Asia Pacific Care Accelerator 

Source – Asia Pacific Care Accelerator

International Development Research Centre and the Visa Foundation have launched Asia Pacific Care Accelerator to strengthen gender-inclusive entrepreneurship solutions to transform the care economy. The program offers a comprehensive approach to supporting care enterprises in the Asia-Pacific region through business training, mentorship, access to networks and finance, and capacity building to develop and implement inclusive and gender-responsive business practices. 

The program supports women-led and/or women-benefitting entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to transform caregiving challenges into employment and business opportunities, provide products, services, or tech solutions that can make care more accessible and affordable, and improve the overall quality of care services and offline for women, families, and communities. 

Opportunities from the program 

The program will provide selected businesses with access to

1. Expert-led training sessions on business models and growth
2. Expert-led training and support to develop gender-inclusive business practices
3. Access to grant financing
4. Introductions to the local and regional care enabling ecosystem for potential partnerships

Benefits for Startup Participants 

1. Gender lens – Access to training and resources to make your enterprise more gender-inclusive and impact-driven.
2. Growth  – Access to a 5-module acceleration program to implement and grow your solution.
3. Funding – Funding opportunity for potential high-growth entrepreneurs selected from the cohort; a total of 50K USD will be distributed.
4. Tech tools – Free credits to tech tools provided by partners.
5. Conference – Access to networking with industry experts, roundtable sessions, and 1 on 1 meeting at AVPN Care Conference in Malaysia (June 22-23).

Eligibility Criteria 

1. SME or startup with a care-focused solution, including childcare, elderly care, care for people living with disabilities, and tech-enabled care service provision.
2. Registered as a business or a social enterprise (nonprofits and foundations are not eligible) 
3. Initial traction <$200k in annual revenue
4. Organization should have at least 5 employees
5. Organization should be located in the Asia-Pacific region

Logitcal Details  

Deadline – May 15, 2023