2019 Acumen/Unilever Social Innovation Challenge on Plastics

2019 Acumen/Unilever Social Innovation Challenge on Plastics

February 5, 2019

Deadline: February 15, 2019.

Acumen, in partnership with Unilever, is hosting a Social Innovation Challenge on Plastics from March to May 2019. The Challenge seeks to generate new ideas to stop the flow of plastic waste into the environment, with a focus on solutions that improve the lives of people living in poverty.

PART 1: RAPID INNOVATION LAB

Few cities in developing and emerging markets have dependable solid waste management services. Many households dispose of their trash on street corners and in dump sites. Informal waste pickers sort through this trash in hazardous conditions to find materials that can be sold for recycling.

To combat this problem, the social enterprise CARPE has been working to introduce a sustainable waste management system to Aurangabad, India. Through a collaborative effort with city leaders and waste pickers, most households in Aurangabad have started segregating their plastic waste for collection. The social enterprise is now focused on their next challenge: How might we engage the 21,000 schools in the district that continue to burn their waste?

In the two-hour Rapid Innovation Lab, you will receive a crash course in behavior change principles and waste management practices in Aurangabad, India. Then you will collaborate with other participants to propose solutions for CARPE.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Acumen will select up to five winning teams to receive seed funding of up to $25,000 per team.

2. To be eligible for the funding, participants will need to be part of a team (at least 2 people) and submit a pitch deck (the final assignment in the incubator) which includes a budget for the seed funding and a workplan for 3 months inclusive of key milestones and dates.

3. Receipt of the funding is contingent upon completing Acumen’s technical assistance grant process and background checks and upon eligibility under local law.

4. Funding will be awarded in tranches upon submission of mid-point and end-point reports.

5. Acumen employees and immediate family are not eligible to receive funding. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

6. Anyone who wants to learn more about environmental conservation and the circular economy, while proposing solutions for a real social enterprise.

PART 2: SOCIAL ENTERPRISE INCUBATOR

The Social Enterprise Incubator is an opportunity for early-stage entrepreneurs and SMEs to deepen their understanding of the areas for innovation and partnership around plastic waste reduction, refine their business models, and compete for seed funding and expert support for their solutions.

In the seven-week Social Enterprise Incubator, you will work through Acumen’s Business Models for Social Impact curriculum independently, and participate in online office hour sessions with experts from Unilever.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Early stage or aspiring social entrepreneurs who want to develop new business models for managing plastic waste, particularly in Brazil, India, and South Africa.

PRIZE

At least three winning teams will receive up to $25,000 in seed funding and a series of coaching calls with technical experts from Unilever.

JUDGING CRITERIA

Acumen’s panel of judges will be looking for solutions that demonstrate:

- Understanding of the problem
- Clarity of logic around the solution
- Impact potential
- The team’s unique ability to execute against the proposed solution
Proposed solutions will need to focus on solutions for plastic waste reduction in ways that engage or improve the lives of the poor in one of the following regions: Brazil, India and South Africa.
Submitted ideas for consideration can include for-profit business models, non-profit business models, or behavior change initiatives.
Solutions for effective post-consumer plastic waste collection will be prioritized.