Around the world, funders and investors are recognizing the powerful potential of “innovation funds” and “innovation challenges” to identify entrepreneurs with creative, high-impact ideas to tackle society’s most pressing problems, including health, water and sanitation, education, social justice, and gender equality.
Among these funds, DLI Innovation Challenge is not alone in our focus on leveraging data through our investments. The Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data and World Bank recently unveiled a ‘Leave No One Behind’ innovation fund worth $2.5 million. The new initiative seeks to improve availability and use of data, and asks for proposals to improve data in poor countries on disabled, excluded populations such as the slum dwellers, the homeless and refugees, and on challenges related to climate change and urban resilience.
“We are seeking collaborations that shine a light on groups that have been historically left out by traditional surveys and other data gathering,” said Claire Melamed, Executive Director of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. “Exclusion takes on many forms, and in order to ‘Leave No One Behind’ we must invest in better data to make better decisions leading to better lives.”
The Innovation Fund focus seeks proposals to improve data production, dissemination, and use in low and lower-middle income countries, and on projects that bring together stakeholders to address concrete problems. Successful teams will be awarded amounts between $25,000 to $250,000. Proposals for the first round of funding must be received no later than 1 September 2017 and submitted via the online applications system. For more details on this funding opportunity, please visit: https://wb-gpsdd-datainnovation.forms.fm/call-for-proposals-collaborative-data-innovations-for-sustainable-development
The Mobile for Development (M4D) Utilities Innovation Fund is another initiative that aims to leverage mobile technology and data in support of the Sustainable Development Goals by improving or increasing access to energy, water and sanitation services. The second round of M4D is now open to entrepreneurs, service providers and MNOs who are leveraging mobile technology to help achieve SDGs six and seven. The challenge window closes on 3 September 2017. For more details visit: https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/programmes/m4dutilities/innovation-fund-2
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