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CALL FOR NOMINATIONS – MSMEs DRIVING SDG IMPACT IN LESOTHO
Empowering high‑growth Medium, Small, and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs) in:
Agriculture, Food & Beverages | Manufacturing & Consumer Goods | Healthcare | Renewable Resources & Alternative Energy | Financials
About the Lesotho GSIV Programme
The Government of Lesotho, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme , launches the 2025 Growth Stage Impact Ventures Call for Nominations of MSMEs aligned to the country’s SDG Investor Map. By supporting MSMEs in these sector Agriculture, Food & Beverages, Manufacturing & Consumer Goods, Healthcare, Renewable Resources & Alternative Energy, and Financial Services, UNDP demonstrates the investable pipeline that can propel inclusive, sustainable growth.
The selected finalists will gain exposure through UNDP and Government networks, visibility via showcasing their ventures at national investment promotion platforms and training to integrate the SDG Impact Standards for Enterprises that provides a holistic universal framework and management approach for embedding sustainability and the SDGs in all decision-making across business functions.
Since 2019, UNDP’s Growth Stage Impact Ventures (GSIV) programme has identified and showcased commercially successful ventures that deliver measurable contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through a competitive process, GSIV highlights enterprises with proven impact, solid revenues, and the ambition to scale.
Why Apply: Selected ventures gain global visibility, tailored capacity‑building, and access to investors who recognize the power of purpose‑driven business.
ELIGIBILITY & SECTOR SPOTLIGHTS
Lesotho’s GSIV 2025 initiative seeks to identify high-potential MSMEs that not only demonstrate commercial viability but also contribute meaningfully to the country’s sustainable development priorities. The eligibility criteria ensure that selected ventures are mature, impact-driven, and capable of scaling their solutions.
Core Eligibility Criteria
Geography: This Call for Nominations aims to promote the development of the private sector in Lesotho. Only ventures with substantial operations in Lesotho with a management team and workforce primarily based in Lesotho and providing products and services mostly in Lesotho, are eligible.
Impact: be a mission-driven enterprise with an impact-driven model meaning that the venture aims to generate a measurable, positive economic, social or environmental impact, with impact management procedures and measurement metrics and/or key performance indicators in place; and the potential to contribute to the achievement of more than one SDG, in an integrated way;
Financial Record: have an established business model and strong financial track record based on the company’s management accounts and audited financials (if available), number of clients, annual revenue, EBITDA, break-even, previous funding raised;
Investment: have raised at least M1,324,477.50 (approx. $75,000) or reached break-even through organic growth;
Innovation: present an innovative technology, business model, or process with a strong competitive advantage (intellectual property, clear unique selling proposition, uniqueness factor);
Team: retain a solid team with complementary competencies to run and grow a business;
Scalability: demonstrate that the solution is scalable at the regional, continental, or cross-sectoral level.
Priority Sectors
Sector | Illustrative Focus Areas |
|---|---|
Agriculture, Food & Beverages | Climate‑smart farming, post‑harvest technologies, nutritious processed foods, cold‑chain logistics |
Manufacturing & Consumer Goods | Sustainable textiles, circular‑economy packaging, locally made FMCGs replacing imports |
Healthcare | Digital health platforms, affordable diagnostics, last‑mile pharmaceutical distribution |
Renewable Resources & Alternative Energy | Mini‑grids, solar irrigation, biomass value chains, clean‑cooking solutions |
Financials | Inclusive fintech, micro‑insurance, Agri‑credit platforms, green financing products |
Who Can Nominate?
Only third‑party organisations - accelerators, impact funds, family offices, development banks, government agencies, NGOs, and similar entities may nominate ventures.
Self‑nominations are not accepted, though nominators are encouraged to collaborate with the enterprise to ensure information accuracy.
Selection Process
Call for Nominations ‑ online submission by third parties.
Shortlisting ‑ UNDP validates eligibility and invites shortlisted ventures to submit detailed profiles.
Final Selection ‑ Multidisciplinary panel evaluates impact, business performance, and scalability to select finalists.
WHY APPLY? BENEFITS FOR FINALISTS & NOMINATORS
Benefits for Selected Ventures
Visibility – Endorsement by UNDP and promotion through local and global channels, including the SDG Investor Platform.
Capacity Building – Pitch‑training workshops and hands‑on guidance to embed SDG Impact Standards and robust impact management.
Networking & Access to Capital – Invitations / participation to high‑profile investor forums and facilitated introductions across UNDP’s 170‑country network.
Benefits for Nominators
Recognition on UNDP websites and publications.
Invitations to exclusive ecosystem and investor events.
How to Nominate
Visit the online form at:
Complete all required fields, attaching evidence of the venture’s impact, financials, and scalability.
Submit by Sunday 26th September 2025, 11.59pm Lesotho Time.
For queries, contact Refuoe Kajane, UNDP Lesotho, refuoe.kajane@undp.org, or Motulu Molapo, UNDP Lesotho, motulu.molapo@undp.org or Zain Kazmi, UNDP Sustainable Finance Hub, zain.kazmi@undp.org