Human Development Innovation Fund


The Human Development Innovation Fund is a UKAid financed 40 million British Pound challenge fund providing grants to businesses, NGOs and research institutions for scaling innovations focused on the quality, value for money, and sustainability of basic services in education, health and water, sanitation and hygiene. HDIF was launched on May 12, 2014 with the support of the Vice President of Tanzania.
Among other honors received, in 2019 HDIF won the British Expertise award for best "International Collaborative Project."
According to DFID's business case for establishing the fund, the intended outputs of HDIF are testing and use of new innovations to manage and deliver basic human development services and enhance the evidence base and innovation ecosystem in Tanzania. HDIF supports the innovation ecosystem and government's roles in science, technology, and innovation through collaborations with Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology.
Distinguishing factors of HDIF as a challenge fund include the long investment period compared to other challenge funds, which reflects the desired intent to scale early innovations.

Innovation Week

In March 2015, HDIF curated the first annual Innovation Week in Tanzania, with open collaborative events on innovation and research, development, entrepreneurship, technology, and the arts. Collaborators in Innovation Week 2015 included KINU Innovation and Co-Creation Space, COSTECH, Ifakara Health Institute, Buni Innovation Hub, Nafasi Art Space, Deloitte Consulting, Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship Development, Tanzania Renewable Energy Business Incubator, and Tanzania Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness Centre.
From March 13, 2016 to March 19, 2016, HDIF convened the 2nd Annual Innovation Week in collaboration with DFID, COSTECH, BUNI Innovation Hub, KINU Innovation Hub, Deloitte, Nafasi Art Space, TAREBI, TASEF, NALEDI, NjeVenture, Ifakara Health Institute, Sauna Safari, Embassy of Finland, Archipelago and Palladium International.
A 3rd Annual Innovation Week took place from May 15–20, 2017. Participants in the event were "involved in creative storytelling, workshops for development, co-create an episode on innovation with Ubungo kids, listening to promising university's students led startups, explore research driven innovations by the Ifakara Health Institute and get an insight into development partner's donor funded approaches including the Principles for Digital Development."
The 4th annual Innovation Week took place from May 21-26 2018 with the theme 'Innovation into Action'.
The 5th annual Innovation Week took place from March 25 - 29 2019 and was attended by over 2,000 people with the theme 'Scaling and Sustaining Innovation for Human Development'. Regional Innovation Week events were held in Arusha and Iringa.
Innovation Week 2020 was the 6th Innovation Week, the theme was 'Innovate for Impact' with the hashtags #Innovate4Impact and #IW2020. It took place from the 8th - 13th of March 2020 in Dar es Salaam and from the 16th - 20th of March Mbeya, Iringa, Stone Town Dodoma, and Arusha, some events were held online due to COVID-19. The full schedule of events can be found on https://www.timetickets.co.tz/iw2020dar.

Recognition

HDIF has received recognition from The Guardian, The African Prosperity Report launch by Legatum, TanzICT, the Minister of Communication, Science and Technology of Tanzania, the Daily News, and the Center for Education Innovations. In April 2019 HDIF won the British Expertise International Award for Best International Collaborative Project.
Innovations supported by HDIF have received global recognition, including the use of drones for delivery of emergency medical supplies, nanofilters using a unique local business approach, and rats used to detect TB.

Portfolio

HDIF's portfolio consists of Initial Investments, Round 1, Round 2, and Round 3. Additionally, HDIF launched the Mawazo Challenge in 2016 to support earlier stage ideas from Tanzanian youth to be prototyped and launched. Round 3 of funding launched on June 19, 2017, with submissions due on September 8, 2017. A final round of Institutional Capacity Building grants were signed in early 2020.
As of 2019, HDIF's investments include:
OrganizationPartnersSectorStage
AMREFGSK, Vodacom, GAVIHealthPilot
ANZA Entrepreneurs LtdSilverleaf AcademiesEducationPilot
APHFTAAfya Micro-FinanceHealthScale Up
APOPOOperation ASHA, Mapambano ya Kifua Kikuu na Ukimwi Temeke HealthScale Up
Bremen Overseas Research and Development Association TanzaniaIfakara Health Institute Trust WASHScale Up
Camfed TanzaniaWorldReaders, KIVA, The Queen's TrustEducationPilot
Catholic Relief ServicesGrundfosWASHPilot
Comprehensive Community Based Rehabilitation in Tanzania Kabanga HospitalHealthPilot
Christian Social Services Commission Studi AcademyEducationPilot
Dageno Girls Center-EducationScale Up
DIMAGIPRINMAT, FHI360HealthPilot
Digital Opportunity Trust TanzaniaVocational Education Training Authority EducationPilot
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation D-Tree InternationalHealthScale Up
Fundación ParaguayaMasterCard Foundation, University of MinnesotaEducationPilot
Health Insurance Services Management Organization CIDRHealthPilot
Ifakara Health Institute Trust In2Care BVHealthPilot
Ifakara Health Institute Trust Zipline, University of GlasgowHealthPilot
Maji Safi kwa Afya Bora Ifakara Safe Welldone, VisibleSolutionsWASHScale Up
Massachusetts General HospitalJHPIEGOHealthScale Up
Muhimbili UniversityDeloitteHealthScale Up
Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and TechnologyGongali Model Ltd, A to Z IndustriesWASHScale Up
PharmAccess International Christian Social Services Commission, APHFTAHealthScale Up
Pyramid Pharma Limited-HealthPilot
Ubongo KidsMillicom EduMeEducationPilot
Sense International East AfricaEducationPilot
Shirati HospitalBruyere Research Institute, Ottawa University, Medic Mobile, CPAR, Amref Health AfricaHealthScale Up
Shule DirectEneza Education, TigoEducationPilot
SimGas Tanzania-WASHPilot
SNV Netherlands Development OrganisationUniversity of Twente, University of Dar es SalaamWASHPilot
Sproxil-HealthPilot
Stitching Investing in Children and their Societies SusteqWASHPilot
TotoHealth Co. LimitedWazazi Nipendeni SMS ServiceHealthScale Up
VecnaMnazi Mmoja Hospital Zanzibar, TigoHealthPilot
Voluntary Service Overseas General Electric, Ifakara Health InstituteHealthScale Up
World Vision TanzaniaMicrosoft, Team4Tech, Techno Brain, University of Dar es Salaam, Vocational Education Training Authority, Ministry of Labor and Employment, TANAPA, Ngorongoro Conservation Area AuthorityEducationScale Up
D-tree International-Health
Ubongo Learning Limited-Education
Catholic Relief Services CARITAS, VETA, Mbeya Cement, Peoples’ Development Forum and Local Government Authorities WASH
Dorcas Aid International TanzaniaHandeni Development Organization, Handeni District Council and AFRIpadsWASH
HakiElimuVIA University, Denmark and Mkwawa University College, IringaEducation
Well Told Story Limited-WASH
Karibu Tanzania OrganizationKisangara Institute of social workEducation

Partners

HDIF is funded by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development through UKAid, managed by Palladium International in consortium with KPMG, the Institute for Development Studies, Loughborough University, and Newcastle University.