The deadline for submission is November 26, 2021, at 5:00 PM CET. We strongly encourage you to submit your application as soon as it is ready.
The MENA Regional Innovation Hub is proud to announce the second Call for Innovations. The MENA RIH supports innovative companies and organizations that work in the Middle East and North Africa and produce more food while using less water and energy. Together with investors and partners, the MENA RIH works to scale mid-to-later stage enterprises that have an environmental and social impact in the water-energy-food nexus.
Through WE4F, innovators from the MENA region can access financial support of up to USD $300.000 per innovation, technical support, and investment matching necessary to make food production and farming more sustainable, productive, and bountiful.
Why Apply?
JOIN A NETWORK OF innovative GAME-CHANGING ENTREPRENEURS
- Winners will be part of an extensive network and introduced to various partners, mentors, and service providers to help them achieve their expansion goals.
- They will also have access to an exclusive learning community where they can exchange ideas with their cohort peers in the cohort and other Regional Innovation Hubs through regular workshops and meetings.
RECEIVE TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND INVESTMENT FACILITATION
- Receive support to expand the business to other geographies, products, or services
- Attract and secure external investors by working with S/SEA RIH’s Brokering Unit.
- Examples of support categories:
- Investment readiness
- Commercial expansion
- Marketing and communication
- Digitalization and technology enhancement
UNLOCK GRANT FUNDING TO HELP YOUR INNOVATION GROW
Select organizations may qualify for grants to help achieve scaling goals, funding size ranges from $25,000 to $200,000 USD.
What We’re Looking For
WE4F is looking for mid- to late-stage enterprises, nonprofits with a for-profit program, and other organizations based in the Middle East and North Africa, who have innovative water-food, energy-food, and water-energy-food solutions. Applicants must meet the minimum requirements outlined below to participate in this call for innovation.
Women-owned and women-led organizations are encouraged to apply.
TYPE
WE4F is open to legally incorporated/registered for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations or academic institutions with a proven business model, recurring sales, an existing customer base, and the ability to generate revenue and maintain a self-sustaining operational budget.
SIZE
WE4F is open to all relevant organizations/companies which are ready to scale. We encourage applications from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
LOCATION
The MENA RIH supports innovators from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen. Applicants must be legally registered in at least one of these countries. If expansion into a new country is a key part of an applicant’s business plan, they must demonstrate that they already have partners in place in that country to be considered.
LANGUAGE
Application responses must be written in English, French or Arabic.
MATCHING FUNDS
Applicants should be open and willing to contribute the matching funds to the overall award if a grant is awarded. The final amount of matching funds will be determined on a case-by-case basis for each applicant near the time of award.
IMPACT
Applicants’ innovations must have a direct, tangible linkage to water-food, energy-food, or water-energy-food. In addition, innovations must directly or indirectly impact poverty reduction and gender equality and have a positive impact on the environment and avoid negative environmental effects.
How to Apply
- Review the solicitation document.
- Review the eligibility criteria.
- Create an account on SMApply.
- Review the complete list of application questions. All applications must be submitted via the application portal. Submissions via email or any other medium will not be accepted.
- Applicants can save their progress on the application form by clicking on the “Save & continue editing” icon at the bottom of the application. Please note that the application must be submitted before the deadline.
- All questions marked with * are mandatory, please ensure you fill them before submitting the application.
- The deadline for submission is November 26, 2021 at 5:00 PM CET; however, we STRONGLY suggest not waiting until the last day to tackle your application.
In case you have any questions about the application or are facing any technical challenges with the application portal, please contact us at we4f@berytech.org. Content-related questions can be submitted until November 1.
Application Process and Timeline
| October 14, 2021 | Application Launch |
| October 14, 2021 at 4:00 (EN) & 5:00 (AR) PM CET | Launch webinar for concept note applicants |
| October 27, 2021 at 4:00 PM CET | Eligibility & process webinar for concept note applicants |
| November 1, 2021 | Deadline for submitting written questions to we4f@berytech.org |
| November 4, 2021 at 4:00 PM CET | Q&A webinar for concept note applicants |
| November 26, 2021 at 5:00 PM CET | Deadline for submitting applications |
| Early December 2021 | Top applications are notified to proceed to full proposal stage |
| December 13, 2021 at 4:00 PM CET | Info webinar for full-proposal applicants |
| January 11, 2021 at 4:00 PM CET | Q&A webinar for full-proposal applicants |
| January 20, 2021, at 5:00 PM CET | Full-proposal application closed |
| Late January 2022 | Applications evaluated and scored against set criteria |
| Early February 2022 | Interview and pitch to expert panel |
| February – March 2022 | Cohort approval and awardees bootcamp |
| February – March 2022 | Completion of required documents and approval by Secretariat and Steering Committee |
| Mid-April 2022 | Awards made to top applicants |
Application Resources
- View the 2021 FAQ document
- 2021 Call for Innovations solicitation document (EN)
- 2021 Call for Innovations solicitation document (AR)
- Application demo videos
- Watch Webinar 1 (EN) – CFI Launch
- Watch Webinar 1 (AR)
- Watch Webinar 2 (EN) – Eligibility Review
- Watch Webinar 3 (EN & AR) – Q&A
- 2021 Call for Innovations Factsheet (EN)
- 2021 Call for Innovations Factsheet (AR)
Thinking about applying to a Call for Innovations in the Middle East and North Africa? Then watch this webinar to learn about the program’s environmental requirements and compliance.
Past Calls for Innovations
Iraq Call for Innovations
DUE DATE EXTENSION: Submit your application by October 6th, 2021 at 5:00PM Iraqi time!
Applicants should retain a copy of their proposals and accompanying uploaded documents for their records.
QUESTIONS: Prospective Applicants who have questions concerning the contents of this Call for Innovations shall submit them in writing no later than September 15, 2021 at 5:00 pm CET through email we4f@berytech.org.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Arabic and English Application
Kurdish Application
دوای پرکردنی فۆرمی بیرۆکەی کاری بازرگانیت، فۆرمەکە بینێرە بۆ ئەم ئیمەیلە we4f@berytech.org
Iraq Call for Innovations Launch Webinars
Iraq Call for Innovations Factsheets
2020 Call for Innovations
The Middle East and North Africa Regional Innovation Hub (MENA RIH) proudly announces its first call for innovations.
DUE DATE: Concept Notes shall be received no sooner than November 03, 2020 and no later than December 15, 2020 at 5:00 PM CET.
Applicants should retain a copy of their proposals and accompanying uploaded documents for their records.
QUESTIONS: Prospective Applicants who have questions concerning the contents of this Call for Innovations shall submit them in writing no later than November 16, 2020 at 5:00 pm CET through email we4f@berytech.org.
