Phnom Penh
20 September 2024
The Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP) Cambodia, is part of the global initiative GCIP that aims to accelerate cleantech innovation and entrepreneurship in startups and SMEs in Cambodia. On 20 September 2024, GCIP Cambodia announced the Opening of the GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program Cohort 2 with 11 (eleven) semi-finalists shortlisted through a rigorous shortlisting process. The Opening Ceremony was welcomed by Ms. Sou Jolyda, Managing Director of Prestige Consulting, Mr. Kevin Braithwaite, the Vice President of Network for Global Innovation (NGIN), and presided over by H.E. Dr. Taing Nguonly, Executive Director of Techo Startup Center.
Among the 13 (thirteen) potential and competitive semi-finalists, the top 8 (eight) teams were successfully shortlisted from a pool of 84 (eighty-four) applications to join the GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program Cohort 2, with three additional semi-finalists advancing from the Pre-Accelerator Program. The shortlisting methodology follows a thorough multi-step process involving online screening, scoring feedback from independent judges, and interviews.
Semi-finalists are required to go through an intensive five-month training with specific deliverables and sequential validation framework identified as the GCIP 20 Business Elements, integrated into four key activities including 1) National Academy, 2) Global Training Webinars, 3) Mentoring, and 4) Business Clinic. These business elements will serve as a framework for semi-finalists to systematically validate the assumptions on their product, market, customers, and business model, intended to reduce the time taken to produce a pitch deck that would secure customers and convince partners.
After completing all the processes mentioned above, in February 2025, the GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program Cohort 2 will select up to five finalists to receive the grant award, totaling USD 50,000.
GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program Cohort 2 aims to (1) identify, support, and celebrate entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to addressing the most pressing energy, environmental, and social challenges faced nationally and globally, (2) enable the participating entrepreneurs to successfully de-risk and scale their ventures, and (3) enhance the capacity of local stakeholders to successfully support innovation and entrepreneurship activities, especially the long-term growth of local cleantech ventures.
GCIP Cambodia is currently in its third year of project implementation with the undergoing of the GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program Cohort 2 following its successful completion of the first cohort in 2023. GCIP Cambodia Accelerator Program is funded by the United Nations for Industrial Development Organizations (UNIDO) and Global Environment Facility (GEF), organized by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Techo Startup Center (TSC), and co-organized by Prestige Consulting, with support from the Network for Global Innovation (NGIN).
