Moonshots for Development (M4D) Open Innovation Challenge 2026 for Growth-stage Enterprises (Up to USD 250,000 in Awards)

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Applications are open for Moonshots for Development (M4D) Open Innovation Challenge 2026. Around the world, rural communities are navigating the accelerating impacts of climate change, economic uncertainty, and systemic fragility. The Moonshots for Development (M4D) Open Innovation Challenge calls on growth-stage enterprises to help meet these urgent challenges by advancing bold, practical solutions that strengthen resilience, support smallholder farmers, and improve livelihoods across vulnerable rural landscapes.

Are you ready to pilot a solution that addresses the needs of smallholder farmers, rural communities, and indigenous populations? Join the Moonshots for Development Open Innovation Challenge, an initiative powered by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the IDB Lab, the CGIAR Accelerate for Impact Platform (A4IP), the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the International Innovation Hub (IIH) and the European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability (EIIS).

M4D Open Innovation Challenge Tracks

Through this challenge, we are looking for solutions that build resilient food systems across four challenge tracks: (1) Insurance, (2) Agroecology, (3) Digital Extension, and (4) Fragility, with particular interest in solutions that use AI and geospatial analysis to create positive impact for smallholder farmers and/or rural communities.

Insurance Solutions for Resilient Food Systems
- M4D seeks innovations that expand access to and effectiveness of insurance solutions for smallholder farmers and rural enterprises. Solutions should strengthen climate, crop, or livestock insurance products, or promote digital platforms that lower costs and improve trust, transparency, and uptake of insurance products. Solutions must credibly improve the resilience of food systems.
Reducing the Drivers of Fragility
- M4D seeks innovations that strengthen the resilience of rural communities and institutions facing fragile situations — where people experience high vulnerability to natural and human-made shocks, weak governance, and limited institutional capacity.
Digital Extension for Accountable Service Delivery
- M4D seeks digital tools that enhance the accountability, efficiency, and reach of agricultural and rural advisory services. Solutions might include data-driven extension platforms, or automated decision-support systems that improve timeliness, transparency, and inclusion in service delivery.
Agroecology for Productive, Climate-Resilient Systems
- M4D seeks innovations that advance agroecological transitions by bridging sustainable production practices, ecosystem services, and inclusive market access to strengthen rural livelihoods, resilience, and food security and nutrition.

M4D Open Innovation Challenge Benefits

Innovators are invited to apply towards this transformative program, offering up to $360,000 in funding and support to teams and paving the way for groundbreaking success.

Innovators selected for this opportunity will:

Participate in the Phase 0 virtual bootcamp hosted by VentureWell where innovators will receive business model development support. (May 2026, exact dates TBC)
Receive one month of tailored mentorship. (targeted for May 2026)
Have the opportunity to apply for Phase 1 of the program with the chance to receive up to $10,000 USD and additional coaching sessions focused on your business development needs as well as the opportunity to leverage existing M4D resources and networks to benefit your organization.
All applicants who are accepted into Phase 1 and successfully complete the Phase 1 program will be eligible to apply for Phase 2 of the program with the chance to receive up to $100,000 USD and pilot and implementation support.
All applicants who are accepted into Phase 2 and successfully complete the Phase 2 program will be eligible to apply for Phase 3 of the program with the chance to receive up to $250,000 USD and additional support for scaling their business
In addition to the above resources, challenge participants may be eligible to receive technical and/or financial resources from M4D Alliance Members, pending availability. These additional support resources will be determined in consultation with Alliance Members at each phase of program delivery.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Moonshots for Development Open Innovation Challenge, applicants MUST:

Be committed: The proposal should include at least one team member in a key leadership role. A team lead (CEO, CTO, founder, etc.) must commit to full participation in the program, which will include a virtual bootcamp and one month of tailored mentorship sessions. Applicants will commit to applying for subsequent stages of the program, if given the opportunity, and to learning and adaptation via stage-gate reviews, life-cycle analysis, and a scaling strategy coordinated with M4D and partner programmes.
Align with M4D Priorities: Presented innovations should strengthen local institutions & community governance for accountable service delivery and social cohesion, improve food & nutrition security via resilient, inclusive food systems and last-mile market/extension access, advance sustainable natural resource management & climate adaptation, including anticipatory action, and/or empower women, youth and vulnerable groups with gender-transformative, youth-inclusive approaches that make them agents of resilience.
Demonstrate a dedication to positive impact and your selected innovation track: Applicants should be able to show impact aligned with at least one Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), directly address challenges faced by smallholder farmers, enhance rural resilience and/or promote rural development, and align with one of the following innovation tracks: (1) Insurance, (2) Agroecology, (3) Digital Extension, and (4) Fragility, with particular interest in solutions that use AI and geospatial analysis to create positive impact for smallholder farmers and/or rural communities.
Be a legally registered enterprise: The enterprise should be legally established or formally registered, have a validated business model, and a functional product or service already deployed in a live environment.

Who Should Apply?

Organization types can include:

Sole Proprietorship: Your business is owned and run by one individual, with no legal distinction between the owner and the business.
Partnership: Your business is owned and operated by two or more individuals, who share in the profits and losses.
Corporation: A legal entity separate from its owners, offering limited liability protection.
Limited Liability Corporation – LLC: A structure that protects your personal assets, like a corporation, but with tax flexibility and management ease of a partnership.
Other: NGO, non-profit, academic institution, etc. If you aren’t sure where your team fits, reach out to our team (kbedeian@venturewell.org) who can help guide your application process.