Terms and Participation Criteria
1. Context
Innovation is the source of inspiration for change. The Gulf of California region faces significant challenges, such as rapid growth, water scarcity, impacts on marine life and natural ecosystems, waste, pollution, social displacement, and unequal economic and social development. As part of the East Cape Futures Initiative and in the lead-up to the next FCE Forum 2025 (February 12-14), we are seeking positive, innovative, and inspirational models, new ways of thinking and acting, technologies adapted to the environment, social integration, and respect for biodiversity and natural ecosystems.
Tourism and real estate development, while essential to the region’s economy, also generate negative social, economic, and environmental impacts. These sectors require innovations that mitigate, and preferably reverse, these impacts, promoting balanced and sustainable socio-economic development. These innovations must align with the principles of regenerative development.
2. Objetive
The East Cape Futures Initiative (iFCE) invites all innovators from the Gulf of California region to participate in this call for entries. We aim to recognize individuals, entrepreneurial collectives, projects, social and business organizations, and researchers who are pioneering new directions in innovation, sustainability, and regeneration in the Gulf of California region. We focus primarily, though not exclusively, on tourism, real estate development, and innovations serving these sectors.
3. Categories for Participation
In the spirit of reaching and discovering as many innovators as possible, we suggest these categories as a thematic guide rather than specific categories.
- Innovative methods and technologies in projects related to tourism and real estate development, as well as innovation in design, location, planning, construction materials, and operation.
- Example: Eco and bio-construction and materials.
- Projects that strengthen commitment to the natural, cultural, and social values that define a region.
- Innovative collaborations towards better growth and regional development models, related to the tourism/real estate sector and related services.
- Social impact projects.
- Citizenship and collective action.
- Conservation and protection of natural resources (water, soil, biodiversity, green spaces, coasts, marine resources, etc.).
- Innovations that mitigate the negative environmental impacts of tourism and real estate development and the dynamics they trigger.
- Innovation in sustainable and regenerative investment (ESG, impact capital, philanthropy).
- Innovative methods and entities for financing sustainable/regenerative tourism and real estate development projects, and adjacent topics.
- Innovation in sustainable/regenerative tourism companies.
- Innovation in community-based entrepreneurship and leadership.
- Business projects with local/community roots that improve the tourism and real estate sectors and increase local participation in these sectors.
- Innovation in alternative models of organization and collaboration (cooperatives, collectives, networks, etc.).
4.2. Submission Process
- Nomination Form:
Complete the nomination form available on the IFCE website. - Submission of Documentation:
Attach all required documentation in text, PDF format, links, and/or JPG, PNG in the form. - Deadline:
November 15, 2024. - Confirmation of Receipt:
Once the nomination is received, the nominee will be sent a confirmation via email.
5. Evaluation, Selection, and Recognition Process
An evaluation committee will select the winning innovators. The committee will be announced at least four weeks before the application deadline. It will consist of a diverse, multi-sector group with relevant experience and professionalism to impartially select the finalists and winners of this call.
The winners and a selection of the best participants will be featured and promoted on IFCE platforms, including the website, social media, public forums, and other media. The aim is to create a dynamic group of innovators, experts, projects, collaborations, and inspiring examples.
The evaluation committee will review all nominations based on the following criteria:
- Innovation and Originality
- Relevance and Necessity:
Relevance of the project in relation to regional challenges and the context of the call. - Sustainability and Regeneration:
Contribution to the sustainability and regeneration of the region. - Impact:
Positive social, environmental, and economic impact of the project within the context of the call. - Collaboration and Alliances:
Level of collaboration with relevant actors (local community, government, private sector, associations, and collectives, etc.).
- Committee Deliberation:
The evaluation committee will deliberate and select the winners and finalists. - Notification to Winners:
The winners and finalists will be notified via email and informed of the next steps. - Public Announcement:
The winners and finalists will be announced at the awards event and through IFCE’s communication platforms.
The finalists and winners will be announced and recognized at an awards event in January 2025 (tentative date January 15, 2025, in Los Cabos, BCS). Among the guests will be experts, opinion leaders, individuals involved in the private, public, civil association, and business sectors, investors, members of collaborative and innovative, sustainable, and regenerative projects that set trends in the sector and region.
The finalists and winners will also be recognized at the East Cape Futures Forum (FCE) in February 2025. The first edition of the FCE Forum in 2021 had over 150 attendees (national and international) from the tourism, real estate development, impact investment, government, and community sectors in the East Cape region of BCS.
The profiles of the winners and their projects will be published and promoted in the media, on social networks, and throughout the region.