The World Food Programme (WFP) and Impact Hub Kigali (IHK), with assistance from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Affairs (BHA), are searching for ways to reduce food insecurity in Rwanda by enhancing the country’s food systems. In order to fill gaps in the food system, the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge promotes the growth of creative startups, MSMEs, and cooperatives. Each chosen startup will be given a grant of up to $30,000 and 4 months of specialized technical help to overcome business gaps.
Eligibility:
- Your entity must possess a valid registration/certificate of incorporation for operating in Rwanda and at least 1 year of operation
- Have proof of a revenue-generating business (total turnover in the case of cooperatives) of at least the equivalent of USD 5,000 for the full year of 2022
- Be a team of at least three full-time members dedicated to the MSME/cooperative, including the founding team
- At least 50% of your founding and/or senior management team must be from Rwanda/East Africa
- The entity must have existing key operations in Rwanda
Benefits:
Selected ventures will have access to the following benefits that will support them to implement their locally-driven solutions that strengthen food systems.
- Funding: Up to $30,000 in equity-free funding per venture
- Acceleration support: 4 months of curated technical support to strengthen your skills and address business gaps. Receive a tailored curriculum and connect directly with experts and mentors
- Networking and exposure: connections to potential investors and leverage WFP’s strong network of public, private, and government partners
Evaluation Criteria:
The evaluation process for the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge (Second Edition) will be based on the following criteria:
- Level of innovation: The solution solves a food challenge in an innovative way
- Impact: the solution has a strong impact on strengthening food systems
- Financial sustainability: the venture has a clear business model and is financially sustainable
- Level of traction: the venture shows traction and demonstrates impact already
- Scalability: the venture has a strong potential to be scaled up
- Team: The team combines the right experience and demonstrates commitment to scale the solution
