Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge 2025 for Entrepreneurs (up to $25,000) Deadline: 29 November, 2024

Ready to innovate? Global Resilience Partnership (GRP) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have partnered to launch the Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE) 2025.

The Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region, known as the “Third Pole,” sustains life for over 240 million people in the mountains and 1.65 billion downstream. With its rich biodiversity and vital ecosystems, the region is home to the world’s largest ice reserves outside of the polar regions and supports Asia’s major food-producing river systems. However, the region faces severe challenges, including climate change, ecosystem degradation, and water scarcity, which threaten its agricultural systems, tourism, and overall resilience. There is a significant gap in climate finance to address these issues, and local entrepreneurs lack the resources needed to drive green and resilient innovations.

In response to these challenges, GRP and ICIMOD have come together to launch the Hindu Kush Himalaya Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (HKH-ICE). This initiative, supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), is designed to mobilise local innovation and entrepreneurship, driving scalable solutions that address ecological, market, and value chain challenges across the region.

HKH-ICE seeks to empower entrepreneurs from Bhutan, Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts only), India (Himalayan states only), and Nepal to develop innovative, climate-resilient solutions in the agriculture, water security, and sustainable tourism sectors. The challenge will support initiatives that leverage the region’s untapped potential for sustainable economic growth and environmental conservation while addressing the urgent need for climate adaptation and resilience.

Focus Areas

They are looking for innovative, scalable solutions that enhance resilience for communities and ecosystems across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region. Initiatives can focus on:

• Resilient Agriculture Innovations for Nature: Supporting agricultural entrepreneurs to tackle climate impacts on mountain agriculture, enhance biodiversity, and create market linkages for niche products and non-timber forest products (NTFPs).
• Water Security and Resilience: Developing innovations that address water scarcity, improve water services, and mitigate the effects of glacial melt, urbanisation, and demographic change.
• Climate-Resilient Solutions for Sustainable Tourism: Creating new models of sustainable tourism that benefit local communities while preserving the delicate balance of mountain ecosystems.

Benefits

• Winners will receive tailored mentoring, leadership development, communications, and resource mobilisation support.
• Additionally, they will receive prizes ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 to further develop and scale their solutions. Shortlisted applicants will also benefit from a leadership academy and capacity-strengthening initiatives with regional and global experts.

Eligibility

• Open to for-profit organisations, local entrepreneurs and innovators from Bhutan, Bangladesh (Chittagong Hill Tracts), India (Himalayan states), and Nepal.
• They are looking for innovative, scalable solutions that enhance resilience for communities and ecosystems across the Hindu Kush Himalaya region.

Application

Applications are due by 23:59 GMT on November 29, 2024. Shortlisted applicants will be notified in January 2025.

Click here to apply

For more information, visit HKH Innovation Challenge.