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Submit an Application for the 2023 End Poverty Innovation Challenge (EPIC)

GBSN member school students are invited to apply to the 2023 EPIC, a global competition and pipeline for outstanding social ventures that provide sustainable grass roots solutions to local poverty reduction challenges.

EPIC, the End Poverty Innovation Challenge, is focused on engaging the next generation of social entrepreneurs from post secondary institutions worldwide in developing the next generation of social ventures that lift the livelihoods of the poor. 

DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: 31 December 2022

About the Competition

EPIC, the End Poverty Innovation Challenge is an impactful program of the Social Venture Foundation. The competition focuses on engaging the next generation of social entrepreneurs from post secondary institutions worldwide in developing the next generation of social ventures that lift the livelihoods of the poor. 

The global competition is a pipeline for outstanding social ventures that provide sustainable grass roots solutions to local poverty reduction challenges.

  • 5 finalists will be selected to compete in the final challenge held virtually on Feb 9th, 2023
  • Top 3 winners receive a year of customized monthly mentoring with EPIC leadership.
  • Remaining 2 finalists receive 3 months of monthly mentoring with EPIC leadership.
  • Top 3 winners receive a monetary prize enabling them to facilitate a commercial proof of concept.
  • Top 5 receive personalized feedback from the judges, who are leaders in business and impact investing.
  • Applicants will join a network of like- minded entrepreneurs working toward ending poverty.
  • Applicants receive 10 free virtual “seats” at the final challenge for friends and family. 

Winning Prize

The winners of EPIC 2023 will receive financial support of $5,000 plus mentorship for a year to help winning teams conduct commercial proofs of concepts.

Guidelines

Your project…

  • Creates jobs for unemployed youth and delivers affordable social impact for low-income communities
  • Addresses a poverty reduction or SDG Challenge.
  • Prioritizes social impact over financial gain.
  • Is transformative and potentially scalable to over 100 million people
  • Generates a sustainable funding stream.
  • Has a product or service that is environmentally sustainable.
  • Employs a leadership team with tenacity and a pragmatic vision.
  • Is committed to non-secular and non-partisan mission.

*EPIC competition guidelines are abstracted with additions from “The Power of a Simple and Inclusive Definition” by Elizabeth Garlow & Rich Tafel as published in the Stanford Social Innovation Review May 22, 2013

Contact

For more information, please email info@socialventuresfoundation.org.