Did you know global water issues can affect education, health, deforestation, and can especially impact women and girls?Do you think you can create a business plan for unique, sustainable, and scaleable social innovations that address these kinds of issues?
Meet ImagineH20.org
If so, there’s a way to take your idea to the next level. In the video below, Brian Matthay, Program Director of Imagine H20 explains the organization’s creative approach to inspiring social innovation for global water issues.
Imagine H20 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and empowering people to solve water problems. It is based in San Francisco, California and hosts an annual competition for global water solutions. The prize baskets run upwards of $100K, with this year’s grand prize totaling over $200K.
Not just a one-time prize
Perhaps the best aspect is that the competition doesn’t end with a strong finish. Winners of Imagine H20 join a specialized accelerator program to further develop their ideas, seek guidance from experts and specialists, and put them in the running for cash resources, in-kind services, and global exposure.
Facts to inspire action
Imagine H20 highlights statistics that are startling and serve as a call to social innovation action. Here are a few eye-catching ones:
- Water related diseases are the leading cause of child death, killing 4,500 children per day (UNICEF)
- 1.1 billion people live without clean water today (World Water Forum)
- 20% of clean water is lost due to leaks (EPA)
- Water scarcity affects every continent and affects 4 out of every 10 people (World Health Organization)
- Demand in the U.S. has tripled in the past 30 years while the population has grown only 50% (Goldman Sachs)
- Up to $1 trillion is needed to rebuild America’s aging water infrastructure (Goldman Sachs)
How to Win $200K for Your Social Innovation Business Plan
Though the 2011 entries were due by November 15, 2011—here are steps to know about the 2011 process to help put you on track to compete in next year’s competition.
- Be an individual or team comprised of members older than 18 years (who are not previous winners or finalists)
- Focus on the year’s specific theme (i.e. the 2011 theme was wastewater) and consult the ImagineH20 competition guidelines to find out what kinds of solutions are being sought.
- Teams must form a for-profit business entity before receiving any prizes.
- Teams must submit entries in 1 of 2 tracks: A) Pre-Revenue Track or B) Early Revenue Track
- Teams must submit an executive summary of a business plan for a social innovation venture (using a designated template) addressing the year’s specific water crisis theme. Along with resumes of each team member, and the designated entry fee.
- 2011 applications were accepted from September 1st 2011 to November 15th 2011.
- The top finalists from each track will be invited to participate in Round 2.
- In 2011, 2 grand prizes and 4 runner-up prizes are slated to be announced at the ImagineH20 Showcase
Innov8social
Innov8social
Innov8social
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