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Context

Clean cooking solutions exist. Efficient, accessible and economically viable, they remain one of the most underscaled levers in sustainable development.

The Solar Impulse Foundation identifies, assesses and promotes solutions that are both environmentally and economically viable.

The Winds of Hope Foundation supports humanitarian initiatives delivering concrete, lasting aid to children and communities affected by conflict, disaster, disease or poverty, prioritising high-impact, affordable interventions that build long-term resilience.

Both foundations believe clean cooking is one of the most powerful drivers for improving health, living conditions and environmental protection simultaneously. This call for solutions reflects that shared ambition.

Learn more about this collaborative initiative

Ecosystem Supporters

1. Logo GPA
2. Logo SOLCO
3. Logo Last Mile Climate
4. Logo GreenCape
5. Logo GeCCo
7. Logo Ethiopian Clean Cooking
6. Logo Clean Cooking Sub Sahara
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The Challenge in Numbers

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2.3 billion people

still rely on wood, charcoal or kerosene for cooking (IEA, 2023) increasing costs, straining ecosystems, and releasing harmful particulate matter and black carbon.

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$2.4 trillion per year

the global cost of cooking on polluting fuels - healthcare, climate impacts and lost productivity for women (World Bank, 2020).

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4 hours per day

spent by women and girls collecting fuel, limiting access to education and economic participation (IEA, 2025).

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2.9M premature deaths per year

from indoor air pollution, disproportionately affecting women and children in the world's most underserved communities (WHO, 2023).

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1.3M ha of forest destroyed annually

driven by demand for firewood and charcoal (IEA, 2025).

What Are We Looking For?

01 Reducing Household Air Pollution

Technologies reducing smoke exposure and harmful indoor emissions from cooking, especially from firewood, charcoal and other polluting fuels.

Examples:

  • Low-emission cookstoves
  • Advanced biomass stoves, including gasifier and efficient combustion technologies
  • Ventilation and smoke reduction innovations


02 Accelerating Higher-Tier Cooking Transitions

Technologies supporting the transition toward Tier 4+ efficient clean cooking solutions (referring to the Multi-Tier Framework, see Q&A for details).



Examples:

  • Electric cooking technologies
  • Induction cooking technologies
  • Infrared cookstoves
  • Electric pressure cookers
  • Liquid and gaseous fuel stoves (ethanol, lpg)


03 Expanding Access to Affordable Clean Cooking

Clean cooking delivery models and technologies making Tier 4+ cooking solutions more accessible and financially viable for low-income households.



Examples:

  • Energy-as-a-service models
  • Pay-as-you-go systems
  • Low-cost clean cooking technologies
  • Institutional cooking
  • Carbon finance or result based financing (RBF) supported models


04 Supporting Cooking Access in Underserved & Displacement Settings

Technologies adapted to rural communities and underserved contexts.



Examples:

  • Portable systems
  • Stand-alone solar
  • Off-grid cooking technologies
  • Solutions adapted to low-infrastructure contexts


05 Boosting Clean Energy Infrastructure for Cooking

Technologies enabling reliable, affordable and sustainable energy access for clean cooking, particularly in energy-constrained and off-grid environments.

Examples:

  • Battery-supported electric cooking solutions
  • Renewable energy deployment enabling clean cooking access
  • Solar-electric cooking technologies

Benefits For Selected Solutions

Eligibility Criteria

  • Solution type

    Product (digital or physical), service, or process.

  • Implementation and market traction

    Demonstrate proven implementation or market traction.

  • Health and/or environmental benefits

    Show measurable benefits overt traditional cooking, consistent with MTF Tier 4+ standards.

  • Scalability

    Show clear potential to scale to new users, markets, or geographies.

  • Prove economic viability

    Addressing affordability and deployment barriers.


With particular interest for 
  • Locally-led initiatives
  • Women-led enterprises
  • Solutions deployed in refugee and displacement settings
  • PAYGO and innovative financing models

Selection Process & Timeline

10 winning solutions will be selected by an independent jury who will also identify one outstanding solution among the chosen ten.

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📩 Interested?

If you are developing an innovative technology that addresses some of the mentioned challenges or are aware of an innovative solution in this field, we would be delighted to hear from you.

FAQs

Can I learn more about the collaboration between the Solar Impulse Foundation and Winds of Hope on this project?

The Solar Impulse Foundation and the Winds of Hope Foundation have joined forces to identify and promote clean cooking solutions that are both environmentally sustainable and economically viable, with a focus on communities in the Global South. For more details on the partnership and its objectives, visit: windsofhope.org/clean-cooking

Who can submit a Solution?

You do not need to be the owner or creator of a solution to apply. Anyone who is aware of a solution addressing the challenges outlined in this call is welcome to submit an application.

What is the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF), and what does the "Tier 4+" standard mean for eligibility?

The Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) is used by the World Bank and global health organizations to classify household cooking systems. It rates household cooking access on a 0–5 scale rather than a simple "clean / not clean" split. It looks at six dimensions: smoke exposure, energy efficiency, convenience, fuel availability, safety, and affordability. Tier 0 is a traditional open fire; Tier 4 is the threshold for "modern energy cooking services" (clean across all six dimensions); Tier 5 is the cleanest and most convenient. Select the highest tier your solution enables a household to reach.

Does the solution need to have received the SIF Efficient Solution Label to be eligible?

No, the label is not a prerequisite for submitting a solution to this call. All solutions meeting the eligibility criteria are welcome, regardless of whether they have previously been assessed by the Solar Impulse Foundation.

Can I submit more than one application?

Yes, you are welcome to submit multiple applications, provided each solution meets the eligibility criteria.

Who will be on the jury?
The jury is currently being formed. To avoid any conflicts of interest or bias, jury members will not be disclosed at this stage. Further information will be shared in due course. The jury will indicatively comprise:
  • Technical experts
  • Institutional actors
  • Deployment practitioners
  • Finance and policy specialists
How long will it take to receive a reply after submitting a solution?

Please note that no automatic confirmation message will be sent upon submission. We will only communicate the outcome of the call once the jury has completed its selection and identified the top 10 solutions. If your solution is among those selected, you will be contacted directly in accordance with the timeline set out above.

Is there anything I can do in the meantime?

If you are the owner of the solution you submitted and it has not yet received the SIF Efficient Solution Label, we encourage you to apply for it. To do so, create an innovator account here and follow the steps explained in this article. If you would like to contribute to the project in any other way, feel free to contact us at solution@solarimpulse.com.

What happens if my solution is not selected?

If your solution is not selected, you will be informed once the jury has finalised its decision. We encourage you to apply for the SIF Efficient Solution Label if you have not already done so, and to follow the Solar Impulse Foundation and Winds of Hope to stay informed about future opportunities and collaborations.

What happens if my solution is selected?
If your solution is among the top 10 selected by the jury, we will contact you directly as indicated in the timeline above. From that point, a collaboration will begin between your team, the Solar Impulse Foundation, and Winds of Hope. We ask that you remain available and responsive throughout the process, as we will need to gather detailed information about your solution in order to feature it across our communications, including social media, publications, and awareness campaigns.

Terms of Agreement

By taking part in this call, applicants commit to staying responsive and engaged throughout the process, as the programme works as a dynamic, two way exchange rather than a one off submission.