Global Scale-Up Programme 3.0 application process

GSUP 3.0 application process

To apply, please download the application form and return by emailing team@govtechglobal.org by Thursday 21st September.

The three parts of the submission process are outlined below and you can download the scoring rubric to get an idea of what assessors will be looking for in successful proposals. The scoring for your proposal will go through two phases.

Phase 1 - The Sifting Stage (Regional) - During the Sifting Stage, background information on your organisation will be collected and we will evaluate submissions based on innovation, market potential, diversity, and ethics.

Phase 2 - Shortlisting Interviews (Regional) - We will use this phase to shortlist companies per region who will be invited to a 30 minute interview assessing team capability and motivation. This will be a 10 minute pitch followed by a 20 minute question and answer session. The remaining 10 minutes will be for the panel to discuss your pitch and make notes which may be provided to you as feedback afterwards.

Phase 3 - Company Selection (Global) - In this stage we choose 4-5 companies per region to participate in a single cohort as part of the 7 week Global Scale-up Access Programme, prior to COP28.

  • This section asks some overview questions about your company and solution. We will use this as background information for the benefit of the other regional teams. It is not scored.

    Information you will need to provide

    1. The country your company is based in

    2. State the challenge for which you are applying

    3. Contact details:

      • Your name

      • Your role

      • Your company

      • Your email address

      • Company website

    4. Product overview:

      • In three sentences, describe your solution to the challenge

      • What is your one big stat? (eg. % reduction / x units increase)

      • Briefly outline the markets and regions you currently operate in (max 100 words)

    5. Company info:

      • List up to ten tags that you would use to describe your company and solution [e.g. AI; food wastage; series A; ] (These will be used to help with searching for your company)

      • Where you are in your investment journey: (No funding / Looking for pre-seed funding / Secured pre-seed funding / Looking for seed funding / Secured seed funding / Looking for series A / Secured series A)

      • How many people employed/contracted?

    6. How did you hear about the GovTech Global Alliance Global Scale-up Programme?

  • For absolute clarity, we are using the global definition of innovation: innovation occurs when someone improves on or makes a significant contribution to an existing invention, product, process or service. Improvements may manifest themselves in areas including [but not limited to] performance, delivery, cost efficiencies, increased effectiveness, ease of use etc

    You will need to answer each of the below areas (max 150 words per question/area)

    Innovation:

    1. Explain the core innovation behind your solution, and how it will meet your chosen challenge

    2. How does your solution differentiate itself from existing alternatives or competitors in the market?

    Market potential:

    3. Explain the stage of maturity of the product/solution, and its potential to be scaled regionally and globally. 

    4. Do you have any partnerships or collaborations in place to enhance market access or scale your solution?

    Values, diversity and ethics:

    5. What are the values, mission and vision guiding your product/service?

    6. What steps have you taken to ensure diverse perspectives are represented in the development of your solution?

    7. What considerations have you taken into account about the ethical impact of your solution? Who could benefit and who could be harmed in the implementation of your solution?

  • If your proposal successfully progresses to the interview stage, we will apply the following criteria in addition to evaluation criteria 1 to assess whether you progress to the Global Access Programme. You will have an opportunity later in the programme to submit evidence for this evaluation criteria. For the interview you will be asked to present on your proposal and this will also form part of the evaluation you provide an overview of the core members of your team and their relevant experience to implement and scale their solution

    Team capability and motivation:

    1. Can you provide an overview of the core members of your team and their relevant experience to implement and scale their solution?

    2. Motivation of the team and company - does the company have the motivation and skills to capitalise on the opportunities provided by participating in GSUP and further field testing

    3. What value will the company bring to the programme and your fellow cohort members?

    Presentation interview

    30 Minutes - 10 minutes presentation with 20 Q&A

Aligning with the principles of the GovTech Global Alliance

The GovTech Global Alliance has recently published a new set of principles . These were crafted with perspectives from within the Alliance and beyond. They represent a forward-looking perspective on our relationship with companies, governments, investors and other relevant actors.

We invite you to read the principles. Over the course of the programme, we will be discussing these concepts. We have written some principle-aligned questions to stimulate internal discussion. By asking these questions, you can gauge how well the company aligns with the principles of collaboration and knowledge sharing, adaptivity in innovation ecosystems, distribution of power and cultural contexts, intergenerational custodianship, anti-extractive business models, and democratising technology. These will provide insights into your approaches, initiatives, and track record in upholding these principles.

  • Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing:

    Strengthening a culture of peer learning and global connection, we can create the conditions for relationships and trust in order to speak openly and learn from each other’s experiences of failures and successes.

    • Can you provide examples of instances where your company has actively encouraged open dialogue and learning from both failures and successes from different communities, cultures or countries?

    • What initiatives or platforms in place to facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration with external stakeholders or partners?

    Adaptivity in Innovation Ecosystems:

    Anticipating that needs and challenges will continuously evolve, we promote strategies to build iteratively and embed flexibility into the human and technology systems that influence innovation lifecycles.

    • How does your company stay ahead of evolving needs and challenges in the innovation ecosystem?

    • Can you describe any strategies or processes you have in place to embed flexibility and adaptability into your human and technology systems?

    • How do you ensure that your innovation life cycles are responsive to changing circumstances and can iterate on solutions as needed?

    Distribution of Power and Cultural Contexts:

    Understanding that there is no ‘one size fits all’, and although interventions that work can be scaled, it’s important for regions to have the capacity, ability, and autonomy to create and maintain local context for solutions.

    • How does your company approach the recognition of diverse cultural contexts and the need for local autonomy in creating and maintaining solutions?

    • Can you provide examples of how your company has successfully adapted solutions to local contexts without compromising their effectiveness?

    • What measures do you take to empower regions and ensure their capacity and ability to implement and govern solutions in a way that suits their specific needs?

    Intergenerational Custodianship:

    Thinking beyond short-term cycles to build enduring value that allows future generations to play an active role in the governance of solutions.

    • How does your company incorporate the concept of intergenerational custodianship in your governance and decision-making processes?

    • Can you describe any specific practices or initiatives aimed at building enduring value that involves future generations?

    • How do you ensure that the solutions you develop have the potential to be sustained and actively involve future generations in their governance?

    Anti-Extractive Business Models:

    Prioritising business models which uphold ethical governance strategies to equitably increase opportunities for positive societal impact and reduce potential for direct or systemic citizen and environmental harm.

    • How does your company ensure that its business models prioritise ethical governance and societal impact while minimizing harm to citizens and the environment?

    • Can you provide examples of how you have upheld these principles in previous projects or initiatives?

    • What strategies or mechanisms do you have in place to increase opportunities for positive societal impact and ensure equitable distribution of benefits?

    Democratising Technology:

    Advocating for equitable access to digital technologies in the public domain, so the dividends of public service innovation benefits citizens and constituents directly. 

    • How does your company work towards ensuring equitable access to digital technologies in the public domain?

    • Can you provide examples of how your innovations have directly benefited citizens and constituents through public service delivery?

    What steps do you take to bridge the digital divide and address disparities in access to technology?