IFC She Wins Climate Acceleration Program 2025

Welcome to She Wins Climate, an initiative launched by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and implemented by adelphi, VC4A and EBAN. This program aims to support women-led climate startups in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The program’s goal is to empower women-led startups with innovative climate change solutions by enhancing their investment readiness and fundraising capabilities. The comprehensive program includes in-person and virtual workshops, technical assistance, mentorship, and investment opportunities.

• Table of Content
• About International Finance Corporation (IFC)
• She Wins Climate Acceleration Program
• Aim and Benefits of She Wins Climate Acceleration Program
• Requirements for She Wins Climate Acceleration Program Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for She Wins Climate Acceleration Program
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About International Finance Corporation (IFC)

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) is an international financial institution that offers investment, advisory, and asset-management services to encourage private-sector development in less developed countries. The IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It was established in 1956, as the private-sector arm of the World Bank Group, to advance economic development by investing in for-profit and commercial projects for poverty reduction and promoting development The IFC's stated aim is to create opportunities for people t... continue reading

She Wins Climate Acceleration Program

Application Deadline	07 Apr 2025
Type	Entrepreneurs
Sponsor	International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Gender	Men and Women

Aim and Benefits of She Wins Climate Acceleration Program

What the program offers:

• Investment Opportunities: Connect with top investors and participate in curated pitch events.
• Mentorship: Receive specialized guidance from global experts in climate innovation and female entrepreneurship.
• Visibility: Showcase your startup to a global audience of partners and stakeholders.
• Tailored Training: Enhance your skills in investment readiness and pitching.
• Business Technical Support: Obtain support for your daily operations.
• Peer-to-Peer Learning: Engage with fellow entrepreneurs to share experiences and insights.

Requirements for She Wins Climate Acceleration Program Qualification

This program is tailored for women startup founders whose ventures are focused on climate change solutions or technologies and are based in Eastern Europe or Central Asia (refer to the country list below).

Before starting this application, please ensure that you meet the following eligibility criteria.

• Criteria for Participants:
  • You must be 21+ years of age
  • You must identify as a woman
  • You must be the founder, co-founder, owner, or executive of the startup
  • You must be fluent in English
• Criteria for Startups:
  • Women-Owned/Women-Led: Your startup must be owned or led by women (see definition below).*
  • For-Profit and Legally Registered: Your startup must be a for-profit entity, legally registered as an independent entity, and in business for at least one year at the time of submission.
  • Market Presence and Revenue Generation: Your startup must offer a product or service that is available on the market and generating revenue.
  • Early-Stage: Your startup should be in the early stages, beyond the ideation phase (targeting ventures at the pre-SEED, SEED, and Series-A funding stages). More mature businesses will also be considered unless they are at the growth or exit stage.
  • Regional Presence:The majority of your startup’s employees, assets, or operations must be based in one of the following countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
  • Tech-Enabled Climate Solutions: Your product or service must be tech-enabled and explicitly focused on climate change solutions, with climate change being core to your startup’s mission, strategy, and operations.
    • Solutions and technologies could address greenhouse gas emissions reductions, energy efficiency, adaptation and resilience, circular processes, sustainable products or services, pollution reduction or prevention, conservation, and/or nature-based solutions.
    • Startups with only a minor focus on climate change are not eligible for this program.

*Definition of women-owned/women-led:

Interview date, Process and Venue for She Wins Climate Acceleration Program

Selection Criteria

All startups that meet the criteria are invited to apply to this program. The selection process is competitive, and applicants will be assessed in comparison to their peers, based on the quality of their application.

The implementation team will filter applications for eligibility. There will be a second application review led by regional investors and climate experts that will evaluate the applications based on the following key areas:

• Innovation (20%)
• Impact (20%)
• Scalability and Growth (30%)
• Market Traction & Financials (30%)

By completing this form, you acknowledge that the information provided is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Providing false, misleading, or incomplete information may result in the disqualification of your application or withdrawal of any offers made. We encourage you to answer all questions honestly and thoroughly to ensure a fair evaluation process.

Application Deadline

April 7, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to International Finance Corporation (IFC) on vc4a.com to apply

Applications are now open! Submit your application by 7 April 2025 to join the She Wins Climate cohort. The program runs for approximately 10 months, starting in April 2025. Complete your application by clicking the link in the top right of the page.

This form is the official application for the She Wins Climate regional startup acceleration program in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

If you experience any technical difficulties with the form, please contact us at [email protected].

Deadline for Applications: 7 April 2025.

For more details, visit VC4A program webpage