Social entrepreneurs generally have their minds set on one very important goal when they start their business: They want to create impact. But one thing we don't all necessarily think about is how long it takes. 

At Si Technologies, whose leading product is NewSil, impact has meant protecting farmers around the world and their crops against increasingly common droughts that devastate local communities. While it's taken the company a number of years to get where they are, they tell other social entrepreneurs: "Change is a long haul, but don't give up."

SWFF innovator aQysta, maker of the Barsha pump, was honored recently in the  Forbes 30 Under 30 social entrepreneurs category. Co-founders Lennart Budelmann and Pratap Thapa were awarded this designation for their work in enhancing food security with the Barsha pump, a hydro-powered irrigation technology. 

Currently looking for product distributors, the company was also previously named the most innovative cleantech startup by the Climate-KIC Venture Competition.
 

SWFF Delegation Will Hold a "Global Agriprenuers Summit" at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in South Africa

During the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Johannesburg, South Africa March 13-17, SWFF and partners will hold the Global Agripreneurs Summit, a joint collaboration with Future Agro Challenge/Industry Disruptors. The Summit connects innovators with investors and implementing partners who can support innovator growth and scale their impact. Industry Disruptors will facilitate the program and provide coaching for innovators making business pitches and showcasing their technologies at the innovation marketplace.

During the Global Entrepreneurship Congress in March, SWFF will announce the winners of the Fourth Global Call for Innovations. Over the next few weeks, the evaluation team will complete the final stages of the evaluation process. 

All SWFF innovators, including the Round Four winners, several SWFF alumni, founding partner representatives, and the SWFF TA Facility will be participating in the event. 

SWFF Advocate Chris Holmes' USAID Departure

Known for his frequent and meaningful interactions with the SWFF team and SWFF innovators, Chris was an invested partner and tireless advocate for Securing Water for Food. We value his inputs and greatly appreciate his ardent support in helping us to meet the challenge of improving the lives of millions in great need of water for food.  

• Gray Matters Capital (GMC) believes that the most worthwhile strategy is to invest in people and high-impact, investible ideas. Every 60 days, GMC extends an invitation to entrepreneurs to pitch their team for investment funding and provides winners with investment capital ($10,000 - $100,000). Learn more here.

• The 2017 Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition's 2017 YES! (Young Earth Solutions) Research Grant Competition seeks groundbreaking research ideas that have a high impact potential for the sustainability of food systems. Emerging experts are encouraged to submit studies that are innovative, have a promise of significant impact, and can meet global research needs. Project submissions can be related to new or ongoing research.
  
  Proposals must be submitted online through the BCFN website by June 28, 2017, 11:59 pm CET. Winners receive a €20,000 research grant for a one-year investigation. 

• AgTech Investing Report
• The Importance of the Water-Energy-Food Nexus in the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Scaling Innovation at the Energy-Agriculture Nexus in East Africa
• High-tech Agriculture Can Prevent Oncoming Global Water Wars
• 14 Assists That Will Help Women Entrepreneurs Score in 2017
• Why Founders Fail To Market Their Products
• What Separates Entrepreneurs and Venture Capitalists
• Agricultural Exposure to Water Stress: Competition for and Depletion of Water in Major Agricultural Areas