HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE)

The HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE) is a competition targeting for-profit organisations in Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, and Nepal to develop scalable solutions for climate resilience, water security, and sustainable tourism. Selected winners will receive cash prizes between USD 5,000 and 25,000, alongside mentoring, leadership training, and investment mobilisation support to implement their projects over a nine-month period ending in December 2025.

• The challenge targets for-profit organisations and entrepreneurs located in specific areas of the Hindu Kush Himalaya: the entire territories of Bhutan and Nepal, the Chittagong Hill Tracts in Bangladesh, and the Indian Himalayan Region.
• Eligible innovations must address ecological, market, and value chain challenges, with a particular focus on three priority areas: resilient agriculture (including non-timber forest products), water security (addressing glacial melt and floods), and climate-resilient sustainable tourism.
• Up to 10 winners will be awarded cash prizes ranging from USD 5,000 to 25,000 to scale their solutions over a nine-month implementation period from April to December 2025.
• Winners receive a comprehensive support package including up to 24 hours of tailored mentoring before March 2025, continued mentoring of 4 hours per month through December 2025, and participation in a Leadership Academy based on executive management practices.
• The selection process uses a 100-point scoring system based on seven criteria: innovativeness, potential for impact, equity (gender and human rights), scalability, profitability and sustainability, team composition, and risk.
• The program includes resource and investment mobilisation support, where GRP and ICIMOD help finalists prepare for pitching events to attract funders and partners.

APA

Global Resilience Partnership (n.d.). HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE). https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/challenge-guidelines-for-applicants-2.pdf

Chicago

Global Resilience Partnership. HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE). n.d. https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/challenge-guidelines-for-applicants-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Resilience Partnership |title=HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE) |url=https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/challenge-guidelines-for-applicants-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalresiliencepartnershipndhkhinnovation, author = {{Global Resilience Partnership}}, title = {{HKH-Innovation Challenge for Entrepreneurs (ICE)}}, institution = {Global Resilience Partnership}, url = {https://www.globalresiliencepartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/challenge-guidelines-for-applicants-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }