Call for Applications: Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa

The Award aims to identify and support promising social entrepreneurs with digital or technology-powered solutions for people in Africa to help them build the foundations to scale.

After a successful first edition, the second edition of the Kofi Annan Award for Innovation in Africa is committed to identifying and supporting innovative solutions that enhance food security and food systems resilience throughout Africa. As such, they seek innovative solutions from across Africa that contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, with a strong focus on achieving food security and improving nutrition.

What they Offer?

• The WFP Innovation Accelerator, together with the Federal Chancellery of Austria (BKA), the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF), wish to support innovative solutions that address the urgent food security needs of people across Africa. The programme offers:
  • Acceleration Bootcamp: Nine (9) promising teams will participate in a fully virtual WFP Innovation Bootcamp. During this bootcamp, participants will have valuable opportunities to collaborate with technical and industry mentors who will provide expert guidance to refine further and develop their innovative solutions.
  • Funding opportunities: Ventures that successfully progress to the bootcamp stage will gain the eligibility to apply for equity-free funding, with the possibility of receiving financial support of up to EUR 250,000 per innovation for a total of three awards.
  • Sprint programme: The three ventures selected to receive EUR 250,000 in equity-free funding will also be welcomed into a WFP Sprint Programme. This 12-month acceleration program grants access to mentorship, a global network of influential partners, and resources designed to expedite their growth and impact.
  • Network of innovators: All nine ventures, regardless of funding outcomes, will have the opportunity to harness and leverage a robust network of pertinent businesses, investors, and mentors, enhancing their potential for long-term success and sustainability

What They Are Looking For?

• The 2023 Kofi Annan Award seeks to support technology-powered solutions and approaches that are helping to improve food security and systems in African countries.
• They welcome applications from social entrepreneurs with digital or technology-powered solutions for people in Africa who are addressing one or more of the following priority topics:
  • Inclusion of Marginalized Groups in Food Security
    • Ensuring the participation and benefit of marginalized and underserved groups, such as persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, and other disadvantaged communities.
    • Innovation Focus: Exploring technology-driven solutions that promote equitable access to food resources and empower marginalized groups to actively engage in food production, distribution, and decision-making processes, such as accessible farming tools and digital market access for displaced farmers.
  • Enhanced Nutrition for women (pregnant and lactating)
    • Advancing nutritional well-being for women, with a specific emphasis on pregnant and lactating women, children under five years of age, and the elderly.
    • Innovation Focus: Identifying technological solutions that address nutritional deficiencies in these target groups through innovative approaches, such as digital tools for personalized dietary guidance, nutrient-rich food production, and nutritional monitoring.
  • Circular solutions and reduction of post-harvest losses
    • Encouraging the adoption of circular business models in the agriculture and food sectors with a special emphasis on creating cost-effective and sustainable food preservation technologies.
    • Innovation Focus: Developing innovative and scalable solutions that specifically target the challenges of managing food surplus, redistributing excess food, recovering valuable resources, and preservation, particularly in the context of climate change. In addition, these innovations should empower women farmers and marginalized groups with knowledge and skills to reduce post-harvest losses.

Eligibility Criteria

• Your venture must be a for-profit legal entity and incorporated for at least two years at the time of application.
• Your solution is anchored in at least one African country.
• The applicant must have existing contacts/presence in the country of implementation: country office or other permanent presence, subsidiary, long-term operations or partnerships in the country.
• Your innovation clearly addresses one or more priority topics included in this call for applications.
• Your innovation has more than 1 million people in the total addressable market.
• Your innovation must be at least at the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage; a validated prototype with user testing can also be eligible.
• Your solution should have a committed founding team with at least three full-time employees.
• Applicants should be able to provide evidence of user/customer validation of the value proposition.
• Your venture should be developing a clear path to commercial viability and financial sustainability (business model fit).
• Your solution should have a potential plan to implement as part of the 12-month Sprint programme.
• Innovations should change existing or establish new routines and positively impact one or more of the following aspects: food security, employment and income generation and/or climate resilience and natural resource protection.
• Ventures should be able to demonstrate they have a diverse, non-discriminatory, gender-balanced venture with demonstrated leadership and entrepreneurial mindset, and the vision of the team.
• They prioritize ventures that focus on promoting gender equality and empowering women through their beneficiaries, job creation, or having a high representation of women in leadership positions.
• The entity does not fall under any of the points listed in the solemn declaration.
• The venture pays attention to environmental protection and climate change, gender equality and women empowerment, as well as social inclusion (leave no one behind).

For more information, visit Kofi Annan Foundation.