The Water and Energy for Food (WE4F) East Africa Innovation Call seeks innovative Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with climate-friendly and resource-efficient solutions to address the water-energy-food nexus challenges in East Africa. The solutions may be digital or non-digital, organizational, financial or advisory in nature. The best solutions will demonstrate the direct/indirect positive impact on smallholder farmers, the environment, women, and youth.

WE4F works closely with the private sector to increase the sustainability of agricultural food value chains. It also helps to address environmental and climate resilience in developing countries and emerging markets, focusing on the poor and women. The WE4F programme is particularly interested in easily accessible, adaptive, low-cost solutions with immediate impacts and benefits for smallholder farmers and other value chain actors.

How will the successful applicants benefit?

WE4F will select at least 15 enterprises from the focus countries to benefit from:

  • Enrollment in business development programme delivered over a 15-18 month period
  • Receive technical support and mentorship on business expansion
  • Business advisory services to unlock investment for scaling up businesses
  • Selection to access result-based financing opportunities

Who is eligible to apply?

  • Entrepreneurs must be legally incorporated as a for-profit company in one of these 7 East African countries; Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Rwanda, Somalia and Uganda
  • Businesses must be operational for at least 18 months
  • Established enterprises with annual revenue of UGX 200 million  to UGX 2 billion equivalent
  • Applicants must have an established current customer base with ambitions to scale to new geographies, products, and customer segments plus increase annual turnover.
  • Applicants should be seeking debt, equity, or blended finance investments to scale the business.

How to apply: 

Eligible candidates can register and apply for the Call here.

Register here for the information session on 25 May 2021

Application deadline 

15 June 2021 at 11:59 PM EAT

For details about the Call;

Email: we4f.apply@niras.com or   support@submittable.com.

Visit https://eastafrica.we4f.org/ or download the brochure.