Gender4Climate Africa Challenge

Calling all enterprises working on innovative initiatives at the intersection of Climate and Gender.

Join the movement to create a more sustainable future for our planet, while empowering women as climate champions. Present your climate solutions to industry experts and secure funding for your incredible work.

PRESENTED BY

X

KawiSafi Ventures, Dalberg, and the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund are thrilled to announce the launch of the Competition: Gender4Climate Africa Challenge

In the fight against climate change in Africa, women play a crucial role in driving transformative solutions and creating sustainable impact. Women’s unique perspectives, knowledge, and resilience are vital in addressing the challenges posed by climate change in Africa. Women are often early adopters of clean technologies and are at the frontline of climate adaptation and resilience. We recognize the power of gender-inclusive approaches in combating climate change and are committed to promoting and supporting women-led initiatives that champion environmental sustainability.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for enterprises operating in East Africa to showcase their innovative ideas and solutions that address climate change through integrating a gender-inclusive approach. We invite you to be part of this movement, where your ideas can shape a more sustainable future for our planet and empower women as climate champions.

Pitch your climate idea to investors and leading experts

alongside the Africa Climate Summit and Climate Week in Nairobi

Secure upto $40,000 in funding and technical assistance for three months to develop your initiative

Competition Timeline & Structure

APPLICATION PROCESS

PITCH EVENT

ONGOING SUPPORT

17 Jul 23

Open call for submissions

9 Aug 23

Extended deadline

21 - 28 Aug 23

Interview with shortlisted applicants

29 Aug 23

New date: Announcement of finalists

29 Aug - 6 Sep 23

Pitch prep with finalists

7 Sep 23

Confirmed date:
Pitch event
and winner announcement

Sep-Dec 23

Technical support & mentoring for winners

Call for Submissions

We are inviting applicants to submit proposals for gender-inclusive solutions that address climate change. Your submission should outline your proposed solution, its potential impact, and how it embeds gender equality within its core. We want to hear about your ideas and initiatives that tackle climate change while empowering women.

Selection Process

Our esteemed committee consisting of climate and gender specialists, will review the submissions. They will evaluate the proposals based on their innovation, feasibility, potential for impact, and integration of gender-inclusive approaches. Only the most outstanding proposals will proceed to the next stage.

Pitch Event

If selected as finalists, you will have the opportunity to present your proposal at a prestigious pitch event hosted during the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi during the week of September 4-8. This event will provide a platform to showcase your ideas to a distinguished panel of judges, potential investors, and key stakeholders in the climate change and gender equality space.

Winner Announcement

After careful evaluation of the pitches, the judging panel will announce the winners of the competition. The winners will receive financial prizes and also gain access to invaluable mentorship opportunities, networks, and increased visibility for their solutions. Your groundbreaking ideas can make a tangible difference and create lasting impact in the fight against climate change.

Eligibility

The competition is open to enterprises operating in East Africa with new or existing gender-inclusive solutions or initiatives addressing climate change, including renewable energy access, productive use of energy, clean cooking, climate-smart agriculture, and carbon markets.

Your organisation is a private enterprise

with an operating presence in Kenya and/or Rwanda

Your organisation has an annual turnover of upto

5 million USD

and has under 100 employees and proven concept that has gone through at least a pilot

Your organisation deploys or supports solutions that actively address climate change

including the deployment of low-carbon technologies

Your organisation promotes gender-inclusive solutions

which increase the participation and representation of women or increases their adaptive capacity to climate change or environmental degradation

What makes a solution or initiative gender-inclusive can vary in different contexts and successful applicants might incorporate one or more of the following aspects:

The deployment of low-carbon technologies which may include distributed residential or commercial renewable energy solutions, clean cooking solutions, technologies at the nexus of energy and agriculture, or supports the development or monetization of carbon credits

Providing climate-smart products or services that disproportionately target or benefit female consumers.

Designing or refining product or service offerings to better serve female customers and improve women’s access to and benefit from sustainable energy solutions

Accelerating female entrepreneurship, ownership, and leadership (including at senior management and Company Board level)

Initiatives that are aimed at increasing green-quality jobs for women (above 30% baseline)

Initiatives that are increasing climate-related knowledge and upskilling/training of women at all levels, including those in leadership

Increasing access to financial resources for women to generate demand for clean technologies and products

Undertaking innovative workforce gender diversity and inclusion efforts including taking steps to ensure women in the workforce are not disproportionately vulnerable to health, safety, or gendered risks

Enhancing women’s and girls’ resilience and adaptive capacity to climate change and environmental degradation

Addressing of known gender gaps/inequalities through climate-smart products/services from the initiative or solution

Directly addressing gender-related risks (for instance, women’s exposure to carbon monoxide when cooking)

Working with female stakeholders to raise awareness of climate change and benefits of clean technologies

Integrating female entrepreneurs into the company’s supply chain or distribution channels

Applications are
now closed!

Thank you for submitting your innovative proposals and being part of a transformative journey towards a sustainable and inclusive future.

If you have any questions regarding the application process or the upcoming event, please write to us at info@gender4climatechallenge.com

EXTENDED DEADLINE

9 Aug 23, 5:00 PM
East Africa Time

Thank you for

your applications!