FAQs
- Are residents of all countries eligible to apply?
You can apply for the challenge only if you are currently a resident of one of the 34 eligible countries listed below.
- Which are the eligible countries? Why those specific countries
Eligible countries: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Vietnam.
The 34 countries have been selected because they meet the criteria of being relevant to the challenge sponsor, HSBC, relevant to the topic of activating a Green Changemaker movement, and importantly, they are all countries where Ashoka has capacity to run due diligence checks and disburse funds. We appreciate that there will be great innovations happening outside of our eligibility criteria which we unfortunately will be unable to support with this particular challenge.
- I don’t have a registered organization. Can I still apply?
Yes, if your venture is not incorporated yet (as a non-profit, for-profit, or hybrid organization); you can still apply if you are close to incorporating in the near future.
- I have previously won an Ashoka Challenge, can I apply?
Applicants who have previously won an HSBC Challenge with Ashoka are not eligible to apply. All other Ashoka Challenge winners (where HSBC has not been a partner) are eligible to apply.
- I have been funded by HSBC before, can I apply?
No. Partners or initiatives that are already financed or supported by HSBC its affiliates, subsidiaries or joint ventures are not eligible
- Can my team members edit my entry on the challenge platform?
No. The platform does not currently allow multiple people to edit the same entry.
- Can an individual/organization make multiple applications?
No, only one application per individual/initiative will be accepted.
- Can a Network Partner enter?
Yes, Network Partners are eligible to apply for the challenge.
- Can I include attachments with my application?
No, attachments cannot be uploaded. However, you’ll have the opportunity to upload images with your application.
- Do all applications have to be English?
Yes, all applications must be in English for consistency and to make it easier for our reviewers to go through the applications.
- How will the Early Entry winners be selected?
All eligible applicants who apply by March 29th will be evaluated against each other based on the above evaluation criteria. Apps will be scored and reviewed by the challenge team who will then deliberate on the top 3 winners.
- If I win an Early Entry prize, can I still win the Challenge?
Yes, all 3 Early Entry prize winners will still be eligible to win the Challenge. However, winning the Early Entry prize does not guarantee that you will be shortlisted for the next stage of the Challenge but it does mean that you get $1,500 to support your project!
- How many winners will there be?
The Challenge will have up to 12 winners, with the opportunity to win minimum $15,000 and maximum $25,000 each. The Challenge Team will decide funding amounts awarded to each winner.
- How many times can I edit my application?
You can edit your application as many times as you want before the 26 April 2023 deadline.