ABOUT
D-Prize supports new entrepreneurs who can distribute proven poverty interventions.
The world has already invented products and services to end poverty. Yet millions of people still don’t have access. Can you design a business or NGO that solves one of the Distribution Challenges below?
We will award the most promising teams with up to $20,000 USD to launch a pilot version of your new organization wherever extreme poverty exists.
D-Prize Challenges
400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to improved water. Chlorine dispensers at community water sources treat water and lower the occurence of waterborne disease like diarrhea. Can you distribute community chlorine dispensers and teach people to use them?
Download the Chlorine Dispenser Challenge
14 million unintended teen pregnancies occur annually in sub-Saharan Africa, and girls are 5x more likely to be infected with HIV. A one-hour “sugar daddy awareness” class reduces these risks 28%. Can you teach “sugar daddy awareness” classes to girls in need?
Download the Sugar Daddy Awareness Challenge
Increasing the productivity of sub-Saharan African smallholder farms has potential to lift millions of people out of extreme poverty. High quality seeds and microdosing of fertilizer are cost-effective ways to ensure higher crop yield. Can you distribute a bundle of proven agricultural inputs and teach farmers to use them to grow more?
Download the Quality Inputs Challenge
D-Prize is specifically interested in distributing proven agriculture interventions to smallholder farmers. If you know of a highly-effective intervention that is backed by credible evidence, we want to hear your plan to increase its distribution.
Download the Custom Agriculture Challenge
600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa use kerosene lanterns to light their homes. Pico solar lamps are cheaper, cleaner, create cost savings, and increase household incomes by 30%. Can you sell solar lights to rural or slum-dwelling households in need?
Download the Solar Lamp Challenge
Over 200M women globally lack access to family planning products. Sayana® Press is a self-injectable contraceptive in a single-use package. Since the product is simple enough for recipients themselves to administer, it may be particularly valuable for women who prefer injectable contraceptives but do not have regular access to health facilities. Can distribute Sayana® Press to underserved women through a private health network?
Download the Sayana® Press Challenge
Obstetric fistula, cervical cancer, club foot, and cataracts all have effective treatments. Yet identifying patients among large populations is difficult. Can you create a way to identify patients and connect them to early treatment solutions?
Download the Patient Identification Challenge
Misoprostol is a $3 drug that could prevent 100,000 maternal deaths from postpartum hemorrhaging. Can you develop an organization to train birth attendants to administer misoprostol?
Download the Maternal Health Challenge
The incidence of new HIV infections in many countries in Eastern and Southern Africa remains high. Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) can substantially reduce the risk of HIV acquisition for men, and can also reduce the risk of transmission of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) to the men's partners. Can you develop an organization to identify candidates for VMMC and connect them to health facilities?
HIV can be transmitted from pregnant women to their infants. A short round of antiretroviral therapy (ART) can substantially reduce the risk of mother-to-child transmission. Can you prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV by helping HIV-positive pregnant women adhere to an ART regimen?
Millions of infants in developing countries do not receive the routine immunizations recommended by the World Health Organization. Increased immunization rates in low-coverage areas could prevent a large number of childhood deaths from preventable diseases. Can you direct 500 caregivers (parents or other guardians) to bring their infants to health facilities for routine immunizations that otherwise would not occur?
Download the Immunization Challenge
By 2030 Africa will need to fill an impossible 4.1 million teaching positions. “Flipped classrooms” can be run by a facilitator, and reduce the need for expert teachers. Can you implement an effective curriculum to teach students in a resource-limited classroom?
Download the Flipped Classroom Challenge
In sub-Saharan Africa, 40% of children remain illiterate even after five years of school. Testing and public scorecards increase accountability in poor education systems. Can you launch an organization that tests student and school performance, and makes the information publicly available?
Download the Student Testing Challenge
Public services in developing countries are rife with corruption. Public reporting and scorecards creates real accountability. Can you improve transparency and report data on the public service performance?
Download the Transparency Challenge
Propose your own challenge! If you know of another proven intervention in need of greater distribution, we would like to hear it. The only requirements are to choose an already proven poverty solution that is in need of distribution to more people in the developing world.
Apply
TIMELINE
Select a challenge above and be prepared for the following deadlines:
The Global Competition launches on April 20th, 2020.
Early Submission Deadline: June 1st, 2020 at midnight PT (pacific time)
Regular Submission Deadline: June 22nd, 2020 at midnight PT (pacific time)
Extension Deadline: July 13, 2020 at midnight PT (pacific time)
Evaluation Process
Submit your concept note and resume(s). We generally receive 1000 submissions a competition.
Top 5% of entrepreneurs are invited to submit a full 10 page proposal. You will have four weeks to draft and submit.
Top entrepreneurs interview via phone and email. The top 1-2% will receive up to $20,000 to launch.
You will spend the next three months using your talent to start a venture that can grow and help millions of people.
Eligibility
D-Prize is for aspiring entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world, of any age, and any background.
We will consider funding existing organizations only if: you are piloting a new distribution-focused initiative, and you need high risk capital.
Who Should Apply?
You should have enormous ambition, and can imagine yourself as a successful entrepreneur. You are ready to launch your new venture, and - if a pilot proves successful
– you are excited to grow it into a world changing organization.
If you are still a student or have existing commitments, you should have a clear idea how to transition into a full-time founder.
D-Prize is exclusively interested in ventures that will scale distribution of an already proven poverty intervention in the developing world. We do not fund prototypes of promising new
interventions.
Visit https://d-prize.org/ for more Details
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