Ecosystem · Connect & fund
Impact Startup Challenge
Pitch a solution to a pressing social issue. Finalists get mentorship, introductions to investors and seed funding.
The Impact Startup Challenge is SIA’s competition for new ideas that solve social problems. You bring the problem you care about and your idea for solving it; SIA brings mentors, judges and seed funding.
The last edition received more than 450 ideas, and PKR 1.5 million was awarded. The Challenge is based in Quetta and is also a route into the Ideate stage of the SIA Pathway, so a good idea does not stop at the final.
- Last edition
- 450+ ideas
- Awarded
- PKR 1.5M
Submit your idea
The problem you care about, and your idea for solving it. CONFIRM: the languages accepted for Challenge entries.
Thank you. Your idea is in, and the team will be in touch about the next step. Your reference is {ref}.Create a free My SIA account to follow it, send documents and talk to the team.
How it works
From idea to pitch
CONFIRM: the stages of the next edition.
- 1Submit your ideaDescribe the problem, who it affects and your solution
- 2ShortlistThe strongest ideas are selected
- 3Bootcamp and mentoringShape your idea with mentors
- 4PitchPresent to judges and investors
- 5AwardsSeed funding for the winners
- 6Next stageA route into Ideate on the Pathway
What finalists get
- Mentorship from experienced founders and professionals
- Introductions to investors
- Seed funding for the winning ideas
- A place on the SIA Pathway
What makes a strong entry
- A clear problem: who has it, where, and how you know
- A solution people will use, and pay for if they can
- A first step you can test in weeks, not years
- A way to show the change you make
- A team that knows the community
These are our tips, not the judging rules. The rules for each edition come with the call.
Prepare to pitch
A pitch in six parts
Finalists pitch to a panel of judges. A clear pitch helps judges understand your idea quickly, whatever language you pitch in.
- The problem: one real person who has it, and how many others do.
- Your solution: what it is and how it works, in plain words.
- Proof: anything you have tested, sold or learned so far.
- The money: who pays, and roughly what it costs to run.
- The team: why you are the people to do this.
- The ask: what you will do with the seed funding.
Keep each part short. Practise with a timer and with someone who does not know your idea.
CONFIRM: pitch length and judging criteria for the next edition.
FAQ
Questions about the Challenge
When is the next Challenge?
CONFIRM: dates of the next edition. Register your interest on this page and you will hear when the call opens.
Who can enter?
The Challenge asks for solutions to pressing social issues. CONFIRM: who can enter the next edition (age range, location, team size).
Can I write my entry in Urdu?
SIA programmes accept applications in Urdu or English. CONFIRM: the languages accepted for Challenge entries.
Does it cost anything to enter?
CONFIRM: whether entry is free.
I did not win. What now?
The Challenge is one way into the Pathway, not the only one. Look at Ideate, where SIA teaches first-time founders to turn an idea into a plan.
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