WISE Accelerator Programme 2019/2020 for EdTech Solutions

Brief description:

The WISE Accelerator supports innovative initiatives developing solutions in education technology with high potential for scalability and positive impact.

Each year, the selected initiatives join the one-year program, during which they benefit from tailor-made support to address challenges that hinder their growth and scaling up process. In addition, the WISE Accelerator assists the selected initiatives to connect with an international network of education stakeholders and create opportunities to share knowledge and find support among potential partners, donors and investors during international events organized by WISE. Finally, the selected initiatives will be matched with mentors who are experts in education, education technology and leaders in their field.

Type of Initiatives that are Invited

The WISE Accelerator supports innovative edtech initiatives that have a high potential for scalability and positive impact in education.

Ideal candidates for the WISE Accelerator must be existing edtech initiatives at an early stage of development, with the following attributes:

• Established for at least one year;
• A growing number of beneficiaries or customers;
• A record of activities with a product or service that has been implemented and beyond proof of concept;
• Existing revenues;
• A dedicated team, with an established physical space or office;
• Deep knowledge of the market/educational context and of their beneficiaries’ or customers’ needs;
• Motivation to develop further;
• Understanding of the initiative’s current challenges.

Benefits:

The year-long program is designed to assess and meet the initiatives’ needs as fully and precisely as possible in order to bring them to the next stage of development and scale up.

Selected initiatives participate in the program kick-off to be held during WISE 2019 Summit in Doha, Qatar where they will benefit from workshops, masterclasses and networking opportunities. For mor detail, please visit the official page.

Selection Process:

A Committee composed of leading experts in education and social entrepreneurship will support the WISE Accelerator team in the selection process.

Applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• The Team:
  The WISE team will assess the team’s ability to execute and deliver on their vision
• The Solution:
  The WISE team will assess how well the solution developed by the initiative addresses the problem that the initiative aims to solve
• The Innovation:
  The WISE team will assess how innovative is the solution developed by the initiative in light of solutions developed worldwide in the edtech sector
• The educational impact:
  The WISE team will assess the educational impact that the initiative may have as it scales up
• The Market:
  The WISE team will take into consideration the potential of the edtech market where the initiative operates

The initiatives will be selected and announced in September 2019

Eligibility:

Applications must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Applicants must have an initiative related to the field of education technology.
2. Initiatives must be formally constituted and must have progressed beyond proof of concept. The WISE Accelerator is not intended for new and untried ideas. Any such applications will not be considered.
3. All applicants must complete, in English, the official online application form fully.
4. All applicants must submit a short 3 minutes video pitch by submitting a YouTube link. During the pitch, they will explain their edtech solution, the problem they are tackling, who their beneficiaries are, their progress so far and why they are applying for the WISE Accelerator.
5. Contact details and complete information on two references (e.g. former donors, local governments, other organizations, etc.) must be included in all applications. Valid referees include individuals from organizations who can comment knowledgeably on the activity of the initiative.

Application instructions:

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