Gender Lens & Climate Change Healthcare Focused Innovations Call
Deadline: 28th February 2023
Background
The evidence shows that there is an estimated $ 42 billion financing gap for women entrepreneurs and in providing incubation support for women entrepreneurs in health.
Climate change is set to cause unimaginable disruption unless immediate action is taken, and its impacts will disproportionately affect women thus increasing inequality. In many low-income contexts, women’s livelihoods are more dependent on natural resources threatened by climate change as they tend to work in climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, forestry, and water. Women also have less access to finance, land ownership, education, and health care, which further limit their capacity to cope with and adapt to climate change.
Villgro Africa is an early-stage business incubator and impact investor that supports health, life science and agricultural startups on the African continent - to transform product and process innovations into viable, scalable businesses that impact the base of the economic pyramid (BoP). Fewer women apply to incubation programs in health thus more male-led enterprises continue to benefit from such programs, exacerbating the gender equity gap across the board.
With these assumptions in mind, Villgro Africa will be launching a 2 year gender lens and climate change acceleration program dubbed “Gender Lens & Climate Change Healthcare Focused Innovations Call”. The program will have former and current successful female entrepreneurs as mentors and members of the selection committee.
Who is eligible to apply?
This call shall be limited to East African citizens and should meet the following requirements:
- The enterprise or innovation should be a health product or service or that targets women or girls BoP.
- Your solution is addressing a climate change problem affecting health.
- Representation of female(s) in the leadership team.
- Be a registered/incorporated company in the early stage and growth stage (not idea stage).
How will you benefit?
- Funding - Initial investment funding for selected health innovations/services
- Access to Networks - Access to development and investor networks from Villgro Africa and partners.
- Investment Readiness - Receive mentorship and training for up to 2 years that will enable you to communicate effectively with potential partners and investors
How to apply?
Applicants are invited to submit the following as part of their application:
- CVs of core team members
- A company pitch document
- Link to a video/website that describes the innovation (optional)
All applications will be uploaded through the VC4A here.
Application Deadline: 23rd February 2023
For more information contact: [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]