Deadline: January 28, 2022
The Global Alliance Innovation Exchange challenge competition, delivered by KTN Global Alliance Africa, is supporting Unilever to identify innovative approaches towards new circular business models for reuse and refill models within South Africa. In this challenge, Unilever is looking to identify innovative approaches towards new circular business models for reuse and refill for online customers. The most promising solution provider will be selected by Unilever and may be given a commercial opportunity to deliver their solution in partnership, with additional support from Innovate UK KTN.
Eligibility
Entrants to this competition must be:
• Established businesses, start-ups, SMEs, individual entrepreneurs, or academics.
• Collaborative solutions (Business to Business B2B and B2R&D) are valid applications. If collaborative solutions are being tabled a single lead organization needs to register the application. KTN Global Alliance organization can be either an industrial or academic partner.
• Priority is given to solution providers based in South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria. However, innovative solutions from other countries will be considered.
Applications will be assessed on:
• Relevance to the topic
• Innovative nature of the subject
• Coherence of the proposed business model
• Feasibility/ economic viability
• Development potential
• Maturity of project/solution
• Ability to launch project quickly/Ease of implementation
• A working model/prototype
• Price/quality ratio
Benefits
Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to Unilever.
The package may also include:
• Support from Unilever
• Support from Innovate UK KTN (e.g. pitch training and mentoring)
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK KTN events
• A potential business collaboration
• Investor introductions (if the investment is required)
• Support if any innovation or similar competitions are relevant
The selected solution provider(s) will:
• Work with Unilever who will facilitate and support solution testing
• Receive GBP 25,000 seed funding to work on the specific challenge. Funding will be received in installments, subject to specific Milestones (eg. project plan, mid-project report, and final report)
