UN Technology Bank and the IDRC partner to support SMEs programs with funding opportunity in LDCs

Gebze/Ottawa – UN Technology Bank and the International Development Research Centre announced a new funding opportunity today, the "Evidence for Innovation Call."

This call aims to generate new evidence on the performance and impacts of innovation support programs for small and medium-sized enterprises in least developed countries, especially for youth and women entrepreneurs. This inclusive funding call seeks to promote collaboration between researchers and innovation agencies and strengthen networks and capacity to analyze and implement innovation policies in the countries of interest.  

The call will start accepting applications from prospective applicants in eligible countries in June 2021, with the opportunity to apply for stage 1 or direct-entry research grants. More information can be found here.

"This new collaboration between the UN Technology Bank for LDCs and the International Development Research Centre offers a robust approach to promote sustainable and inclusive SME development for women entrepreneurs in the least developed countries. It will ensure that entrepreneurship harnessing emerging technologies and innovative solutions is promoted towards public goals and inclusive economic growth," said Mr. Joshua Setipa, UN Technology Bank's Managing Director. 

“We are delighted to collaborate with the UN Tech Bank and other stakeholders to develop evidence to inform public policies that enable women and marginalized groups to fully participate in innovation, including by leading tech-based small and medium enterprises,” said Mr. Naser Faruqui, Director of Education and Science at International Development Research Centre.

The announcement was made during the launch of a newly released report, "Cultivating SMEs: Entrepreneurship Development, Gender, and Technology in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia & Senegal," which examines the strategies to promote the development of SMEs, presenting evidence from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, and Senegal and describing their efforts in building entrepreneurship ecosystems. The full report can be found here. 

For updates regarding the status, eligibility criteria and news about the call and application process, please visit the call page on IDRC’s website and follow social media accounts:

Website:

• https://www.idrc.ca/en/funding/pre-announcement-evidence-innovation-call (English)
• https://www.idrc.ca/fr/financement/pre-annonce-concernant-lappel-donnees-probantes-pour-linnovation (French)

Twitter: @UNTechBank

Download the press release