The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT) innovationXchange has announced the winners of its Frontier Innovators initiative, which rewards social enterprises tackling policy development problems in the Indo-Pacific region.
DFAT said Frontier Innovators recognised the important role the private sector played in tackling policy development problems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The 15 winning innovators were selected from more than 700 applications,” DFAT said.
“Each winner will receive up to $100,000 to help accelerate their businesses and broaden their development impact.”
It said that among the winners were a peer-to-peer platform connecting rural villagers with lenders in Indonesia; a hydro-powered irrigation systems provider in Nepal, Afghanistan and Indonesia; a biodigester that transforms waste into renewable gas and organic fertiliser in Cambodia; and a smarter way for disconnected youth to launch careers in the Philippines.
According to the Department, the innovationXchange Frontier Innovators represent the first part of a $15 million program supporting social entrepreneurship in the Indo-Pacific.
“This will be achieved through four, interconnected interventions: Frontier Innovators, Frontier Incubators, Frontier Brokers and Frontier Capital,” the Department said.
The innovationXchange is an ideas hub established within DFAT in 2015 to drive more effective outcomes in Australia’s overseas development assistance program through innovation and public and private sector partnerships.
The 15 winners were selected from over 700 applications with each winner to receive up to $100,000 to help accelerate their businesses.
