Deadline: June 13, 2020
Miller Center delivers world-class accelerator programs that connect global social enterprise leaders with Silicon Valley business executives to develop more sustainable, scalable market-based solutions to the problems of those living in poverty around the world.
Are you a tech-enabled enterprise that addresses nutrition and food security and/or regenerative environmental systems in the agri-food sphere? Enterprises can interact with any part of the agri-food value chain from seeds and inputs to processing, distribution and retail, including innovations along the full chain like financing and traceability.
This GSBI Food Systems accelerator will launch in September 2020.
Key Dates:
- Applications due June 12, 2020
- Finalists notified week of July 24, 2020
- GSBI Online accelerator program commences September 8, 2020
- GSBI Online accelerator program completion February 2021 at Sankalp Africa Summit in Nairobi
Accelerator Program:
- Their structured and validated curriculum has accelerated over 1000 social enterprises to meet operational excellence and prepare for investment.
- Silicon Valley Mentors are your personal advisors. They will accompany you with expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the program.
- NO CHARGE! All Miller Center GSBI accelerator programs are offered at no charge to selected social enterprises.
- Miller Center delivers world-class accelerator programs that connect global social enterprise leaders with Silicon Valley business executives to develop more sustainable, scalable market-based solutions to the problems of those living in poverty around the world.
Benefits:
- Miller Center does not provide funding to entrepreneurs. Their goal is to get the entrepreneur investment-ready and support connections to impact investors.
- If selected into one of their programs, you will come out of the GSBI with a thorough understanding of your business model and your expected social impact, a really clear financial ask, all under the guidance of executive-level Silicon Valley mentorship.
- There is no cost for participating in the programs. All costs are covered by the fundraising efforts of Miller Center.
Note:
The only expense that the social entrepreneurs are responsible for are travel costs to and from Santa Clara University for the GSBI In-Residence accelerator in October.
Eligibilities:
- Deliver products or services that contribute to increasing nutrition and food security, and/or building regenerative environmental systems as part of the agri-food value chain, including: inputs, processing, storage, distribution, retail and anything in between
- Have a technology component to their solution
- Work in Africa
- Lead an existing for-profit or hybrid social enterprise, in operation for one or more years.
- Are willing to commit 3-6 hours per week over a 5-month period to complete program deliverables and work with mentors online.
- The main participant should be someone in a leadership role (ex: CEO, Executive Director, COO) who has a strong understanding of the business and the authority to make strategic decisions on behalf of the enterprise. Other members from your team are encouraged to engage where it makes sense to be involved (for example, they oversee the financials or marketing of your business). We encourage multiple participants, but rely on one main point person to manage the engagement.
