Do you know of a participant or alumni from your Award centre aged 18-35 who is an ‘aquapreneur’? Are they already working toward a minimum viable product, or have a minimum viable product which is intended to serve or serving customers, with innovative solutions tackling one or more of four global water challenges:
• Too much water: The challenge of too much water includes issues such as flooding, sea level rise, coastal erosion, and ocean acidification.
• Too little water: The challenge of too little water refers to water scarcity, lack of access to water and sanitation services, drought and associated food and agriculture challenges.
• Contaminated Water: The challenge of too polluted water entails issues such as contaminated drinking water with microplastics, forever chemicals or other toxins, and the public health challenges these pose.
• Mismanaged Water: The challenge of mismanaged water includes poor service delivery, mismanaged water equipment and infrastructure, or operational inefficiencies in water and sanitation utilities.
If yes, then the World Bank and its partners invite all interested and eligible youth aquapreneurs (age 18-35) to apply by February 23 2024 for their World Bank Youth Innovation Challenge!
The challenge is a great opportunity for the next gen of ‘aquapreneurs’ to unlock global networks and resources to take your water solutions forward. If you participate, you will:
• Build critical entrepreneurial skills in business plan development, prototyping, customer segmentation, fundraising, sales/marketing, sustainability and more.
• Improve your 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
• Be invited to join the Microsoft Founders Hub with access to technology tools, resources and coaching to build solutions.
• Access a 6-month Accelerator Program that provides one on one mentoring by successful Water tech CEOs (winners only)
Click here to register today (World Bank Youth Innovation Challenge Tickets | Eventbrite). Applications are due February 23, 2024
Learn more in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmtZBR7x0OI or visit https://connect.newibnet.org/youthinnovationchallenge
Please do let us know when you apply!