Village Capital Innovation for Ecosystem Restoration Africa Program 2023
Deadline: 14th of May, 2023
The Village Capital Innovation for Ecosystem Restoration Africa Program 2023 is now accepting applications. An accelerator for business owners promoting ecosystem restoration in sub-Saharan Africa is called the Innovation for Ecosystem Restoration Africa, which is backed by Moody’s Corporation.
With the assistance of Moody’s Foundation, Village Capital will assist 10–12 impact-driven entrepreneurs in Africa that are developing locally viable ecosystem restoration solutions. The Innovation for Ecosystem Restoration initiative will deal with some of the most urgent and difficult issues that ecosystem restoration business owners in sub-Saharan Africa are now confronting.
Areas of Interest:
- Reforestation: They are looking for solutions that engage in reforestation activities such as
planting trees and other vegetation in degraded areas to restore their ecological state and
provide habitat for wildlife. - Regenerative agriculture, Soil conservation, biodiversity conservation: They are recruiting
solutions that help restore soil health and promote biodiversity such as terracing, crop
rotation, cover cropping to restore soil fertility and reduce soil erosion - Wetland restoration and water conservation: They are on the lookout for solutions that
restore wetland ecosystems such as providing water filtration, restoring water flows,
planting native vegetation and carbon sequestration services to improve the quality of
water and biodiversity. - Sustainable land use practices and sustainable agriculture: They are looking for solutions
that engage in sustainable land use practices including rotational grazing, conservation
agriculture, integrated pest management, and agroforestry. - Climate tech: They are looking for companies that use technology to develop solutions to
address climate change and promote sustainability. Climate tech solutions include
solutions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and promote
renewable energy.
Benefits:
- Training and Continued Learning: Access to live and asynchronous sessions tailored to a
virtual learning environment to help their companies identify early milestones and prepare
for their next round of capital (if relevant) or big expansion. - Networking: Startups will connect with a diverse and inclusive network of mentors,
founders, and investors. - Mentorship: Ability to meet with and receive mentorship from prominent investors,
potential strategic partners and customers, and other founders. - Advice: Startups will participate in a virtual investor forum and mock board meetings with
representatives from financial institutions, corporates, experienced entrepreneurs, and
investors that can help their company scale. - Financial Analysis: Access to an investment analyst who will coach you one on one on
building a financial model, identifying unit economics, and using financial metrics to drive
both the business and investor diligence. - Exposure: Get featured on Village Capital’s program website and other collateral.
Eligibility:
They are looking for (for-profit) startups building locally viable ecosystem restoration solutions.
Eligibility requirements include:
- Must be a for-profit entity and have legal incorporation and operations in at least one subSaharan African country.
- Have a market-based solution that tackles ecosystem restoration challenges in subSaharan Africa.
- Have at least a minimum viable product (MVP), some traction under their belt, and raised
less than $1M in equity. - Have meaningful customer or business validation (not limited to revenue, it can also be
successful pilot studies, number of users, and/or strategic partnerships). - Have at least one full-time founder based in sub-Saharan Africa.
