• 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 support to expand the business to other geographies, products, or services 
• Attract and secure external investors by working with S/CA RIH’s Brokering Unit.
• Examples of support categories:
  • Investment readiness
  • Commercial expansion
  • Marketing and communication
  • Digitalization and technology enhancement

Select organizations may qualify for grants to help achieve scaling goals, the funding size ranges from US$10,000 to $30,000. 

WE4F is open to legally incorporated / registered for-profit and not-for-profit
organizations or academic institutions which are responsible for generating revenue and maintaining a self-sustaining operational budget (i.e., covering costs). In addition, these organizations should be able to demonstrate a revenue track record selling the water-energy-food nexus-relevant product or service. WE4F is focused on financially viable businesses or organizations that can showcase a proven and sustainable revenue model.

This call is open to all relevant organizations/companies, regardless of size. We encourage applications from small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

This Open Call for Innovations is specifically meant for biogas organizations based in Zimbabwe, for the Open Call for Innovations meant for all countries supported by the Southern and Central Africa Regional Innovation Hub, please visit we4f.org/apply-sca

Application responses must be written in English.

All Zimbabwe Biogas Open Call for Innovation (O-CFI) awardees are required to contribute matching funds to satisfy the matching requirements of this OCFI, this can include in-kind contributions, such as staff time, resources or donations from their company to the project. Matching is based on funding provided by WE4F, not the total project budget. For example, applicants who request 20,000 US Dollars (initially) for an innovation would need to provide a minimum of 20,000
US Dollars of in-kind contributions *or* matching funds, making the total project budget 40,000 US Dollars. The funds must pay for activities that further the growth, development, or commercialization of the organization’s technology (e.g., manufacturing, distribution, marketing).

Innovations must have a direct linkage between water/energy and the food value
chain. Applicants must demonstrate that they are not causing any negative harm to the environment like increased water usage or biodiversity loss. In addition, innovations must directly or indirectly benefit the poor (income, products, opportunities). In addition, applications must contribute to gender equality and strive for a positive impact on the environment while avoiding negative environmental effects and local market distortions.

Applicants must have in place proven data collection tools and/or processes that capture the number of end-users, contact details, addresses, income category per quintile, and gender amongst others. If the applicant’s main clients are points of sales, distributors, i.e., work on a B2B basis, their direct clients’ end-users will still need to be reported as per the aforementioned criterion.

All applicants must use the funds to implement the innovation in Zimbabwe. In addition, applicants must either already have a presence in Zimbabwe or must have a local partner active and operational since at least January 2023 (supporting documentation required).