KATHMANDU

The British Council in Nepal, Kathmandu University (School of Arts, School of Engineering), Applied Arts Scotland and Edinburgh Napier University’s Creative Informatics with the National Innovation Center have announced a unique opportunity to participate in their ‘Innovation Grant Programme’ which includes an incubator program followed by grants and opportunities in the lead up to COP26.

According to a press statement released by the British Council, the program is a part of Road to COP26, a campaign of activities implemented by the British Council with support from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Nepal. 

The program aims to support the development of new, exciting and innovative ideas for sustainability that harness nature-based and craft-related solutions to promote positive environmental impacts and climate change resilience.

The program includes incubation where ideas that can deliver social and environmental outcomes besides economic ones will be further developed through guidance/training from Nepali and UK experts.

The press statement added that following the incubation, participants can bid for one of the five grants that include financial support and tailored mentoring opportunities with UK and Nepali experts. Grantee outputs will be presented to industry and climate change stakeholders in Nepal and the UK in the lead up to COP26, which takes place in Glasgow, Scotland from 1 to 12 November 2021.

To be eligible for the grant, one should be based in Nepal and should have an idea for an object- or service-based business that has nature-based materials and processes and craft-related practices at its core, with a clear desire for the idea/business to benefit the environment and support climate change resilience. The idea and/or the business can be at any stage (from new to more established) and be at a point that it would benefit from the support and development opportunity available by it. One can apply as an individual or as a team. One can come from any educational background, industry, or creative discipline and will need to be able to access the internet in order to participate in the online incubator event. Particularly it encourages applications from females, young people, people from ethnic minorities and people with disabilities.

Applications for the program began on 20 January, 2021 and the application submission deadline is on 18 February.