme.

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Eligibility for Adaptation Innovation Accelerator

• Your organization must be an established legal entity (for-profit, not-for-profit, social business, NGO, INGO).
• Your organization should have a presence or willingness to build a presence in one of the three countries of implementation (Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon). This could take the form of a country office or other permanent presence, subsidiary, long-term operations or partnerships in the country.
• Your innovation addresses at least one of the above-mentioned priority areas related to pressing challenges faced in the climate adaptation space of the country of implementation.
• Your innovation must be at least in the seed stage. Solutions that are still at the idea, research or early pre-seed stage are not eligible.
• Your innovation should have a clear pathway to scale, adequate resources and a proposed plan to implement during the six-month Sprint Programme with the available funding.
• Applicants are expected to have strong intentions to collaborate with relevant humanitarian stakeholders, build relationships with the country offices, and connect with the innovation ecosystems.
• Interventions classified as Category A based on the environmental and social sustainability framework indicating a high risk of irreversible adverse impacts, will not be accepted.

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Evaluation Criteria

Your application will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

• Level of innovation/innovativeness: The solution is novel, innovative and has a strong climate adaptation regarding the mentioned themes.
• Relevance to the context: The solution addresses at least one of the above-mentioned priority areas, is suitable to at least one of the three country contexts, and provides concrete solutions to end-users or the ecosystem.
• Business model and scalability of the solution: The solution showcases a clear business model and a robust sustainable revenue model relative to its maturity stage.
• Team expertise and capabilities: Proven competence, technical coherence, commitment, motivation, entrepreneurial mindset and a diverse and inclusive team.
• Climate adaptation: The solution effectively enhances resilience to climate impacts, promotes sustainable practices and improves resource efficiency.
• Level of Impact: Evidence of tangible historical and projected impact towards solving a defined challenge related to climate adaptation.
• Environmental and social sustainability: The solution adheres to the environmental and social principles of the Adaptation Fund.

Application

To apply, fill out the online application form by 4 August 2024, 11:59 pm (CEST). Note that only English submissions will be accepted.

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