Applications are being accepted for the Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) programme by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) collects proposals for technologies that solve global development concerns and enhance the lives of those living in poverty in developing nations worldwide through an annual grant competition.

DIV offers tiers of funding for innovations that show proof of impact, economic viability, and potential for scaling up, and for these innovations to be tested, piloted, and eventually scaled—that is, expanded to the greatest number of beneficiaries feasible.

What could DIV finance?

• DIV is aware that innovation can manifest itself in several ways. The following are a few development breakthroughs that DIV might encourage:
• Innovative approaches to delivering or financing goods or services; novel business models; economical modifications to current solutions; novel ways to expand the adoption of highly successful solutions, such as through replication and expansion into new regions; policy innovations; social or behavioural innovations grounded in behavioural science insights; and meticulous data gathering and assessment to gauge the social implications of innovative ideas.

Some types of projects are generally not funded by DIV; these include preprototype innovations; projects with low cost-effectiveness; basic scientific research; innovations unlikely to have a major impact on development; planning tools hard to connect to quantifiable impacts; innovations applicable only in specific contexts; research demonstrating impact without evaluating cost-effectiveness or scalability; and intermediaries with indirect effects on development outcomes.

Proof of Effect
Empirical evidence highlights the effective and ineffective strategies for achieving favourable development outcomes for impoverished individuals. Early-stage innovations are encouraged to be piloted, research is funded to examine conventional and novel approaches to development problems, and innovations that have shown promise are assisted in scaling up.

Public Pathway to Scale: DIV requires applications to present compelling proof of a causal impact on enhancing the lives of those living in poverty in order to assist later-stage innovations as they move to scale with public financing, such by government or charitable funding. DIV will give prizes for earlier-stage innovations to help them reach the point at which they have this rigorous evidence of impact; candidates for earlier-stage awards for piloting and testing of innovations are not required to provide this rigorous evidence of causal impact.

Commercial Pathway to Scale: DIV requires applications to provide proof of long-term market viability in order to assist later-stage innovations in their transition to commercial scaling. Customer willingness to cover the entire cost of the innovation is usually accepted by DIV as such evidence. DIV will give rewards for earlier-stage innovations to get to the point where they have this evidence, and does not require applicants for earlier-stage funds for piloting and testing to show such evidence.

Economy of Cost
DIV looks for innovations that outperform alternative approaches or the existing quo in terms of development effect per dollar. Cost-effectiveness does not imply that an invention is the least expensive option; rather, it is a function of both cost and impact. Alternatively, an invention can become more impactful or less expensive, which will boost its cost-effectiveness.

Possibility of Financial Sustainability and Scalability
Within ten years, DIV hopes to support large-scale development solutions that will enhance the lives of millions of people. Innovations must therefore have a long-term route to scale via commercial funding, public sector or charitable funding, or a combination of the two. According to DIV, a hybrid pathway to scale is one that depends on both public and private revenue streams, or one that is financed by both public and private sources as well as charitable contributions. An example of this would be an education technology innovation that receives funding from donors and direct-to-consumer sales in equal measure.

Dont miss out on the application deadline which is 31st-October -2024.

Scroll down for more details and click on the official link attached to apply now!