The Incubator for Integration and Development in East Africa (IIDEA) and the Intra-Regional Trade Facility (IRTF) are inviting private sector and civil society organizations in East African Community Partner States to submit their innovative ideas.

IIDEA calls for ideas in the areas of digitalization/ICT, health and stakeholder’s engagement on Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Project ideas in Agri-business, tourism and initiatives that promote intra EAC trade are invited for submission under IRTF for support. All project ideas submitted must involve at least two EAC Partner States.

IIDEA incubates small-scale regional integration projects which are proposed and implemented by civil society, private sector and other interest groups in East Africa. Its objective is to ensure that non-state actors in the EAC Partner States have implemented measures for people’s engagement in regional economic integration.

IRTF provides technical and financial support to initiatives from private sector players that promote intra-regional trade and advocacy to overcome challenges in intra-regional trade. IRTF supports private sector initiatives in the EAC to promote intra-regional trade and value addition.

To further increase their regional impact, IIDEA and IRTF are seeking to support additional innovative ideas and projects that are fostering regional integration, economic development and amplifying EAC intra-regional trade. Private Sector and civil society organizations are therefore, invited to submit their project ideas, to compete in a regional hackathon. The Hackathon will support the innovators to improve their project concept, and winners will be awarded by both financial and business development support from IIDEA and IRTF.

Eligibility Criteria

Private sector and civil society organizations that meet the following criteria are welcome to submit their ideas for consideration;

• IIDEA will admit projects benefiting at least two EAC Partner States in the following sectors: digitalization of services and products, promotion of cross border health services/products and facilitation of stakeholders’ engagement in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
• IRTF will admit project proposals benefiting at least two EAC Partner States in the following priority areas; agribusiness, tourism and initiatives that promote intra-EAC trade.
• Project ideas led by youths and women or focusing on the needs and participation of women and youth in the EAC integration process will be given due preference.
• Project proposals from Burundi, Rwanda and South Sudan will be prioritised. Project ideas from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania involving partners and beneficiaries from the later will added advantage.
• Projects ideas proposed must demonstrate expected results and impacts on regional integration and or intra-regional trade.
• Private sector or civil society organizations must be duly registered and based in the EAC Partner States.
• Intending private sector or civil society organizations must have a functional organizational structure and demonstrated capacity for implementation of the proposed project.
• Projects ideas with implementation period ranging between six to nine months will be considered.
• Project budget for the innovative ideas should range between 15,000-20,000 USD.

For more information, visit IIDEA and IRTF Hackathon.