An incubation program supporting ecopreneurs in Kenya
The Restoration Factory is an innovative incubation program aiming at supporting Kenyan eco-entrepreneurs developing restoration projects.
Program partners
Local Implementing Partners
What is the Restoration Factory?
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and Bridge for Billions, along with the support of Partnerships For Forests (P4F), join forces to create an incubation program that will support up to 50 enterprises with the potential to restore natural ecosystems.
The Restoration Factory has been created to support the emergence of commercially-viable, community-inclusive and climate-resilient businesses that restore ecosystems and preserve landscapes. The program seeks to attract projects that show robust revenue generation perspectives and ambition to reach a critical mass. We aim to build a diverse and attractive cohort demonstrating commercial potential and wide adoption of nature-positive business models.
We are looking for early-stage enterprises putting restoration efforts at the heart of their business model and operations across the following value chains
GOODS
High-Value Crops and Ingredients used for medicinal purposes
Vegetation and Livestock products
Upcycling of Waste
SERVICES
Watershed Services
Ecotourism
Why participate?
Methodology and structure
Our program follow a step-by-step methodology, which allows you to work directly on your business and make the most important decisions, as well as visualize your financial projections or your growth and impact plan for the next years.
Find your mentor
You’ll be partnered with a professional to personally guide you, with whom you will have weekly video call sessions. This way, you can have an external point of view while you validate your project and advance in key aspects to define your business and its potential.
Learn more about our methodology here.
Experts on restoration
In addition to your personal mentor, you'll join group sessions to learn even more about the restoration sector, and network with other budding entrepreneurs.
A hybrid online and offline program
Collaborate from anywhere at any time through our online platform; at the same time your Program Managers will be Kenyan organizations and you will be able to access their facilities regularly along the program.
Build your own executive summary
The platform offers a learn-by-doing approach inspired by the most recent entrepreneurship methodologies and you'll get to generate your own Executive Summary in PDF format, a document you can share with potential investors, co-founders, etc.
Note this is an equity-free incubation program.
Global Community
Become a part of a supportive global community of founders that share resources and harness challenges together.
This program is perfect for you if...
- You operate in one of the ecological zones in the Coastal, Arid and Semi-Arid regions of Kenya.
Northern Kenya, Coast block/counties, Western Block (Kakamenga, Bungoma, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Transnzioa, Mt.Elgon), Lower eastern Block (Machakos, Makueni, Kitui, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu) and the Central Block (Laikipia, Baringo, Nyeri, Kajiado, Nyandarua, Samburu).
- You have a business idea with a validated MVP (Minimum Viable Product), or you have a young business and you haven't yet found a sustainable model for it (despite already having some sales).
- You have a reliable and stable internet connection.
- You have access to the key productive assets for your activity (you have secured community buy-in and key resources for execution such as land, etc.).
- Your venture has an executive team of at least 2-3 complementary profiles.
- You have a business-driven approach to your venture and are open to outside mentorship and guidance.
- You can commit to the whole duration of the program (7-8h/week during 6 months).
Apply before May 31st, 2022
Until May 31st, 2022
Tell us more about yourself and your venture by submitting your application below. Our team will evaluate the applications and will select the participants for this edition.
June 8th to June 24th, 2022
There will be a 3-step selection process: screening, pre-selecting* and interviews, and final selecting of the cohort participants.
*During the pre-selecting process, the shortlisted projects will participate in a trial period before the final ventures are selected.
June 29th to July 13th, 2022
Take part in our matching process! You will have the opportunity to meet online with volunteer mentors, both local and international. Once you have met several of them, both you and the mentors will submit your rankings in order to let us know who you think will be the best fit for your project's needs. Based on the rankings, we will make the best mentor-mentee pairs.
July 13th to December 28th, 2022
Welcome! Now you are ready to begin a 6-month incubation period to continue developing your business.
- Follow an online curriculum with 8 modules to build a robust value proposition and business strategy for your restoration venture.
- Meet weekly with your personal mentor on one-to-one online sessions to get a fresh perspective and make sure you're in the right direction.
- Attend online and offline group meetings to meet fellow founders and work on the soft and business skills needed to grow as an entrepreneur.
- Attend the technical sessions in your domain.
Questions about the program?
Restoration enterprises put ecosystems’ restoration at the heart of their business model and operations. Further information on the need, role and opportunities for restorative businesses is available from the platform of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration: https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/types-ecosystem-restoration
The Restoration Factory is a mentoring and business incubation support program that assists entrepreneurs and businesses in developing enticing and attractive business models that are focused on restoration of landscapes and ecosystems.
The program offer a 6-month curriculum blending online content and in-person check-ins.
. An online platform takes participants through an 8-module program covering market differentiation and business planning in order to maximize the commercial viability of restoration ventures.
. An assigned mentor helps participants (on a weekly basis, through 1.5 hour video calls or in-person meetings) to test their business assumptions and gather feedback to further their online curriculum progression.
. A local Entrepreneurship Support Organization provides participants with access to their facility, local market knowledge and tailored support.
The whole program takes 6 months and requires a minimum of 8 hours of work per week from you. The more time you’re able to put in, the better the results. A typical week you’ll spend:
• Around 3hrs working on the online modules
• At least 1h in a mentorship call with your personal mentor.
• At least 2hrs doing field work to validate your assumptions, get to know your customers and market, etc.
• Often 2hrs in group sessions either in person at your local Entrepreneurship Support Organization or online with your peers and/or UNEP or FAO experts.
If you have a business partner, you can divide the work. If you can’t commit to at least 7/8 hours per week for 6 months, this may not be the program for you.
We advise you to have a laptop or desktop computer and preferably one of these browsers: Google Chrome, Safari or Mozilla Firefox. However, our platform is also suitable for cell phones and tablets.
Also, we expect you to have a stable and reliable internet connection both for your work on the platform as well as to participate in the calls with your mentor via video call.
Motivation and time commitment are paramount to the success of your participation : this is an intensive 6-month curriculum blending tested methodologies and formats to maximize tangible progress toward commercial viability existing ventures.
In contrast to other incubation and/or acceleration programs, there is no partial ownership for equity schemes nor prize money.
Your mentor is your guide throughout the program — someone who understands the intricacies of your business. Week after week, your mentor will help you validate your strategy and design your growth plan. Mentors support you through your work on the platform and meet with you once a week to review the work done (typically using video calls).
Yes! You and your business partners can all participate in the program. Only one representative from your team should apply, but if selected you can easily invite your teammates in the beginning of the incubation stage.
Protecting your intellectual property is extremely important to us. Your application and program data are confidential.
Besides, both you and your intellectual property are protected by our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Your mentor will also sign a Mentorship Agreement that includes a confidentiality clause.
The aim of the program is to support its participants in achieving commercial viability as a pre-condition to investment.
Its top 10% graduates will be offered tailored-to-needs help in contracting with local, regional and/or international market. access providers. will be offered tailored-to-needs help in contracting with local, regional and/or international market access providers.
Do you have any other questions?
Connect directly with Afia, Program Manager of the Restoration Factory Program.
