Application Deadline: 31st March 2016
SEED has opened the Call for Applications for the 2016 Switch Africa Green-SEED Awards, SEED Africa Awards and SEED Gender Equality Awards.
The SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development is an annual awards scheme designed to find the most promising, innovative and locally-led start-up social and environmental enterprises in countries with developing and emerging economies. The independent SEED International Jury of experts selects enterprises which have the potential to make real improvements in poverty eradication and environmental sustainability while contributing to a greener economy.
Start-up enterprises that solve pressing local issues by integrating social and environmental benefits into their business models can apply for the 2016 SEED Awards, which opened for nominations today.
This year, the SEED Awards include up to:
- 15 Switch Africa Green-SEED Awards for enterprises in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, South Africa or Uganda. Supported by the SWITCH-Africa Green project, which is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with the assistance of the European Union;
- 4 SEED Africa Awards for enterprises in Malawi, Mozambique and Namibia. Supported by the Government of Flanders;
- 1 SEED Gender Equality Award to an enterprise, run or owned by a woman or women, that prioritises women’s empowerment and is located in Kenya.
Eligibility Requirements:
- SEED welcomes innovative ideas from any enterprise in a developing country or country in transition, which is working in partnership with others to generate economic, environmental and social benefits.
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SEED Award Winners must:
Benefits:
- Winning enterprises will receive a tailor-made business support package. Over a period of 6 months, they will be offered expert advice on further developing their business plans, individual workshops targeted at their needs, high level profiling of their enterprises and access to an international network of businesses, governments and development institutions.
- Selected by an independent jury of international experts, winners will receive their awards at the International Awards Ceremony during the SEED Africa Symposium to be held on 28 29 September 2016 in Nairobi, Kenya.
- Tools: self-help tools that help enterprises prioritise and address their most urgent needs, for instance by assisting with market analysis, developing a funding strategy, mapping stakeholder relationships, and developing Memoranda of Understanding with partners.
- Capacity Building: one-on-one advisory service that offers Winners assistance with their business and financial plan, including a 3-day in-country workshop, webinars and remote advisory through the SEED and In-Country Advisors.
- Profiling: SEED Winners are profiled nationally, regionally and internationally through a high-level SEED International Awards Ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya, with senior government and UN officials, development, support, and financial institutions as well as through marketing and promotional activities such as our website, blog and social media channels.
- Network Building: SEED facilitates contacts between its winning start-ups and support organisations, funders, policy-makers, other enterprises such as SEED Alumni, and SEED Partners and Associates.
Application Procedure
Applications can be filled-in online at the SEED website www.seed.uno.
Alternatively, the application form can be downloaded and sent to seedawards2016@seed.uno. Applicants may also contact SEED by email or phone (+49 30 89 00 068 99) should they not be able to submit their application electronically.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the 2016 SEED Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Development
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