GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund 2016 for Innovative Mobile Technology Startups ( GBP£250,000 in Funding)

Application Deadline: September 18th 2016

The first round of the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund is now open for applications from start-ups in Africa and selected Asian countries.

The GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator works to bridge the gap between operators and innovators, enabling strong partnerships that support the growth of commercially sustainable mobile products and services.

Requirements:

• Applicants must use mobile technology and be aligned with one of our focus areas:
  ⚬ Sharing Economy
  Sharing economy: defined as any mobile-based platform, product or service which enables low-income citizens in emerging markets to generate income from ‘underutilised assets’ through sharing those assets with their peers.
  ⚬ Mobile services for SMEs
  Services for SMEs: defined as any mobile-based solution, product or service designed for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) – formal or informal – in emerging markets which unlock improved productivity and growth.

• The Fund is open to start-ups from, and operating in, Africa and selected countries in Asia.
  Africa: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo Dem Rep.,Congo Rep., Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, São Tomé and Principe, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
  Asia: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam.
• Funding must be used for a specific project where socio-economic impact is expected to be realised. Examples include: job creation, new opportunities for entrepreneurs and youth or the growth of formal and informal SMEs. The duration of the project must be between 12 and 18 months
• Applicants must provide a matching of at least 50% of the amount of funding requested
• Applicants must have already demonstrated success by launching a product or service and reaching active users in at least one market

Benefits:

Successful start-ups will receive:

• Funding between GBP£100,000 and GBP£250,000
• Mobile-focused mentoring and bespoke technical assistance
• Opportunities to build partnerships with mobile operators in relevant markets

Application Process:

Applications will be assessed through a 2-stage application process.

• Pitch stage – The first stage will involve completing a short online questionnaire, to be reviewed by the Fund Manager and GSMA. The deadline for submitting pitches is 18th September 2016.
• Proposal stage – Pitches that meet the objectives of the Fund, and where the applicant is eligible, will be invited to develop a proposal setting out the full business case for the project.
• Applicants will receive support from the GSMA in developing their proposal; this support will likely include an advisory/due diligence visit to the applicant.
• A successful pitch does not imply that the subsequent proposal will be funded.
• An independent and anonymous panel of experts (‘Fund Panel’) will appraise proposals based on the submitted material as well as recommendations from the GSMA and the Fund Manager.
• For Round 1, we expect the final decision from the Fund Panel to be made in January 2017. The Fund Panel is expected to select 10 to 15 start-ups to the portfolio

How to apply

• Review the full requirements before applying here
• A list of the questions is also available here
• Submit your Pitch before 18th September 2016 11.59pm GMT

More Info: Fund Manager at [email protected].

This initiative is funded by UK Department for International Development (DFID), and supported by the GSMA and its members.

Apply Now for the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund 2016

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the GSMA Ecosystem Accelerator Innovation Fund 2016