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Grants
On-Site
About the Call for Grant
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Challenges portal is the primary hub for innovation competitions and developmental grants aimed at addressing the most critical infrastructure, social, and economic challenges across Asia and the Pacific. These challenges seek scalable, technology-driven solutions from startups, SMEs, research institutions, and NGOs. Projects supported by ADB focus on "Developmental Impact"—meaning they must be ready for implementation to help ADB member countries (including Kazakhstan) achieve their sustainable development goals.
Eligibility
- Geographic Focus: Strongly aligned with ADB member countries. Kazakhstan and Central Asian organizations are prime candidates.
- Entity Types: Open to a wide range of actors, including startups, social enterprises, academic research labs, and non-profit organizations.
- Project Readiness: Most challenges require a TRL (Technology Readiness Level) of 4 or higher (prototype or pilot ready for deployment).
- Policy Alignment: Proposals must explicitly address one of ADB’s core operational priorities: Climate Change, Digital Transformation, Gender Equality, or Governance/Regional Cooperation.
Format:
Innovation Implementation & Development Funding
💰 Funding Structure:
- Prize & Grant Pools: Ranging from $20,000 to $500,000+ depending on the challenge.
- Implementation Scaling: Many winning projects are later integrated into larger ADB-funded national infrastructure projects, providing access to multi-million dollar institutional contracts.
- Perks: Mentorship from regional development experts, networking with government officials, and technical validation from international development professionals.
⏱️ Project Timelines:
Challenges are fast-paced, typically requiring a 6 to 18-month implementation window for pilot testing.
📅 Application Deadlines & Status:
- Dynamic Portal: Unlike static academic funds, this portal is highly dynamic. New "Challenges" are added throughout the year as regional needs arise.
- Deadlines: There is no single annual cycle. Each specific challenge has its own unique timeline, often running for 2–3 months from the announcement date.
- Monitoring: Users must set up alerts on the portal to catch specific "calls" relevant to their industry (e.g., Water, Energy, Fintech, EdTech).
🔄 Evaluation Criteria:
- Developmental Impact: Ability to show measurable positive change in local communities.
- Scalability: Potential to roll out the solution across other regions or countries.
- Sustainability: Financial and operational model viability without indefinite grant support.