The Swiss Re Foundation invite applications from social entrepreneurs who aim to improve low-income people’s access to quality primary healthcare in LMICs by offering a hybrid delivery model that combines a physical point of care and supportive digital tools.
Eligibility Requirements
Mission and purpose
Applicants must demonstrate high levels of social impact and ideally be able to measure it in a reliable manner (eg improved health indicators, reduced out-ofpocket expenses).
Target group
Low-income populations must constitute at least 30% of applicants’ customer base. Applicants should have a deep understanding of the specific circumstances of the people – women as well as men – they serve. Priority will be given to enterprises that are gender-inclusive, that is, strive to reduce gender inequalities.
Geography
Applicants must operate in countries that are defined as low-income or lowermiddle-income by the World Bank.
Operating model
Applicants must operate on a market basis. While the venture may depend on grant funding, it must demonstrate an ability to grow and scale through earned revenue.
Size
Applicants must have been formally established by 2021, serve at least 20 000 people and have the potential to reach at least 100 000 people in the next two years.
Organisation
Applicants must have a solid management team in which responsibilities are well defined and distributed. It should also have a diverse, well-structured workforce. Preference will be given to ventures with at least one female founder, or at least 30% women in the management team.
Legal compliance
Applicants must comply with the legal framework of the country or countries in which they operate and be allowed to receive grant funding from a Swiss nongovernmental organisation such as the Swiss Re Foundation.
Benefits
Award benefits include the following:
- Total grant of USD 700 000 for the three finalists. This amount is divided among the winning initiative (which may receive up to USD 350 000) and the two runners-up and is paid in instalments over two years.
- The finalist that wins the People’s Choice Award, determined by public online vote, will be invited to connect with potential investors at an event hosted by Sankalp Forum, one of the world’s largest platforms for impact enterprises.
- Tailored non-financial support for all three finalists, for instance:
‒ Technical advice from Swiss Re employees and from staff of DCCC participating organisations (such as AXA, PharmAccess and Philips)
‒ Training, advisory, data-gathering and/or analysis to improve business operations and strategy from LeFil Consulting representatives and others
• Potential eligibility for follow-up funding from the UBS Optimus Foundation • Access to a network of like-minded peers with whom to share knowledge or experiences and from whom to learn on topics relevant to the initiative
Application Process
The selection process is as follows:
- In the first round, 12 applicants will be selected, and their founder(s) will be invited for a two-hour interview with LeFil Consulting sometime between mid-February and mid-April 2024.
- In the second round, six applicants will be selected and asked to host a two-day on-site due diligence visit, led by LeFil Consulting, in May or June 2024. By the end of May 2024, all six ventures will also need to prepare a brief video (or submit an existing one) about their venture, approach and achievements.
- The three Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award finalists will be selected in the third round. At least one founder from each finalist venture will receive coaching from mid-July through August 2024 to support development and delivery of a pitch to the award jury.
- Finalists will be invited to Zurich (Switzerland) from 2 to 6 September 2024. The pitches and official award ceremony will take place on 3 and 4 September 2024 at the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue.
- After the award ceremony, all three finalists will sign a grant contract with the Swiss Re Foundation that defines key areas of impact measurement, expected deliverables and a two-year disbursement plan.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Swiss Re Foundation Entrepreneurs for Resilience Award