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Call for Agri-Innovators: Youth and Women Accelerator Program, Scaling Food Systems Innovations for HealthyDiets4Africa.

Are you a Youth or Woman residing in Makueni, Nairobi, Kitui, Machakos, Kiambu, Kajiado and Murang'a Counties and you are passionate about the transformation of our food systems? Do you have an innovative idea or enterprise with potential to transform our food system but lack necessary knowledge and skills? Join the Agribusiness Innovators Accelerator program for Youth and Women in Agribusiness for an opportunity to maximize the potential of your idea, innovation, and/or enterprise in transforming the Food System.

About the Accelerator Program
As part of the European Union funded HealthyDiets4Africa Project, Food Security for Peace and Nutrition Africa (FSPN-Africa) is engaging youth and women innovators in leading Food System transformation in Kenya through the Youth and Women in Agribusiness Innovators Accelerator Program Cohort 2. The main goal of the program is to empower, strengthen and shape youth and women-led innovations to scale and be investor ready.

This initiative will provide a platform for participants to improve their innovations and build their business capacities through E-learning, face-to-face training, and linkage to partners, experts, and key resources to support adoption of their agrinutrition innovations and gain consumer traction necessary for scalability.

WHAT YOU NEED

  • Submit your idea/innovation/enterprise by filling out this form.
  • Upload 1–2-minute video/audio pitch for your idea/innovation/enterprise.

INNOVATION ELIGIBILITY 

For your idea/innovation/enterprise to be eligible, it must fulfill all eligibility criteria listed below:

1. Address a food system problem in one or more of these thematic areas:

  • Sustainable Innovations for Crop Production (solutions that improve productivity and produce safe foods while managing natural resources such water, soil)
  • Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture (solutions that produce healthy food by utilizing small spaces)
  • Value Addition and Fortification (solutions/process/techniques/enterprises that fortify indigenous foods or transform raw agricultural products to new products)
  • Storage and Post-harvest Handling Innovations (innovations that work to reduce post-harvest food waste and losses.
  • Distribution and Aggregation.

  2.   Focus on the Following Value Chains:

  • Vegetables (mushrooms, African leafy vegetables, pumpkin, and/or pumpkin leaves)
  • Cereals (finger millet, pearl millet and/or sorghum)   
  • Tubers (cassava, yams and/or sweet potatoes) 
  • Legumes (pigeon peas, cow peas, ground nuts, green grams and/or beans)
  • Fruits (tree tomato, guava, baobab and any other fruits)
  • Livestock (indigenous poultry, insects for feeds and food)

  3.  Have presence in Nairobi and Makueni Counties.

  4. The enterprise should be within 0-2 years of operations, i.e. ideation stage to ready product in the market.

  5. Clearly shows uniqueness, feasibility and sustainability.

TEAM ELIGIBILITY 

You can make a submission for your idea/innovation/enterprise as an individual or a team of not more than ten people.

 All applicants and team members should fall within the following age brackets.

· Youth Applicants and Team Members: Age 18-35 years

· Women Applicants and Team Members: Age 35-45 years

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN

1. Business development support through training and mentorship

2. Total award of $5000 to Top 3 high potential ready-to-scale innovations

3. Funding linkage support for high potential ready-to-scale innovations through our investor pool

4. Market ecosystem exposure through national trade fairs, exhibitions, and expos.

5. Access to larger HealthyDiets4Africa project partners for learning and possible collaborations. 

Submit your application by 29th September 2024 11.59pm. The applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis and if the required number is achieved, the call shall be closed.

CONSENT

Kindly note that by participating in the Youth and Women in Agribusiness Innovators' Bootcamp Cohort 2 you give consent for your idea\innovation\enterprise to be promoted through FSPN-Africa's and Healthydiets4Africa Platforms. 

Click the Apply Here button to submit your application.

Apply Here
FAQs

1. Who is eligible to participate in the Agribusiness Innovators Accelerator Program?
Youth aged 18-35 years and women aged 35-45 years residing in Makueni and Nairobi Counties, Kenya, are eligible. Previous beneficiaries are not eligible.

2. What types of innovations or enterprises are eligible?
Innovations addressing food system challenges in areas such as sustainable agriculture, urban and peri-urban agriculture, value addition and fortification, storage and post-harvest handling, aggregation and distribution. Your innovations should focus on noble underutilized indigenous value chains like vegetables, cereals, tubers, legumes, fruits, and livestock.

3. What is the main goal of the agribusiness innovators accelerator program?
The program aims to empower you, a youth and/or women-led agribusiness innovation, enabling you to scale and become investor-ready through E-learning, face-to-face training, and access to partners and resources.

4. How do I apply for the or join the Agribusiness Accelerator program?
Submit your idea or innovation online by filling out the application form and uploading a 1–2-minute video/audio pitch for your innovation.

5. What are the key eligibility criteria for my innovation?
Your innovation must:

  • Address a food system problem in one or more thematic areas (e.g., sustainable crop production, urban agriculture, value addition, etc.).
  • Focus on key value chains like vegetables, cereals, tubers, legumes, fruits, and livestock.
  • Be based in Nairobi or Makueni Counties.
  • Be within 0-2 years of operation (ideation stage to market-ready product).
  • Show novelty, feasibility, and sustainability.

6. Can I apply as part of a team?
Yes, you can apply as an individual or as a team of up to ten members. All team members must meet the age eligibility criteria (youth aged 18-35 years, women aged 35-45 years).

7. What benefits will I gain from participating in the program?
Participants will receive:

  • Business development support through training and mentorship.
  • Total award of $5000 for the Top 3 high-potential ready-to-scale innovations.
  • Support for funding linkage through an investor pool.
  • Exposure to market ecosystems via national trade fairs, exhibitions, and expos.
  • Access to HealthyDiets4Africa project partners for learning and collaboration.

8. Will my startup benefit from this accelerator program?

This accelerator program offers a unique opportunity for startups seeking business development support, mentorship, seed funding, and market ecosystem exposure.

9. When is the deadline for applications?
Applications must be submitted by 29th September 2024, 11:59 PM. Please note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the call may close earlier if the required number of participants is reached.

10. What are the geographic requirements for my innovation?
Your innovation or enterprise must have a presence in either Nairobi or Makueni Counties.

11. How will my innovation be promoted?
By participating in the program, you consent to having your innovation promoted via FSPN-Africa's and HealthyDiets4Africa's platforms.

12. How do I win the award in the Agribusiness Innovators Accelerator Program?

You will win through pitching your innovation after participating and completing training sessions.