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Applications open in Asia for DBS Foundation Social Enterprise Grant 2016
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Winning social enterprise may develop overseas market
HONG KONG,30 June 2016 -
“DBS Foundation Social Enterprise Grant 2016” is now open for applications in Asia. The winning social enterprises, prototype stage and startups, will be awarded from SGD 50,000 to 100,000 (around HKD 250,000 to HKD 500,000). Customised package will be offered to those in operation for more than three years and are looking for scale-up grant.
Following the success, the awardees may join the Asia social enterprise community supported and promoted by DBS Foundation. Through this platform, they will be awarded grants and technical support, as well as exhibiting and promoting their business in Asian markets.
Details of DBSF Social Enterprise Grant 2016
| Prototype grant | Organisational grant | Scale-up grant |
Quantum | Up to SGD 50,000 | Up to SGD 100,000 | Customised package |
Purpose | - To grant innovative and scalable ideas that are ready to be developed into a working prototype. - To turn ideas into social enterprises, and get to market. | - To grant social enterprises that have been in operation between 2 to 4 years. - To directly aid them in developing their sustainable business by purchasing fixed assets and setting up a research team. | - To grant social enterprises that have been operating for more than 3 years that possess good business foundations and have reached breakeven. - To help them scale up their geographical reach or social impact. |
Grant duration | Up to 12 months | Up to 24 months | Customised according to respective business plan |
General eligibility criteria | 1. Registered business entity at the country of operations | ||
KEY DATES
Date/Time | Item |
Applications open from now until August 1 (11:59 p.m.) | Interested companies may apply through www.dbs.com/dbsfoundation/grant-programme |
September | 60 shortlisted teams to present before respective local judging panel |
October | Final evaluation with Evaluation Panel |
November | Public announcement of awardees |
Originated from Singapore, The “Social Enterprise Programme” funded by DBS Foundation aims to aid the establishment of social enterprises, examine their development ideas, and promote their development, as well as expand their current business, allowing these social enterprises to have greater social influence.
Awardees of 2015 covered a wide range of businesses ranging from medical services and agriculture to education and environment sustainability. With the help of the grant, these social enterprises have further deepened their influence in Asian countries. Please refer to appendix for more information.
Besides investing resources in Asian regions, DBS has always supported and promoted the development of social enterprises in Hong Kong. Since 2013, DBS has funded a total of HKD 8 million, helping 46 Hong Kong social enterprises enhance their business and social impact. Up until now, funded projects have developed more than 100 new products and services, accumulated a total of 7,000 training hours given to underprivileged workers, and created 250 job opportunities for people in need.
Appendix - “Social Enterprise Grant 2015” List of Awardees
(In alphabetical order of the regions)
Awardees | Region | Description | Grant Purpose |
Beijing Bao Yi Interactive | China | Its text-to-speech app allows the sight-impaired to use their phones through hand gestures and voice commands, attracting over 200,000 users. | Further develop its educational software for visually impaired children, adding over 10,000 hours of audio books. |
Shanghai Better Education Development | China | Offer innovative courses in financial education and other life skills for low-income children. | Build an experience hall in Suzhou providing financial literacy for children. |
WEDO Global | Hong Kong | Promote culturally aware tourism and preserve vanishing cultures, giving visitors a deeper understanding of the communities they visit and promote racial harmony. | Develop an online global platform for those seeking unique cultural experiences, and employ ethnic minority underprivileged groups to form a global team and develop its Taiwan market. |
Bodhi Health Education | India | Promote crucial medical information to rural Indians with easy-to-understand pictorial videos scripted to various regional dialects. | Upgrade the technology platform, build the Maternal and Child Health Training Curriculum, and train 3,000 community health workers in the northern and northeastern states of India. |
MicroX Labs (SVCA winner) | India | Create a technological platform to make affordable and accurate point-of-care diagnostics devices, starting with the most common Complete Blood Count (CBC) diagnostic test. | Develop a working prototype of the world’s most affordable and smallest cartridge for blood tests. |
Milaap | India/ Singapore | The first online microlending platform that enables non-Indians and non-resident Indians to make loans to India. | Offer micro loans to bring clean water to rural and marginalised communities in India. |
Sampurn(e)arth Environmental Solutions | India | Trash old waste management methods for newer ones, leading urban India to a financially viable zero-waste model for the future. | Scale up the enterprise by investing in human resources & organisation building. |
Vasham Kosa Sejahtera | Indonesia | Extend the credit lines and provide training and agribusiness solutions to smallholder farmers. | Expand business operations in Sumatra and Java and build a standardised recruitment and training programme for their field team. |
Bettr Barista Coffee Academy | Singapore | Train disadvantaged women to be professional baristas, empowering them with independence through employment. | Enhance the business development, strengthen their headcount, and enhance the marketing capabilities. |
Blue Ren | Singapore | Recycle waste plastic as concrete strengtheners in building structures. | Produce prototype, optimise conversion process, and conduct market research. |
Dialogue with Time | Singapore | Provide the first of its kind interactive exhibition in the world that deals with aging from an original perspective. | Aid with research for the Singapore centre. |
E&I Food Concepts | Singapore | Train youth-at-risk in culinary arts, giving them the skills to advance themselves. | Maintain staff quality by providing professional courses with necessary certifications and increase headcount to grow business. |
Asher International eco-Health | Taiwan | Introduce environmentally conscious aquaculture and promote the development of Taiwan’s western coast. | Enhance product development and promote Asher’s method to more fishing farmers. This provides more job opportunities for local disadvantaged residents in Taiwan. |
Buy Directly from Farmers | Taiwan | Bridge the gap between city and farm by cutting the middleman. This gives farmers better revenue and city-folks fresher produce. | Upgrade their current e-commerce platform marking it compatible with tablets and smart phones and build the agriculture community network. |
iHealth Express (SVCA winner) | Taiwan | Run an online prescription order and delivery system, bringing convenience and accessibility to the needy. | Expand their reach to underserved areas of Taiwan. |
Learn Education (SVCA winner) | Thailand | Improve the quality of education in Thailand by leveraging blended-learning technology tools for science and math teachers, currently impacting 29 schools. | Target to expand their reach to 100,000 children. |
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About DBS
DBS - Living, Breathing Asia
DBS is a leading financial services group in Asia, with over 280 branches across 18 markets. Headquartered and listed in Singapore, DBS has a growing presence in the three key Asian axes of growth: Greater China, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The bank's capital position, as well as "AA-" and "Aa1" credit ratings, is among the highest in Asia-Pacific. DBS has been recognised for its leadership in the region, having been named “Asia’s Best Bank” by The Banker, a member of the Financial Times group, and “Best Bank in Asia-Pacific” by Global Finance. The bank has also been named “Safest Bank in Asia” by Global Finance for seven consecutive years from 2009 to 2015.
DBS provides a full range of services in consumer, SME and corporate banking. As a bank born and bred in Asia, DBS understands the intricacies of doing business in the region’s most dynamic markets. The bank is also at the forefront of leveraging digital technology to shape the future of banking. DBS is committed to building lasting relationships with customers, and positively impacting communities through supporting social enterprises, as it banks the Asian way. It has also established a SGD 50 million foundation to strengthen its corporate social responsibility efforts in Singapore and across Asia.
With its extensive network of operations in Asia and emphasis on engaging and empowering its staff, DBS presents exciting career opportunities. The bank acknowledges the passion, commitment and can-do spirit in all of our 22,000 staff, representing over 40 nationalities. For more information, please visit www.dbs.com.
About DBS Foundation
As a corporate foundation in Asia solely dedicated to championing social entrepreneurship, DBS Foundation contributes towards building a more inclusive society so that those at society’s margins can enjoy productive and rewarding lives. DBS Foundation works with Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurs in Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India and Indonesia with programmes ranging from venture challenges, learning forums, intensive incubation, project grant support, financing and skilled volunteer mentoring. The Foundation is an endeavor from DBS Bank to make an even greater impact in addressing Asia’s evolving social needs.
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Reach us on: dbsfoundation@dbs.com
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