UNESCO Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition for Innovative Solutions to SDGs 2020

A global programme to empower young entrepreneurs to create a sustainable world

Application Deadline: 31st July 2019

Offered Annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Global

About the Competition

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 related targets address the most important social, economic, environmental, health and governance challenges of our time. The Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition is a global programme and an online platform, which supports the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Young people from around the world are invited to submit their innovative ideas and projects with a societal impact, which champion and implement one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

Areas of Interest: 17 Sustainable Development Goals

Eligibility:

If you are between the ages of 15 and 35 you are eligible for the 2019 Youth Citizen Entrepreneurship Competition

Individuals and teams of young people are invited to participate:

1. If you have an innovative idea for an enterprise which contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

OR, You are operating such an enterprise in the form of a business, a non-profit organization or an informal program

AND
2. You are able to submit your entry in English.

2019 Tourism Competition

1. If you have an innovative idea for an enterprise which contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

2. If you are a social entrepreneur in the tourism and hospitality industry who operates an enterprise

OR

2. An individual or group of people

that have  an innovative project or idea related to the tourism, travel, and hospitality sector that benefits your local community and beyond
and supports a vision on social, environmental, and economic sustainability

AND

3. You are able to submit your entry in English.

General Competition 2019

Entrepreneurs of all ages are invited to participate in the 2019 General Competition.

1. If you have an innovative idea for an enterprise which contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

OR

You are operating such an enterprise in the form of a business, a non-profit organization or an informal program

AND
2. You are able to submit your entry in English               

SDGs: 

• Goal 1: No Poverty – End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• Goal 2: Zero Hunger – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Goal 4: Quality Education – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• Goal 5: Gender Equality – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities – Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Goal 13: Climate Action – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
• Goal 14: Life Below Water – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
• Goal 15: Life on Land – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
• Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals – Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Number of Awardees: 20 finalists

Prize and Award: Grand Prize, 2nd Prize, 3rd Prize and People’s Choice Prize winners will be selected in each of the following two categories:

Best Ideas Category

Innovative ideas and plans to be implemented (by the entrant or by others)

Best Projects Category

• Already existing enterprise which has demonstrated social impact
• Grand Prize winners and the People’s Choice Prize winners will receive a Gold Medal and a Certificate.
• Second Prize winners will receive a Silver Medal and a Certificate.
• Third Prize winners will receive a Bronze Medal and a Certificate.
• Finalists not chosen as prize winners will receive Honorable Mention.
• Entrepreneurship Campus Prize winners will receive a Certificate.
• Grand Prize and People’s Choice winners, Second Prize and Third Prize winners, and the Entrepreneurship Campus Prize winners will be announced at the Entrepreneurship Summit in Berlin on 9 October 2016.

How to Enter

First step: Register online and create your account! We will send you an email confirmation. Please check your spam folder. You must confirm in order to activate your account.

Second step:

• If you want to submit an idea, go to Submit an idea!
• If you want to submit a project, go to Submit a project!
• Fill out and submit the preliminary entry form.
• Then wait for a response from the competition administrators.

Third step:

If your idea/project has passed the preliminary screening, you will be requested to fill out and submit the second entry form.

You may refine your entry up until the entry deadline to reflect on the comments and recommendations received. You may also support your entry by submitting a video presentation of your idea or project (up to 3 minutes).

Selection 

• Entries will be posted on the competition website and are subject to online public voting from 15 May 2019 – 31 August 2019.
• The 10 entries receiving the most votes in each of the two categories will be considered finalists.
• Finalists are requested to submit a video (max 3 minutes) of their idea/project. The videos will be submitted to the Judges.
• From among the finalists, the judges will make the final selection of three winners (Grand Prize, 2nd Prize and 3rd Prize) in each category.
• Entries will be evaluated based on their entrepreneurial vision, feasibility, innovation, leadership, social impact, and sustainability, among other factors.
• In addition, the People’s Choice Prize will be given to the entry with the largest number of votes in each of the two categories.
• An Entrepreneurship Campus Prize will be given to three entrants who have demonstrated some outstanding ‘entrepreneurship spirit’ in the Entrepreneurship Campus.

Visit Program Webpage for details