The Global South COVID-19 Digital Innovation Challenge launched in response to COVID-19 has announced its top 25 shortlisted projects.
The Challenge was launched in June 2021 by International Telecommunications Union in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. It seeks to identify scalable, innovative, digital solutions that will enable countries, societies, communities, institutions and individuals from the Global South to deal with the cascading effects of the pandemic. South-South cooperation, coupled with embracing new and innovative approaches, presents an opportunity to respond to the current health emergency and far-reaching socio-economic headwinds. Since the beginning of the pandemic, innovators have been responding to the crisis with a progressive approach.
The Challenge received over 250 applications from around the world. An expert selection committee of over 40 members was convened to review the submissions based on the evaluation criteria to determine the best innovative solutions that promote a return to normalcy after the COVID-19 crisis.
All participants are encouraged to apply to future challenges and keep in touch with the community.
Meet the shortlisted projects
Live Pitching Event and Announcement of Winners
The organizers of these 25 projects will have a live pitching in front of a selection committee on 27 and 28 October during the virtual 2021 ITU Global Innovation Forum (GIF 2021). You can register for this event at https://www.itu.int/go/GIFREG.
The selection committee will then choose up to 10 winners, who will be announced during the 29 October 2021, session on Scaling up digital innovation through South-South and triangular cooperation.
- Winning proposals will be provided with seed funding up to USD 25 000 (additional term and conditions apply) to implement/improve/scale up their proposed solution(s), with mentorship and training support, in a new market (developing country) by end of April 2022.
- The final amount of such funding will be decided after the completion of the boot camp by ITU, at its sole discretion, and its use will be subject to the terms and conditions of a separate grant agreement to be signed between the winning institution/organization and ITU.
- Notwithstanding the terms of such agreement, winners will be required to provide updates on the progress of the implementation of their proposal over the course of the year up to three years.
- Award-wining proposals will be invited to the boot camp where they will be provided with mentorship and training to refine their digital innovation. The bootcamp is planned for the week of November 8 and will be held virtually.
- As a reminder, applicants or winners are not allowed to use the Organizers emblems or the logos of any events in any online or offline communication, without the prior written permission of the respective Organizer.