Deadline Date: April 30, 2026
The Water and Energy for Food 2.0 Regional Call for Scale-ups (Track 2) supports rapidly growing businesses in advancing climate-resilient solutions across food, water, and energy systems in the MENA region.
Focus Areas, climate resilience and food and water security, sustainable and efficient use of water and energy, increased food production processing and market access, innovative technologies business models and products, livelihood improvement for base of the pyramid populations, inclusion of women and vulnerable groups, job creation and employment opportunities, circular economy practices, reduction of food loss and waste, greenhouse gas emission reduction, renewable energy integration, carbon sequestration, innovations in food production to reduce water usage, efficient water resource management, sustainable farm-level energy and water use, energy innovations in food processing and logistics, efficient energy use in food production, agricultural waste to energy solutions, land restoration and prevention of farmland loss, efficient logistics and digital market access, circularity and waste reduction innovations, organic farming, wastewater treatment and reuse desalination, user-centered innovation, financial sustainability, climate resilience solutions.
The initiative aims to support scalable and impactful enterprises that can contribute to sustainable development and resilience across the MENA region.
The programme is designed to strengthen climate resilience and improve the security of food and water systems by accelerating the growth of commercially viable scale-ups operating in the MENA region. It focuses on translating business expansion into measurable development outcomes, including poverty reduction, gender inclusion, and environmental sustainability.
Selected enterprises receive tailored technical assistance and investment facilitation to support their growth and scalability. The programme also connects participants with market opportunities and investors, enabling them to expand their operations and enhance their long-term impact.
A strong emphasis is placed on innovation within the water-energy-food nexus, encouraging solutions that improve efficiency, sustainability, and resilience across value chains. The programme supports a wide range of innovations, including those related to agricultural production, resource management, energy use, logistics, and waste reduction.
Financial support is provided in the form of cash grants averaging USD 50,000, subject to fund availability. In addition to financial assistance, participants receive multiple rounds of technical support and non-financial services such as access to markets and investor networks.
The programme specifically targets mid-to-late-stage scale-ups with high growth potential and the ability to deliver significant impact. These businesses are expected to be innovative and capable of scaling rapidly to reach large numbers of end users while addressing climate resilience challenges.
Eligibility is open to legally registered for-profit and not-for-profit organizations or academic institutions with a proven revenue model and operational sustainability. Applicants must demonstrate a track record of revenue generation and alignment with water-energy-food or climate resilience solutions. Eligible organizations should have been operating for two to ten years and must meet minimum revenue requirements.
For more information, visit WE4F.
