$30,000 grants up for grabs for ICT start-ups – plus a trip to Azerbaijan!

Start-ups specialising in information and communications technology have until August 10 to apply for a $30,000 grant from the Information Society Innovation Fund.

The ISIF is a grants and awards program that facilitates and recognises creative ICT solutions that benefit communities around the Asia-Pacific region.

Grants will be provided to project proposals to be implemented in a period of six to 12 months for up to $30,000 that are aligned with the funding categories and eligibility criteria.

Information and development should be an integral part of all project proposals received during the application process. The deadline to accept submissions is August 10.

Grants allocation is decided through a competitive process following a rigorous selection process.

According to Philip Smith, director of learning and development at the Asia Pacific Network Information Centre, ISIF’s “defining feature” is the network it builds among project teams.

The Asia Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) is the ISIF Secretariat.

“We can give our support, but for the teams themselves to communicate and learn from each other is what makes the program work so well,” Dr Smith said in a statement.

But the grants aren’t the only thing on offer.

Winners of the 2012 ISIF Asia Awards will receive a cash prize of $3,000 and a travel grant to attend the Internet Governance Forum in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.

There they will showcase their project and participate in discussions about the future of the internet.

Due to an overwhelming response, the deadline for nominations for the 2012 awards has been extended to August 10.

APNIC encourages members of the Asia-Pacific internet community to nominate initiatives that deserve recognition.

The 2012 award categories are innovation on access provision, innovation on learning and localisation, code for the common good, and rights.

In addition to one winner from each category, the Community Choice Award will go to the project with the highest number of community votes following a social media campaign.

Phet Sayo, of the International Development Research Centre, which is an ISIF Asia partner, said the awards recognise the success of outstanding initiatives in their categories.

“The awards also showcase some remarkable initiatives that have improved the lives of people in communities across the region.”

“This gives these project teams the attention they might not get otherwise, which of course inspires others.”