ImpactFest 2024: Solvoz's Journey To Winning The Best Innovation Award

Best Innovation Award: A Surprising Recognition

Last month, we had the incredible honor of winning the Best Innovation Award at ImpactFest in The Hague, organised by ImpactCity. This recognition came as a total surprise. It gives me a moment to reflect on our journey and the challenges we’ve faced along the way. The award was handed to me by Alderman Saskia Bruines. As you tell see on my face: I was totally surprised when called on stage.

The Unsexy Truth About Procurement and System Change

When I think about procurement, it’s probably not the most glamorous topic. Let’s face it, procurement isn’t sexy. It’s a complex, often overlooked aspect of operations, especially in the humanitarian and aid sectors. Yet, it’s a critical component that can make or break aid delivery efficiency and effectiveness.

Communicating system change innovations is notoriously difficult. We need to shift mindsets and embrace new methods. And yes, our journey has faced many challenges. We convinced stakeholders of our platform’s value. Navigating system change intricacies has been tough.

Pitching a B2B solution as ours wasn’t straightforward, and needless to say I didn’t know at first how to start. At ImpactFest, B2C solutions often resonate more with the audience. They are easier to visualize and relate to. Capturing a B2B solution’s essence in an engaging way is hard. Yet, I am still in disbelief over this recognition. They acknowledged our innovative approach to procurement in the sectors we serve. We aim to create fair markets globally. We are on a mission to bridge the funding gap by increasing efficiency. We want to highlight how our supply chains contribute to SDGs.

Pitching Solvoz: The Yellow Pages Story

We started the award process with a proposal. They selected us as one of the ten finalists. Honestly, being awarded as a finalist was already a big milestone for us! During the event, I had to give a pitch. But how to start? It was obvious to share my story, the inspiration and mission of Solvoz’s. A story started from the years in humanitarian supply chains, a vision of a “yellow pages” for a new era. Fun fact? I managed to find on an online marketplace the last edition of The Hague’s Yellow pages. Which I obviously took with me to the pitch!

Drawing from my experiences for example in the DRC and Mali, I saw how much we rely on international suppliers. This happened even for locally available goods. Our vision of digitally connecting local suppliers with organizations resonated with the audience and jury. It highlighted how Solvoz bridges demand and supply across regions and sectors. Solvoz not only saves agencies valuable resources. and supports compliant and transparent supply chain processes. It also strengthens economies and empowers local businesses.

Recognition from the Jury of the Best Innovation Award

The jury praised our vision, dedication, and innovation in solving critical global issues and strengthening local and regional economies. Martin Luxemburg, Director Public and Partnerships at Unknown Group, said, “Solvoz is a true impact startup that we, as The Hague, can be proud of. With their innovative procurement system for NGOs, they empower local companies to compete fairly for tenders. With impact at its core and technology as an enabler, Solvoz with Claire is, as we call it at Unknown Group, a founder that fixes the future. As a jury member, I was delighted to select Solvoz as the winner of The Hague Innovators Challenge.”

Irene Samwel, Program Manager at ImpactCity, added, “We are proud of this wonderful Hague startup and especially the founder, Claire Barnhoorn, who has been passionately working for several years on her mission to support local organizations in procurement and planning. During the pitch session, she brilliantly demonstrated the impact Solvoz can make by making procurement more efficient and effective, ensuring that all these saved resources can truly reach the aid organizations that need and can use the money so well.”

A Full-Circle Moment in The Hague

Reflecting on our journey, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride and gratitude. Eight years ago, I quit my job here in The Hague (two years ago, I also wrote about this on my blog). I took a leap of faith to start this venture in The Hague, the city I call home these days. To be awarded in this very city is incredibly meaningful. It feels like a full-circle moment, a validation of the hard work and perseverance that has brought us here.

The Struggles of a Humanitarian Entrepreneur

Operating as a humanitarian or social entrepreneur in the aid and health sectors comes with its own set of challenges. These fields are heavily dominated by grant funding. Funding which is often inaccessible to startups like ours. Unlike NGOs, we don’t have the same access to grants, making it even more crucial for us to innovate and find sustainable business models. This award is not just a recognition of our innovation, but also a beacon of hope that we can continue to thrive and make a difference despite these challenges.

Looking Ahead: A Call to Action

Winning the Best Innovation Award is a milestone, but it’s also a call to action. I am excited about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead. Hereby, I would really like to invite you, to join us on this journey. So, what’s next for Solvoz? How can you help us grow and amplify our impact? We welcome your ideas, support, and collaboration as we continue to revolutionize procurement in the aid and health sectors. I am really looking for new partners to amplyfy our work, our scale and impact. And yes this includes a current funding need too.

Can only close this blog with a big thank you all at ImpactFest, and all of those along those years for believing in Solvoz and for being part of our story. A big big thanks to our amazing team!

note: I was also invited to Den Haag FM, the local radio station, to talk about this award. I will have a separate blog post on that, so stay tuned!