D-Prize Challenge 2023 for Social Entrepreneurs to fight Poverty

Applications are now open for the D-Prize Challenge 2023 for Social Entrepreneurs to fight Poverty. 

D-Prize seeds new ventures that distribute proven poverty interventions. The world has already invented products and services to end poverty. Yet we have found many proven interventions with large delivery gaps. Millions of people still don’t have access to basic poverty-fighting tools.

Can you design a new business or NGO that delivers a proven poverty intervention at scale? Submit your design for a new organization that solves one of our Distribution Challenges 

• Table of Content
• About D-Prize
• D-Prize Challenge
• Aim and Benefits of D-Prize Challenge
• Requirements for D-Prize Challenge Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for D-Prize Challenge
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About D-Prize

D-Prize expands access to poverty-alleviation interventions in the developing world. Many solutions to poverty already exist. The challenge is distributing these solutions to the people who need it most. Our programs produce new "distribution entrepreneurs" - social entrepreneurs who start new ventures that distribute proven life-enhancing technologies to millions of people living in extreme poverty... read more... continue reading

D-Prize Challenge

Aim and Benefits of D-Prize Challenge

We will award the most promising teams with up to $20,000 USD to launch their new organization wherever extreme poverty exists.

Requirements for D-Prize Challenge Qualification

• D-Prize is for aspiring entrepreneurs from anywhere in the world, of any age, and any background. The majority of our awardees have not launched nor raised any funding.
• D-Proze will consider funding existing organizations only if you are distributing an existing intervention and you have a need for high-risk capital that cannot be supported by your current donors or revenue.
• Existing organizations applying to D-Prize should have operated for no more than 18 months and raised no more than $30,000 in outside funding.

Interview date, Process and Venue for D-Prize Challenge

Round 1
First Round proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis, using the following deadlines. We
strive to send decisions out within three months. Judges may request additional information
via email before making a decision.

• Early decision deadline: 14 May 2023 at 23:59 PT (Pacific Time, UTC -7). Early decision proposals are more likely to advance to the next round.
• Regular deadline: 4 June 2023 at 23:59 PT.
• Extension deadline: 24 June 2023 at 23:59 PT. Extensions are limited to the first people who register at: www.d-prize.org/extension

Round 2
Top entrepreneurs invited to participate in Round 2 will be asked to respond to short written questions - roughly based on a business plan. These questions ask more details about your operations, budget, milestones, and other items. Participants will receive a Round 2 Proposal Packet with full instructions. Those invited to the Second Round will have about two weeks to submit.

Final Round
Entrepreneurs invited to the Final Round will interview with judges over email and on the phone. Depending on the promise and cost-effectiveness of a proposal, judges may award up to $20,000 in funding. The average D-Prize award size is $15,000.

Select a challenge above and be prepared for the following deadlines:

• Early Submission Deadline: 14 May 2023 at 23:59 PT (Pacific Time, UTC -7)
• Regular Submission Deadline: 4 June 2023 at 23:59 PT
• Extension Deadline (limited to people who register): 24 June 2023 23:59 PT

Application Deadline

How to Apply

Submission Policies

• Proposals must be written in English. However, your English does not need to be perfect to apply, and grammar and vocabulary errors will not be penalized. We only want to understand your idea.
• Proposals must be submitted following the instructions in this packet.
• Extra material outside of the proposal will not be considered.
• Revisions to proposals after submission will also not be considered.
• Only one proposal per person or partnership will be considered.

For more details, visit D-Prize website