FAQ
What is Impact Collective?
Impact Collective is a community-driven investment and acceleration program for startups focusing on opportunities in Asia Pacific. We invest in, support, and connect startups that are solving global challenges, as defined by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), to accelerate positive impact in the world.
What are the six themes for Impact Collective 2021?
Applicants must chose one theme that is closest to what their product/solution is addressing.
* Please note we will only consider one submission per startup per competition.
1. Inclusive Health & Quality of Life SDG 1, 2, 3
2. Circular Economy and the Future of Waste Management SDG 12, 13, 14
3. Sustainable Agriculture and Food SDG 2, 3, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
4. Green Energy and the Environment SDG 7, 9 11, 12. 13. 14. 15
5. Digitalization for Equal Opportunities for All SDG 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 16
6. Future of Work and Economic Growth SDG 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
Why should I join Impact Collective's Accelerator?
Impact Collective offers great opportunities for startups and impact makers, which include:
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
– Acceleration Program: Impact Collective offers help to refine the impact-profit value proposition in your business.
– Networking: Build connections with Impact Collective’s community of entrepreneurs, investors, experts, and changemakers.
– Impact Awards: With the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), six teams are selected as recipients of the impact awards.
INVESTMENT TRACKS
– Fast Investment: During the entire course of the program, the IC Fund searches for startups with innovative business models, excellent execution capability, and measurable impact potential. Fast Track Investment opportunities are offered to up to 10 teams. Typical investment sizes are between USD 25K and USD 100K.
– Program Investment: IC Fund invests in up to 10 teams with excellent performances and who receive significant support from judges during the program. Typical investment sizes are between USD 50K and USD 500K. IC Investment Partners may co-invest in these outstanding startups.
Where will the whole program take place?
Impact Collective is a virtual program: events, sessions, and networking will be taking place online in APAC friendly timezones. We may, together with our regional partners, hold offline events depending on COVID-19 restrictions. In such circumstances, participants will be informed accordingly.
What are homegroup sessions?
Homegroup sessions are dedicated to helping Impact Makers align their KPIs and business progress in Impact Collective. Program participants are split into small groups (~5 teams each) with a Homegroup Leader who, like a personal coach, helps you set and achieve goals throughout the program, connect with the right mentors, and discover opportunities in the regional markets.
Do I have to pay or commit equity to join the Impact Collective Program?
No, there is no fee nor equity required to participate in the Impact Collective acceleration program.
Do all selected teams receive investments?
No. Being selected for the program does not automatically mean getting an investment. You are, however, eligible for both tracks of investment: fast track and program investment
What are the investment terms?
What stage investments do you consider?
I am a Non-Profit Organization. Am I eligible for investment?
No, NGOs are not subject to investment under the Impact Collective Fund.
Who will judge the startup solutions and how will they be evaluated?
mpact Collective will use a token voting system which is a collective decision-making process. There will be a different number of tokens depending on which role you play in the community platform (ICC). There will also be expert and community judges who will evaluate the teams based on feedback gatherered through the ICC. Evaluations can be very subjective because our program is based on trusting the collective intellegence of the crowd.
What is the prize for placing in the top 10 at the end of the program?
Top 10 teams recognition and $50K minimum investment fund will be provided.
Am I eligible to apply?
We welcome startups that:
– have a business operating in Asia Pacific.
– are at the post-seed & pre-series A or beyond stage in their startup journey.
– offer a business product/service that aligns with one of our 6 themes.
– are composed of a team of at least 2 people.
Can I join Impact Collective with multiple projects/solutions?
Unfortunately not, startups can only submit ONE project/solution per competition. Please check out our eligibility requirements (Am I eligible to apply?) for more details.
My company is not based in Asia Pacific, can I still participate?
Your company HQ does not have to be located in the Asia-Pacific region. However, you must have some sort of physical and/or legal presence in this region.
We've already received funding, are we still qualified to apply?
Yes! We encourage teams in their seed/pre-A funding rounds to apply. At this stage, your business is best suited for the program. For more information about your eligibility, check out the ‘Am I eligible to apply?’ or, for more guided support, reach out to us via [email protected]
I am already earning revenue, do I fit in your acceleration program?
Yes! 77% of teams from the 2020 Cohort that went through the due diligence process were generating average revenues of USD75,000 per month!
What is the deadline for submitting applications?
Applications for Impact Collective 2021 close on August 15th at 23:59 IDLW.
When will I receive final results and feedback from the Impact Collective team after applying?
Don’t worry – We will send the application decisions via email. If you want to receive feedback from the IC team, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]
I am a Non-Profit Organization. Am I eligible for investment?
Unfortunately not, NGOs and NPOs are not considered for investment under the Impact Collective Fund and are not eligible for the program application. However, we encourage NGOs and NPOs to join ICC and connect with a vibrant impact-oriented network in Asia-Pacific.
What are impact sessions?
Impact sessions, led together with various UN-organizations, are dedicated to helping Impact Makers find and align to their impact goals and measurements. They consist of workshops that focus on interactivity and hands-on-experiences that will help Impact Markers make their businesses connect to the SDGs.
What are the six themes for Impact Collective 2021?
Applicants must chose one theme that is closest to what their product/solution is addressing.
** Please note we will only consider one submission per startup per competition.
1. Inclusive Health & Quality of Life SDG 1, 2, 3
2. Circular Economy and the Future of Waste Management SDG 12, 13, 14
3. Sustainable Agriculture and Food SDG 2, 3, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16
4. Green Energy and the Environment SDG 7, 9 11, 12. 13. 14. 15
5. Digitalization for Equal Opportunities for All SDG 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 16
6. Future of Work and Economic Growth SDG 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
What is the Impact Collective Community (ICC) and what is their role?
The Impact Collective Community (ICC) is a platform for stakeholders of the Impact Collective. That’s where all the resources, activities, directories, and voting happens. Specifically, the ICC plays a role in our community-driven process by voting for teams they believe should receive investments. ICC is open to anyone who wants to support the Impact Maker, play an active role in the impact innovation scene in the Asia-Pacific region, and discover, connect, and collaborate with like-minded people around the world.
Is my information confidential?
Your financial information is confidential and will only be shared with the selection committee
Do I need to sign up to be part of ICC?
Yes, that’s because Impact Collective Community is on the CAN Foundation platform. We have some new and exciting updates coming up, including a mobile app, which will enable you to be in touch with your favorite community anytime and anywhere.
What are IC labels & badges?
We all wear different hats! IC labels define your roles within the ICC community:
– Impact Makers: the blood and salt of this program, i.e., startup teams that are participating in the investment and acceleration program.
– Experts: the wizards of impact, entrepreneurship, investment; in addition, various industry sectors which are here to share their knowledge and insights with all the members of ICC.
– Community Member: the heart of ICC – all who are enthusiastic about impact innovation in Asia-Pacific and who want to have their voice heard when it comes to pointing the direction of tech towards good.
– IC Staff: the hustlers that are making all of this magic happen 🙂
IC Badges are awarded based on your activity and contribution to the community.
How do I organize an event for ICC?
We LOVE when the community members organize events! The IC staff is more than happy to help you out with that – Be sure to reach out to us at [email protected]
What sort of event can I organize for ICC?
Any event that contributes and brings value to the ICC is awesome: events focused on our six themes or on skill-building for entrepreneurs and startup members are crowd favorites! You are welcome to discuss event coordination with the IC staff here: [email protected]
What sort of event can I organize for ICC?
Anything to do with our six themes or with skill-building for entrepreneurs and startup members would be greatly appreciated! News articles, reports, press releases, beta versions of your product etc. Questions about impact, startups, and the tech scenes are all welcome!
Is my information confidential?
Your financial information is confidential and will only be shared with the selection committee
Will there be a penalty if my team drops out?
There is no penalty for dropping out. However, before applying, we do recommend you weigh out all your options (time and employee resources, other commitments and projects, etc.) to make a sound decision on whether participating in Impact Collective now is the right move for you and your company.
