Guidelines

General Terms

Entry in the G20 Challenge on Inclusive Business Innovation, available here at www.g20challenge.com, constitutes applicants’ unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Challenge guidelines. The G20 Challenge on Inclusive Business Innovation seeks to recognize businesses with innovative, scalable, and commercially viable ways of working with people living at the base of the pyramid (BOP) in developing countries.

Eligibility

The G20 Challenge on Inclusive Business Innovation is open to eligible businesses and subsidiaries that meet the following eligibility criteria:

Headquartered or having a substantial part of its operations in a low- or middle-income country^{^[1]}
For-profit entity^{^[2]}
Demonstrating financial sustainability: already commercially viable or have evidence of commercial financing (equity or debt) and of being current on commercial debt^{^[3]}
Using an innovative business model that includes individuals living at the BOP as suppliers, distributors, retailers, or customers or includes value chain financing to the BOP^{^[4]}
Are not a microfinance institution, private equity fund, or a deposit taking institution
Founded and working with the BOP before June 30, 2009, for a minimum of three years of wokring with the BOP by the announcement of the winners in June 2012
Operating outside the extractive sector (oil, gas, mining)
Not involved in the production or trade of alcohol, tobacco, gambling, or weapons.

[1] The World Bank defines ‘low income’ countries as economies with GNI/capita<$1,005 and ‘middle income’ countries as lower-middle and upper-middle income economies with GNI/capita between $1,005 – $12,275.

[2] Any business regardless of its type of legal entity can be eligible to apply if it uses a commercial business model and generates commercial revenues.

[3] Commercial debt is defined as loans, given on commercial terms, by financial institutions or IFIs (International Finance Institutions). This excludes grant funding and loans on non-commercial terms.

[4] Applicant must have been using an inclusive business model that engages individuals living at the BOP since at least June 30, 2009.

Entry

The first step in entering this Challenge is to complete the pre-application form to verify your eligibility. Filling out the pre-application should take no more than 15-20 minutes of your time. After your eligibility is confirmed, you will be granted access to the applicant section of the Challenge website, which will enable you to submit the full application until February 29, 2012.

Application and Selection Criteria

The deadline for submitting the application is February 29, 2012 at 11:59PM (EST). Please note that applications are only accepted in English. However, financial statements uploaded by applicants may be in other languages. Your application will be evaluated by an independent judging panel based on your business’ performance across these five dimensions:

Innovation
Development results
Potential for growth, including replication of the business model to other markets
Financial sustainability
Environmental and social sustainability

Winners

Winners will be announced at the G20 Summit in Mexico held June 18 – 19, 2012, where the winners’ business models will be showcased.

Disclaimer

Information provided throughout this application process will be kept confidential and will only be used in winner selection. Only the judges and the screening team will have access to materials shared as part of the application process, unless otherwise noted on the application. This disclaimer does not cover any content you choose to share through any part of the Challenge website, such as forums, or which you otherwise agree to be made public. Please visit our FAQ page to understand more about the Challenge’s application process and judging criteria. You will also be able to ask questions on our website’s forums to address other applicants and the inclusive business community.

Andria Thomas
athomas-g20@dalberg.com | +1 202 467 1752
www.dalberg.com

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