Green Superstar Impact SME Competition – Somaliland

Green Superstar Impact SME Competition

Do you have the ambition to increase your environmental impact and have an innovative green idea to make your business more environmental-friendly? Or are you looking to scale-up an environmentally-friendly product, service, technology, or production process?

Please apply Impact SMEs competition, and maybe your business will become the next Green Superstar Impact SME!

Oxfam will launch a Superstar Impact SME competition in 6 countries, including Egypt, Pakistan, Nigeria, Somaliland, Uganda and Vietnam. In each country, winners will be awarded grant funding and technical support from our country offices to implement the project and be featured in a short movie to promote their business idea. Oxfam will award the top two iSMEs and provide a total of EUR 12,000 grant for the first stage winner and an 8,0000 grant for the second stage winner and technical support on shaping the business model. With this competition, Oxfam wants to support impact-driven SMEs that have the ambition to increase their environmental impact either by:

• Introducing environmentally-friendly practices into their existing business model, for example, increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing water-use, introducing recycled materials, reducing waste, innovate a product to the extent its lifetime or introducing farming practices that halt the loss of biodiversity and land degradation.
• Scaling-up an environmental-friendly product, service, technology or production process, for example, expanding a solar energy service to a new area or adding production capacity for a recyclable or organic product. If you have a circular business model, scaling this will also fit this competition.

Through the competition, Oxfam aims to learn what it takes to create and scale-up an environmentally-friendly business and see some great examples of impact-driven business, the Green Superstars! 

To apply, your company needs to meet the following minimum requirements*:

• Registered and operating commercial company in
• Meet the requirements of an ‘impact-driven company’: namely: i) the business has an impact as their mission or key driver; ii) the business resolves a societal issue, not through charity, but their business model; iii) the entrepreneur has a ‘social heart,’ a clear motivation and vision on impact.
• The proposed project focuses on increasing environmental impact by introducing environmental-friendly practices into the existing business model or scaling-up an environmental-friendly product, service, technology or production process.
• The company is not involved in activities such as arms, tobacco, alcohol and gambling industries, registered in so-called tax-havens, or involved in environmental or human rights abuses or corruption.
• Grant funding should be matched at least 50% with own contribution of the applicant (cash and/or in-kind).
• The proposed project can be implemented from April to August 20
• The business should create jobs for youth and women.

Competition Stages and Timeline.

Step 1: Application

This competition is by invitation only for businesses that operating in Somaliland. Candidates can apply by completing an application form and sending a budget. The deadline for applications is the 20^th of February, 2021 end of the day.

Step 2: Selection 

Oxfam will score all applications and invite the best applicants to pitch their company and proposal. Winners will be announced before the 29^th of March, 2021, after which grant contracts will be processed.

Step 3: Implementation

Projects should be implemented from April until August 2021.

Environmental impact                                      

We encourage applicants to make use of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) framework to target, define and assess the environmental impact of their company and proposal. Examples of SDGs that focus on increasing environmental impact are: 

Selection Criteria.

1. Social/environmental impact of the SE(35%): The Impact SME has a clear vision and strategy for social and/or environmental impact. It has good potential to grow and scale the impact. This is also shown in numbers (staff data and social indicators). Impact on women and youth in particular is an added value. Environmental impact is clearly essential.
2. Feasibility and relevance of proposal (25%): The proposed project is described clearly and is relevant in increasing the environmental impact of the Impact SME. It is viable and feasible to implement the project in a short time-frame. The budget and own contribution are realistic.
3. Strength of team/entrepreneur (25%): The team has the qualifications and experience to manage and implement the project successfully. Motivation and ideas are clearly communicated. The team has unquestionable integrity. Having a significant number of women and youth on the team is a plus.
4. The growth potential of business (15%): The Impact SME addresses a clear market need with a unique product or service. It demonstrates innovation. There is a clear business model and a realistic growth strategy. The financial figures (historic and projections) show good performance and potential.

Eligible For Funding

• Business support services (e.g., consultants/experts on scaling, sales, operations, investments, social impact)
• Investments (machines or equipment needed to scale-up)
• Business development costs (e.g., test or launch new products, market study)
• Visibility costs (brand design, promotional materials, trade fairs)
• Scaling of impact (process redesign, sustainable production, fair trade certification)

Non- eligible For Funding

• Purchasing and rent/leasing of land or buildings/facilities;
• Bank charges, cost of guarantees and similar charges;
• Overhead costs such as office supplies, support staff, management;
• Value and registration costs of intellectual property rights.

Application process:

Follow this link to apply:  the deadline for the application is Feb 20^th, 2021.