The Humanitarian Affairs, Refugees and Displaced Persons Division of the Department of Political Affairs, African Union Commission will convene an “Humanitarian Innovation Challenge” to identify the most promising five digital technology-based ideas which tackle forced displacement or other humanitarian challenges in Africa. These five ideas will be invited to a three day-long Prototype Lab in Nairobi (Kenya) in mid-November where they will receive professional coaching/mentorship and support to bring their idea to the next level. The event will close with a pitch event where the team with the most convincing idea and concept will further receive additional support to develop the idea into an innovative digital product, service or tool in an intensive accelerator phase (worth 20.000 EUR) in their country or region in the beginning of 2020. In the accelerator programme the winning team will be supported to develop an implementable prototype of their idea.
The challenge is part of the activities of AU’s theme of the Year 2019: The Year of Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons: Towards Durable Solutions to Forced Displacement in Africa. Ideas are also expected to tackle other aspects of humanitarian challenges including man-made/natural disasters in Africa e.g conflicts, famine, droughts, floods, epidemics, etc.
WORTH
The five selected teams will receive the following support:
- Invitation to a three-day Prototype Lab in Nairobi, Kenya (including flights, accommodation, visa, insurance, participation in the Prototype Lab for up to three persons per team).
- During the Prototype Lab the teams will get support in further developing their ideas/solutions regarding business model refinement, visual prototyping, User-Centered Design, pitching and other areas. Besides, experienced coaches and experts will provide inspiring inputs and facilitate the workshop through Design Thinking methods and will help prepare the teams pitches.
- Networking with AU representatives, experts from the Humanitarian sector and with the other participating teams.
ELIGIBILITY
- The background of the team can be non-profit or for-profit organisation, or just a group of friends
- Each team should already have some experience in developing digital solutions and must include at least one IT specialist/developer potentially able to develop the core product
- The members of the team must be African nationals and residents
- The team should be available to come to Nairobi/Kenya on November 20-22nd 2019 and to develop their idea into a product, service or tool during the Accelerator Programme in the timeframe between January 2020 to March 2020.
DEADLINE: October 18 2019
To apply and for more information visit here
){kind=link}