LONDON, 12 April 2019:
The Financial Times and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, have announced the shortlists for the 2019 FT/IFC Transformational Business Awards, a global programme that highlights ground-breaking, long-term private sector solutions to major development issues.
This year’s programme marks 14 years of collaboration between the FT and IFC on awards that have had a substantial impact on the way financial and non-financial organisations approach sustainable investment.
The awards’ core categories all directly relate to global efforts to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2019 Awards include a new, special category on harnessing technology for people with disabilities, supported by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The crucial role of the private sector in global efforts to address climate change also remains a key focus.
A total of 270 entries were received – the highest number of submissions since the FT and IFC launched their awards in 2005 – from 246 organisations, on solutions impacting all regions of the world.
The shortlisted nominees are as follows:
Transformational Solutions in Urban Infrastructure
Azuri Technologies Quad Solar Home Systems with HospiCash, Kenya
JP Morgan Chase AdvancingCities Initiative for Underserved Neighborhoods, USA
Lithium Urban Technologies Electric Vehicle Transportation Services, India
Rensource Distributed Renewable-Based Energy to Urban Micro SMEs, Nigeria
Smart Havens Africa Pathway to Sustainable Home Ownership by Women, Uganda
SmartSíndico Low-Income Condominium Management App, Brazil
Yego Innovision Ride-Tap-Pay Offline Ride-Hailing System, Rwanda
Transformational Solutions in Food, Water and Land
Agrosmart Data Intelligence for the Agricultural Value Chain, Israel, Latin America, USA
Evigence Sensors Smart Expiration Date Solution, South Korea, USA
Farmcrowdy Digital Agriculture Platform for Small-Scale Farms, Nigeria
Fenik PhaseTek Solar-Powered Refrigeration Solutions, Morocco
N-Drip Gravity Micro Irrigation, Global
Neat Eco-Feeds High Protein Feed and Compost, Burkina Faso, Ghana
TIPA Compostable Flexible Packaging Solutions, Global
Transformational Solutions in Health, Wellness and Disease Prevention
Florida Insect Control Group Pest Management Solutions, Global
Healthy.io Smartphone Camera Urinalysis, Israel, Netherlands, UK, USA
ImmunifyMe Smart Vaccination Scheduling and Monitoring Tool, Global
MobileODT EVA System for Cervical Cancer Screening, Global
SalaUno Visual Care for Vulnerable Remote Locations, Mexico
SonoCare Medical Imaging Solutions for Healthy Pregnancies, Nigeria
Viz.ai Solutions for Faster Stroke Diagnostics, USA
Transformational Solutions in Education, Knowledge and Skills
Aliat Universidades Higher Education System for Working Adults, Mexico
Ashesi University New Leadership for Africa Programmes, Ghana
Edilar Red Magisterial Social Network for Teachers, Mexico
Enko Education Customised International Curricula Programs, Sub-Saharan Africa
Nova Pioneer Schools for Innovators and Leaders, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa
PHINMA Education Parallel Classes and "Handog Kaibigan" Tuition Schemes, Philippines
SIS Budget Schools Vertical Collaboration Ecosystem, Indonesia
Special Award: Innovating for Disability
Amparo Confidence Socket, Global
EyeControl AI Eye-Tracking Camera, Israel, UK
OrCam Technologies AI-Driven Artificial Vision, Global
ProsFit Technologies Global Solutions for Confident Mobility, Global
Sesame Enable Touch-Free Access for Mobile Devices, Global
TotoSci Academy AlexCane for the Blind, Kenya
TuneFork Smart Device-Based Hearing Loss Diagnostic, Israel, USA
The winners in each category will be announced at a dinner to be held at the InterContinental London Park Lane on 13 June 2019.
The awards judging panel consists of:
· Pilita Clark, Associate Editor and Business Columnist, Financial Times (co-chair)
· Stephanie von Friedeburg, Chief Operating Officer, IFC (co-chair)
· Samir Abhyankar, Partner, TPG Growth
· Kalipso Chalkidou, Director of Global Health Policy and Senior Fellow, Centre for Global Development
· Helen Clarkson, CEO, The Climate Group
· Chris Locke, Founder, Caribou Digital
· Kanini Mutooni, Managing Director, TONIIC, and Board Chair, Global Innovation Fund
· Henrik Skovby, Chairman, Dalberg Group
· Darren Welch, Director of Policy, UK Department for International Development (DFID)
PwC is technical advisor to the programme.
The awards dinner will feature an address by Vivienne Ming, Co-founder and CEO of Socos Labs.
The dinner will conclude the FT/IFC Transformational Business Conference, a major half-day gathering of private sector decision-makers and thought leaders designed to explore and debate the issues generated by the Awards.
About the Financial Times:
The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognised internationally for its authority, integrity and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news and services for the global business community.
About IFC:
IFC — a sister organization of the World Bank and member of the World Bank Group — is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. We work with more than 2,000 businesses worldwide, using our capital, expertise, and influence to create markets and opportunities in the toughest areas of the world. In FY17, we delivered a record $19.3 billion in long-term financing for developing countries, leveraging the power of the private sector to help end poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org
