IGNITE, Investment Readiness

IGNITE, Investment Readiness

IGNITE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

IGNITE aims to strengthen the investment deal flow by supporting tech-enabled startups and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises identified by IPSD II as having strong business and investment potential.

The program will assist these firms in developing effective financing strategies and attracting private investment through a comprehensive blend of technical assistance and financial support:

IGNITE - Investment readiness training and coaching program

IGNITE offers a comprehensive ‘business readiness’ and ‘investment readiness’ training and coaching program, along with ‘entrepreneur investor engagement’ activities targeted at tech-enabled startups and innovative small and medium-sized enterprises in the West Bank.

The objective is to equip Palestinian entrepreneurs with the confidence, knowledge, and skills needed to navigate the investment landscape. This includes strengthening their understanding of investment readiness, investor engagement, and the capital-raising process, such as identifying and attracting investors, understanding investment terms and negotiations, preparing data rooms, and meeting expectations during the due diligence process. The program will also prepare entrepreneurs to effectively manage relationships with investors post-investment.

IGNITE - Pre-Investment Grants

IGNITE startups who have not yet secured an investment will be encouraged to apply for a pre-Investment grant, a facility managed by the IPSD II in accordance with established evaluation criteria and subject to approval of the Pre-Investment Grants Committee. Coaching support is likely to continue after the beneficiary receives the Pre-Investment Grant.

In addition to IGNITE applicants, startups and SMEs that have completed participation in similar, internationally recognized investment readiness programs within the year preceding their IGNITE application (and not before 2025) may also be eligible to apply for Pre-Investment Grants. This aims to enable broader access to the grant facility for promising firms that have already undergone credible preparation for investment attraction.

The purpose of the Pre-Investment (PI) Grants will be to: (a) bridge the early commercialization funding gap to investment, (b) provide funding for entrepreneurs to address shortcomings identified by investors or early-stage investment experts, including the IGNITE Technical team (comprising mentors and experts provided by the international partner and approved by PIA), and (c) to improve the likelihood that firms can subsequently secure seed stage (angel, e.g.) investment within a short time frame (targeting 6–9 months). 
 

Eligibility Criteria:

Each company applying to the IGNITE program must meet all of the following eligibility criteria to be considered for further evaluation: -

  • Be a technology or technology-enabled company, legally registered, or in the process of legal registration; or committed to register with Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank. 
  • Be operational for at least 3 months prior to applying to the program. 
  • Annual revenues for previous years are not exceeding US$ 5,000,000. 
  • The proposed funded activities must have moderate to minimal or no environmental impact.
     

Firms selected to receive Pre-Investment Grants must be formally registered with the Ministry of National Economy in the West Bank prior to signing the grant agreement.