To stimulate the decrease or elimination of plastic usage across Sub-Saharan Africa, we are looking for unique or early-stage solutions, technology, and/or services to be developed.
Successful community-centered products and services will have demonstrated a long-term approach to reducing plastic use while also supporting women and girls’ empowerment by the end of the Challenge.
Benefits for Participants
In February 2022, 25 Semi-Finalists will be selected and each receive a ยฃ25,000 grant.
In June 2022, of those 25 Semi-Finalists, 10 will be selected to move forward to the finalist stage and will receive a grant of ยฃ75,000 to support in the development and validation of their solutions.
In February 2023, at the end of this finalist stage, the 10 finalists will be required to submit a detailed development plan, together with a pitch video for evaluation by the judges against the criteria (see the Applicant Handbook for more details).
In March 2023, three winners will be selected and receive the following awards:
- First Place: ยฃ750,000
- Second Plasce: ยฃ250,000
- Third Place: ยฃ100,000
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants must have a new or early-stage idea that seeks to reduce or eliminate plastic usage across Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Ideas must be focused in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Applicants can be formally constituted and operating in Sub-Saharan Africa as either a registered business or NGO, but applications from individuals and community groups will also be accepted.
- Applicants can be an individual, single entity (organisation or community group), an African partnership or an international partnership. For partnership applications, the nominated lead applicant must be operating in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Applicants must own or be licensed to use relevant intellectual property included in their applications. If your application is proposing a new idea, then Nesta would expect that you would own all resulting intellectual property which may be able to be registered on a local basis if you become a successful participant in the Challenge. Nesta would not be able to give you specific legal advice on the protection or exploitation of intellectual property.
How to Apply
Application is ongoing and will close finally on 1st December 2021 at 12 noon.
Following the closing date on Wednesday 01 December 2021 at 12 noon (BST), entries for the will be screened for eligibility and assessed. A diverse portfolio of entries that best meet the relevant assessment criteria will be long-listed by a group of external assessors, then later shortlisted by a Judging Panel.
For more information visit the official website
