The World Bank Youth Innovation Challenge: Water Solutions for a New Climate Reality is designed to accelerate innovation and unlock the potential of the next generation of youth aquapreneurs from around the world.
Participants entering the World Bank Youth Innovation Challenge will:
- Build critical entrepreneurial skills in business plan development, prototyping, customer segmentation, sales, financing, marketing, fundraising, and sustainability with support from our Corporate partners like Microsoft, Xylem and other learning partners like YBI, YMCA and other water tech companies.
- Be invited to join the Microsoft Founders Hub offering the opportunity to gain free access to technology tools, resources and coaching to build solutions.
- Improve business plan and pitch scalable solutions to water tech CEOs, VCs, and other impact investors
- Receive market feedback from water and sanitation utilities, irrigation operators, and other end users worldwide.
- Network with a global community of successful entrepreneurs, water experts, investors and other innovators
- Access a 6-month Accelerator Program that provides one on one mentoring by successful Water tech CEOs (winners only)
The World Bank and partners invite all interested and eligible youth aquapreneurs (age 18-35) to apply by February 23, 2024, with innovative solutions tackling one or more of four global water challenges:
The Challenge launched at CoP28 on December 8th, 2024, and will run through October 2024. It is a joint initiative of the World Bank’s Solutions for Youth Employment (S4YE) and Water Global Practice’s Utility of the Future Program who are joined by innovative partners including:
- CEO Champions from Water-Tech Companies: 3R Water, Acquacycl, Pani Energy, CANN Forecast, Desolenator, Kai Pono Solutions, Kilimo, Nitrogen Sensing Solutions, Oneka, Permalution, Xylem
- Outreach and Learning Partners: Mazarine Ventures, Microsoft Philanthropies, Ripple2Wave, Sustainable Oceans Alliance, Youth Business International, World YMCA. Reference
