Overview

Applications for the SDGs Global Startup Competition are now open.

Led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) the UN specialized agency responsible for advancing sustainable, accessible and wide-ranging tourism, in partnership with some other salient organizations such as UN SDGs, Google, Wakalua, etc., this Competition intends to inspire the global innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to promote sustainability and to deliver impact during the United Nations Decade of Action starting this 2020.

Details

Application period: 14 July 2020 to 20 September 2020 (12:00 CEST)

Organizer: UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)

Announcement of winning startups: November 2020

Presentation of winning startup’s fields: November 2020

Why this competition?

Today, tourism is a major leader in the global economy and is at the center of the most disruptive innovation. Due to its active engagement with startups, the sector has reached safe and experiential traveling as never before. Now, the time has come to bolster this joint effort with entrepreneurs to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals or accelerate its achievement through new ways of tackling global challenges.

Bringing together stakeholders from a myriad of sectors across the global economy, this initiative sets out to attain a common goal, to set innovation at the forefront of sustainable development in businesses and destinations.

Benefits

Benefits for winning startups comprise but are not limited to:

• Pitch at a UNWTO Demo Day
• Curated mentorship program including one-on-one & in-group sessions concentrated on Intellectual Property (IP), sustainability, business and leadership
• Access to technological support
• Access to the UNWTO Innovation Network
• Potential pilot project with private sector agents and institutions

Who can participate?

Startups from all categories of life, from all across the world and all economic sectors are invited to participate if they meet the following standards:

• Enjoy creativity in nature and provide value-added solutions.
• Be sustainability-driven
• Have a quantifiable status: to have momentum for international growth and potential to be applied in corporations and destinations (countries, regions)
• Be an Early-Stage or Series A startup.
• Possess an examined pilot and business plan
• Have been accelerated already
• Hold a full-time team.

All ways of innovation are welcome: groundbreaking methods, processes, governance models, social impact initiatives, and technologies.

Categories for selection

This Competition features all 17 categories of Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, each participating startup should select the SDG out of the below list in which it can generate the strongest impact.

1. No poverty
2. Zero hunger
3. Good health and well-being
4. Quality education
5. Gender equality
6. Clean water and sanitation
7. Affordable and clean energy
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
10. Reduced inequalities
11. Sustainable cities and communities
12. Responsible consumption and production
13. Climate action
14. Life below water
15. Life on land
16. Peace, justice and strong institutions
17. Partnerships for the goals

Evaluation criteria

UNWTO will assess participating startups according to their:

• Contribution(s) to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Ease of value capture via cooperation with the startup
• Prospective business impact
• Maturity of the product/technology
• Maturity of the team and the organization
• Partnership preparedness

See also,

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Global Startup Competition by UNWTO

If social Impact Prize online competition

Seedstar Migration challenge 2020

USAID’s Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Environments (RISE) Challenge

Scholarship for Young Women to Study Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery

How to apply?

The application for this competition is submitted online after completion of the following steps.

1. Keep in mind the category or SDG you will apply for
2. Read the Terms & Conditions of the Competition
3. Make a striking pitch deck in English (not exceeding 15 slides)
4. List your web page, social media users, and contact information.

Once you have all of them at hand, fill out the Application form in English, and submit it.

Application Link

For more information, visit the UNWTO’s website.