About =DREAMS Asia Breakthrough Prize
=DREAMS Asia wants to enhance the capability of Change Makers by building a community of peers, matching them with the right resources and journeying with them to manifest the impact that they dream of.
PROBLEM
Aspiring Change Makers (CM) in Singapore find it difficult to breakthrough the status-quo to have a real impact. Our system tends to foster a risk-averse mentality, preventing change. Whereas, elsewhere in the region. many are hungry and innovative but lack adequate resources to realize their goals.
The breakthrough we want to achieve in Singapore is to identify change makers and innovative organisations who work with low-income and vulnerable families with young children living in HDB rental flats. We want to empower them to break out of the poverty cycle.
THE BREAKTHROUGH GOAL
"Eradicate Poverty in Rental Public Housing in Singapore"
The competition will galvanize a community of solvers to collaborate and identify breakthroughs in eradicating poverty. They will partner with key stakeholders to build a scalable and sustainable national model.
TARGET AUDIENCE
All FSCs in Singapore, Social Enterprises working with vulnerable and low-income families. Universities and academics, and other interested groups. They all must have experience in working with poor families and commitment to tackling the issue of poverty.
THE BREAKTHROUGH COMPETITION
PRE-SELECTION
120 - 150 applications will register their interest and submit their proposal
25 Applications will be selected by both the ILC CSR team and =DREAMS team
8 will be shortlisted
8 finalists will each receive $25,000 to further develop their designs and re-submit after 6 months to the panel of judges for the final selection of the winner. The goal of this process is =DREAMS to have a pipeline of 25 applicants for its consideration for further support.
1 Winner will receive $500,000 for an innovative solution to eradicate poverty.
6-MONTH PROOF OF CONCEPT
The investment of $25,000 per team is to enable the contestants to "hire" a team or professional to work on the proof of concept even if they don't win the final prize.
They will be stimulated and motivated to carry on with the concept and hopefully put it into practice. Throughout the 6 months, they will be provided with a rich set of opportunities for them and access to:​
Mentors
Potential funders
Dialogues with policymakers, subject experts
Innovators
