IGNITE Food Systems Challenge 2024 ($25,000 in grant funding) – Opportunities For Africans

Application Deadline: June 23, 2024

Impact Hub Kigali, in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), will extend its support to the third edition of the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge: Empowering Refugee Communities in Rwanda, with a primary focus on empowering refugees and addressing their livelihood needs. This initiative seeks to foster entrepreneurship and investment in ventures that enhance food systems, combat hunger, and elevate food security, with a particular emphasis on serving refugee populations.

Requirements

The Program is seeking dynamic and impactful businesses—including startups, MSMEs, and cooperatives—operating in Rwanda to participate in our program. Applicants with commercially viable solutions aimed at enhancing the livelihoods of refugees are invited to apply. Eligible businesses must be registered in Rwanda and actively engaged in operations that are either owned by refugees or significantly benefit refugees.

• Refugee Empowerment and Livelihood Solutions
• Food Systems Innovations to Benefit Refugee Communities
• Leveraging Digitization to Improve Refugees’ Access to Food and Resources
• Facilitating Access to Financial Resources and Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Refugees
• Enhancing Refugees’ Access to Employment Opportunities and Markets
• Infrastructure Development to Support Refugee Settlements and Communities
• Providing Training and Skills Development Programs Tailored to Refugee Needs
• Promoting Social Enterprise and Cooperative Models to Benefit Refugee Entrepreneurs

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Non-Refugee-Owned Businesses

• The business must directly impact refugees in Rwanda or seek to enhance the livelihoods of refugees.
• Must be a registered business in Rwanda with at least 2 years of operations.
• Provision of RDB/RCA certificate
• Must have a team of at least two full-time members dedicated to the MSME or cooperative, including the founding team.
• At least 50% of the founding or senior management team must be Rwandan.
• Must have proof of revenues of at least RWF 5,000,000 for the full year of 2023.
• Must have existing key operations in Rwanda.

Refugee-Owned Businesses

• The refugee owner must be registered in Rwanda
• Must be a registered business in Rwanda with at least 1 year of operations.
• Provision of RDB/RCA certificate
• Must have a team of at least two full-time members dedicated to the MSME or cooperative, including the founding team.
• Must have proof of revenues of at least RWF 2,000,000 for the full year of 2023.
• Must have existing key operations in Rwanda

Benefits

Selected ventures will have access to the following benefits that will support them to scale their businesses: 

• Up to $25,000 in grant funding
• 5-month tailored technical support with experts
• Networking opportunities and access to events
• Access to market and industry resources
• Exposure to potential investors and funding opportunities

APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Review the Eligibility Criteria: Before applying, make sure your venture meets the eligibility criteria outlined above. 
2. Begin  the Application: Click the ‘apply button’ to fill in the application form.
3. Submit Your Application: Complete your application in less than an hour and submit! 

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge