GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications) has launched another Innovation Fund which, this time, is specifically targetted at Digitial Urban Services. The Innovation Fund is looking for startups with solutions in waste management, water, energy and sanitation.
The objective of the Fund is to extract insights from business models to inform the improvement of the above-mentioned fields. Grants will be utilized to test digital innovations, enable scale, and provide essential services to underserved populations across all four sectors. The grant projects must seek to demonstrate:
- How innovative digital technology, including mobile, can support the delivery of urban services to underserved populations
- What business models and partnerships are required for innovative digital solutions to be adopted at scale
- What are the social, commercial and environmental/ climate impacts of delivering urban services to underserved populations
- What role mobile operators and other technology companies can play in these business models, and how they can make their role commercially sustainable.
Selected startups will get equity-free grants that range between US$140 000 and US$350 000 to help scale their product for a period stretching over 15 to 18 months.
The GSMA Innovation Fund is open to startups in Africa and South East Asia, applications close on the 2nd of July 2021 and you can find the form in the link here.
