Business Hub
BusinessHub FAQ
The Cohort 2 (2022) Call For Proposals is open from 10 November to 7 January 2022. Only applications received up to the deadline will be considered. Once completed, applications must be submitted by email to pfpbusinesshub@trcrc.org, using the application form and according to the application guidelines. For any queries regarding the application process, please email pfpbusinesshub@trcrc.org.
The application and selection process involves 3 main stages.
Stage 1: Preliminary Screening - Submission of a concept note
Stage 2: Detailed Application - Submission of a business plan
Stage 3: Interview with Field Visit - Final selection stage before cohort is announced
Each concept note will be reviewed to ensure that it complies with the eligibility criteria and will then be evaluated against the selection criteria, including significant social, environmental and economic impacts; gender equality, women’s empowerment, social inclusion, organic agriculture and fair trade practices.
Shortlisted candidates will proceed to submit a business plan which will be evaluated against the full list of selection criteria, which, in addition to those criteria listed above, includes: revenue streams, risk mitigation, realistic business financial plan and model, sustainability, scaling, replication and mechanism in place in monitoring and reviewing costs to gain support of project funders.
Applicants that make it through to Stage 3 will be interviewed in-person or virtually by the PoE and PFP Secretariat. Field visits will be organised to ensure contextual information that best reflects local conditions can be captured in the project scoring process.
(i) Project relevance to improving peatland management, (ii) Aligned to prioritised themes, (iii) Impact measured through peat protection, economic productivity and social inclusion & empowerment, (iv) Local stakeholder buy-in, (v) Realistic financial plan and business model, (vi) Clear needs for business support and technical assistance, (vii) Organisational strength, and (viii)Under supported geographical areas.
It is a 9-month journey with PFP aimed at optimizing innovative solutions in business, finance, and peat management with industry experts and investors - tailored for each unique business.
Up to 6 winners per cohort will be awarded. Final cohort members selected will be informed via PFP’s website and email. They will receive business support & technical assistance from the PFP Secretariat, PoE & PFP’s network of consultants and experts.
The PoE is an advisory committee that includes visionaries, experienced NGO leaders, experts on peatlands, innovative financing & impact fund experts, business incubators, private sectors and sustainable businesses. Primary roles and responsibilities of the PoE include (i) Advise PFP in the individual’s area of expertise, (ii) Assess and screen projects to meet PFP’s selection criteria, (iii) Provide strategic advice and mentorship to members of the Business Hub cohort (screening, acceleration, investment), (iv) Capacity building through interactive workshops and (v) Link cohort projects to advocacy initiatives, market access and funding opportunities.
People for Peat does not advocate for the conversion of intact peatlands into production landscapes. The Business Hub targets peatlands that are already being used for production, but can be used in a better way.
As long as the business aims to improve any of its environmental, social, and/or financial impact(s) without worsening the other(s), it is welcome to apply.
The Business Hub currently does not provide direct financial incentives but contributes via business and administrative support, technical assistance, and access to experts and investors instead.
The Business Hub programme helps businesses become investment ready through TA services to improve business profitability, environmental compliance/stewardship, and social inclusiveness. TA can include: a) Producing detailed action plans to improve environmental management at project site, maximise environmental impacts, and on-site support for implementation, b) Business support to improve business modeling and practices to maximise profits, minimise risks, and establish offtake agreements, and c) Tailoring the business plan and strategic engagements to maximise social impact and inclusiveness.
If successful, you will be the beneficiary of a 9-month long incubation programme and provided with business mentorship and technical assistance from a Panel of Experts; assisted by country-specific peatland consultants & PFP Secretariat. Through this programme, you will gain project visibility, regional and global market access, partnership and collaboration with non-state actor peatland networks across all ASEAN countries, access to capital from the PFP financial ecosystem & Multi-stage link to investors for detailed project funding alignment.
PFP Business Hub does not invest or take any equity in the projects during the accelerator programme.
Projects will be linked to investors in multiple stages throughout the accelerator programme, via face-to-face or online pitches. Our equivalent of a ‘Demo Day’ is a Business Summit tentatively set for 17 March & 26 August 2022.
While there is no direct PR support, our Communications team will work towards getting our projects highlighted in local and regional channels.
Our focus is to grow sustainable businesses on the peatland ecosystem by accelerating growth to be investment-ready for both the local, ASEAN and global market. Our key measure of success is to improve economic productivity, environmental protection, and social inclusion of businesses on peatlands through catalysing investment and business model transformation.
The call is open to bankable project ideas from all ASEAN Member States (excluding Brunei and Singapore) containing peatland ecosystems.
There are no financial limitations to the submissions. The applicant should submit a project budget outlining financing requirements that are commensurate to the stage and needs of the project. However, per the eligibility criteria, we expect bankable projects that offer a profitable revenue model.
Kindly email our team at pfpbusinesshub@trcrc.org. We will do our best to respond to all inquiries within three working days. This FAQ will be updated regularly to reflect questions that we receive from prospective applicants, to ensure all applicants have access to the same information.
