GSMA | GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion | Mobile for Development

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Design in Design Innovation | 0 Comments

We’re delighted to announce the launch of the GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion. Applications are now open.

Are you a start-up or SME in Sub-Saharan Africa or Asia? Are you helping people get online for the first time using mobile internet?

You could be eligible to apply for an equity-free grant of between £100,000 and £250,000 to scale your innovation over a 15- to 18-month period. Find out more below.

About the GSMA Innovation Fund for Driving Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion

The mobile industry connects over 3.5 billion citizens to the internet across the globe and continues to lead efforts on digital inclusion by connecting more people every day. Despite this, there is still a ‘usage gap’ of 3.3 billion people covered by mobile broadband networks who are not using mobile internet services. These citizens tend to belong to the most marginalised groups and are disproportionately rural, female and illiterate. If current trends continue, more than 40 per cent of the population in low- and middle-income countries will still be offline in 2025.

The GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion aims to support innovative solutions to increasing mobile internet adoption and use for those currently not using mobile internet services.

Funded projects will focus on innovations that overcome a number of the barriers to mobile internet adoption including Accessibility, Affordability, Digital Skills and Safety and Security, and will look to demonstrate commercially sustainable models that can be scaled and replicated in similar environments.

How to Apply

The deadline for submitting your project is 22 May 2020. Please download the terms and conditions document which contains details on the eligibility criteria and application process.

If you have any questions about the GSMA Innovation Fund, please email [email protected].

Make sure to register for our webinar on 22 April at 14:00 GMT+1. In this webinar, we will share additional information about the GSMA Innovation Fund and will provide you with guidance to help you complete your application.

When you’re ready, click here to begin your application.

Would you like to be kept up to date on news about the GSMA Innovation Fund for Mobile Internet Adoption and Digital Inclusion? Submit your details in the form below to subscribe.

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This initiative is currently funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and supported by the GSMA and its members.