Community Solar Innovation challenge open for entries

© Evgeniy Shkolenko – 123RF.com

The first prize is $10,000 and entries close on 16 August 2017 at 11.59pm Central European Time.

Award benefits

Each of the ten winners will receive:

• Peer-to-peer networking session: each winner will be invited to attend a peer-to-peer session to be held in South Africa, where they will be able to meet others facing similar challenges and learn from their experiences to grow their own business.
  
• Capacity building: one-on-one support and mentorship providing each winner with individual assistance with their business and financial plans.
  
• Legal advice: law firm Hogan Lovells will provide up to $30,000-worth of legal advice for each winner.
  
• Profiling: a high-level awards ceremony in South Africa, as well as additional marketing and promotional activities by SEED, Barefoot, and Hogan Lovells.
  
• Replication support: Each winner will receive support from SEED to replicate his or her business model in other regions around the world.
  
• Financing: Hogan Lovells will provide $10,000 to one overall winner to cover the organisation’s most pressing needs. The details to be agreed in a support plan between the winner and the firm.

Eligibility criteria

You can apply for a Community Solar Innovation Awards if your enterprise:

• demonstrates entrepreneurship and innovation
  
• applies solar technology in a productive way
  
• has the intention and potential to become financially sustainable
  
• is locally driven or locally led
  
• delivers social, environmental and economic benefits

Judges will be looking for enterprises from developing countries (non-OECD & non-EU member states) that are locally led and significantly help the lives of women and girls, particularly those that focus on gender equality or female empowerment.

For more information, go to www.hoganlovellssolaraward.com.