Timeline

Ideas (29 March 2017 to 1 May 2017)

Applicants will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Business models: Business models of applicants will be evaluated on innovativeness, sustainability and ability to scale impact. Enterprises must demonstrate how they can reach long-term financial stability /growth with viable rates of return. They must also demonstrate the potential to replicate their business model across regions, as well the unique value proposition needed to thrive in the market.
  By business model viability, we mean innovativeness in process or products/service, sustainability and ability to scale.

• Impact: Applicants should clearly present the business, social or environmental problem that their business model seeks to address and articulate how the beneficiaries/customers benefit from their operations. By social impact, we mean that the idea should present the economic, social or environmental problem that their startup seeks to address and articulate how the beneficiaries or customers will benefit from their operations. Social impact can be created by directly providing livelihoods to the vulnerable segments of society (rural, women etc.) or by bringing services/products they did not have access to before.

• Potential of the Founder / Founder Team: The applicants will be assessed on their likelihood of making the leap to becoming a gamechanger through their participation in KGC experience and KGC communities. Ideas are worthless without a founding team that has the right qualities to turn a promising idea into a proven businesss model into an extraordinary startup that changes the lives of its customers. What sort of applicant is a gamechanger? There is no formula but founders tend to be either hackers (product builders), hustlers (marketers and sellers of products), artists (style product to fit the customer) or organisers (manage and grow teams), or they combine one or more of those factors. They also possess in variety of degrees strong values of honesty and fair play, obsessive ability to execute, tenacious grit, and over-riding optimism.

Selection
(5 May 2017)

2017 Kumul GameChangers founders cohort will be announced on 5 May 2017. Up to 40 entrepreneurs selected, with candidates assessed on quality of scalable innovative ideas and candidates potential to impact through variety of initiatives.

Entrepreneur Development
(2 June – 16 June 2017)

In partnership with international and local trainers and PNG leading business and impact agents, the selected entrepreneurs will undergo intensive entrepreneurship development to ensure that they have the skills and mentality to become successful start-up entrepreneurs and development game changers.

Startup Seed and Development
(6-12 months from 16 June 2017)

Startups will have access to technical, business, legal, tax, strategic and marketing advice through the Kumul entrepreneurship center, as well as access to business mentors.
Strategic and one-on-one mentoring by investors and sector experts through partnerships with the Business Council of PNG and the Kumul Foundation’s other strategic partners.

Start-Up PNG Conference
(6 – 9 November 2017)

PNG’s leading entrepreneurship conference showcasing KGC startups, and entrepreneurship trends and experiences from around the region and around the world.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to enter your idea, you must meet the following criteria:

• Be a for-profit enterprise/idea/business model
• If you are already registered, must be registered in PNG
• Cater to one of the high impact sectors. Women empowerment and technology will be considered as cross cutting across the high-impact sectors.

Why Apply?

Enterpreneurship development

Get a unique opportunity to develop your entrepreneurship ability in a life changing experience.

Become part of a unique community of change makers

Become part of a unique and collaborative community of people dedicating to making the country and the world a better place, by initiating and scaling impact initiatives repeatedly.

Get the chance to raise funding

Get your startup the funds it seeks! Kumul GameChangers brings together leading mainstream and impact investment houses from across the country and outside. Here’s what you stand to gain:

• Pitch to leaders from global financial institutions at the Kumul GameChangers Conference 2017
• Get access to debt funding at preferential interest rates from our partner financial institutions

Strategic Planning Support

Challenge yourself through one-on-one support and structured knowledge sessions. Get access to an unparalleled resource of business, strategic, tax and legal advice and access to a stellar cast of PNG’s leading business people as mentors to refine your business strategies, financial statements, and revenue models.

Access to Global Networks

Kumul GameChangers Initiative is building alliances with a range of global partners and facilitates cross- pollination of ideas and sector knowledge across geographies including through the Global Entrepreneurship Network and international incubators such as Draper University.

Media Visibility

Get featured in global and national media and have your capabilities and startup showcased in print, television, radio and social media. Get the opportunity to be featured before a global audience through our extensive marketing initiatives and media partnerships!