GenBlue
Empowering Innovation Support Organizations for Blue Innovation and Inclusivity in Southern Africa
Led by the Make-IT in Africa initiative and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), OceanHub Africa in partnership with Viridian is spearheading this 7-month support program dedicated to building the capacity of Innovation Support Organizations (ISOs) in designing and implementing innovation programs focused on ocean impact.
The program places a strong emphasis on gender inclusivity, aiming to empower ISOs to foster diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.
If you are an ISO passionate about driving innovation and sustainable development and interested in the Blue Economy, we invite you to apply for the GenBlue program.
Deadline to apply: July 2nd, 2023
What You Can Expect
Becoming part of GenBlue Community will allow you to
Shape your own inclusive BlueTech support program
Learn from peers and experts on the ocean economy, innovation, and gender inclusivity in Africa and worldwide
Join a collaborative regional community focused on Ocean Sustainability and gender inclusivity
What We Offer
Capacity building
- 1-week intensive in-person Bootcamp for Program Managers, taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, from August 21st to 25th, 2023. All costs for two participants per hub will be covered.
- Monthly peer group learning communities & online workshops.
- Tailored mentoring on inclusive blue tech program design and management delivered by OceanHub Africa, Viridian, SAVANT and WomHub.
Network
Eligibility
You are based in Southern Africa: Angola, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania
You are an established ISO, operational for at least 2 years and legally registered
You have a team comprised of min 3 full-time employees (including founders)
You have at least 2 finalized incubation/acceleration programs with approximately 15 supported startups in total
You can commit to have 2 members (ideally one male and one female if possible) of the Hub actively participating during the full program Time commitment: env. 4 hours per month per participant (in-person bootcamp excluded)
Timeline
- 14 June – 2 July 2023: Application period
- 5 July 2023: Announcement of 15 shortlisted ISOs
- 10-13 July 2023: Selection interviews with shortlisted ISOs
- 17 July 2023: Selection of up to 10 participating ISOs
- 1 August 2023: Online Meet & Greet Session
- 21-25 August 2023: In-Person Bootcamp in Cape Town, South Africa. All costs are covered for two participants per ISO.
- August 2023 – March 2024: Online mentoring, peer learning and workshop sessions
- Mid-March 2024: Program’s Online Closing Session
This program is brought to you by the OceanHub Africa , Viridian and Make-IT in Africa.
Make-IT in Africa is a project implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).