Deadline : 04/03/2022
Credit : World Bank
The idea of inclusive growth has emerged as a central theme animating discussions on recovery and growth in the post-COVID world. Globally, the loss in human capital wealth due to gender inequality is estimated at $160.2 trillion. The outcome of COP26 has only highlighted the need for ambitious plan and action. Furthermore, the pandemic’s economic impact is estimated to increase extreme poverty by between 73 and 117 million people globally. Given the multifold challenges faced by global community along the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, the need for innovative ideas and solutions has never been more critical.
The challenge :
The 2022 WBG Youth Summit Competition seeks proposals from youth who have innovative and action-oriented solutions and projects to contribute to "Unlocking the Power of Inclusion for Equitable Growth" based on three pillars of development: social, environmental, and economic. The competition rewards the most innovating idea that fosters one of the following:
SOCIAL INCLUSION as the driver for equitable growth (Education, Health, Gender, Social Safety Nets)
ENVIRONMENTAL INCLUSION as the driver for equitable growth (Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation, Climate Smart Technologies)
ECONOMIC INCLUSION as the driver for equitable growth (Access to Financial Services, Financial Decision-Making, Sustainable Livelihoods & Employment, Private Capital Mobilization)
Eligibility criteria :
The competition is open to individuals or teams not exceeding four (4) people, aged 18 – 35. Participants can be students, as well as people in the work force or any other occupation. No prior experience in any particular field or topic is necessary. Diverse, gender-balanced team compositions are strongly encouraged.
How to participate :
Participants shall provide innovative and concrete solutions that showcase the role of the youth in fostering equitable growth through social, environmental and/or economic inclusion.
Proposals can be submitted in English, Arabic, French or Spanish.
Benefits of the competition :
Finalists will have the chance to connect with experts engaged in global solution-solving in the impact space, including both public and private sector leaders across the social, environmental, and economic inclusion landscapes. They will also be offered an opportunity to pitch to potential investors, get tailored mentoring, and receive admission into the inaugural Youth Summit Competition Alumni Network, as well as other virtual and in-person initiatives to elevate the finalists’ story and solution throughout the World Bank network.
Submission overview :
All applicants/teams must submit two components for their Pitch Competition Application:
General Application Form
Pitch Deck (Download the pitch deck templates using the link below)
The General Application Form will collect basic information on the applicant’s team composition. The Pitch Deck will be the space for applicants to share their proposed solution on the challenge question. To support and standardize applicant submissions, all applicants will be required to use the “Youth Summit Pitch Deck Template” in their submission. The Pitch Deck template will consist of:
Team purpose
Problem and opportunity
Theory of Change
Solution
Market Size
Competitive Landscape
Business Model
Team Composition
INSTRUCTIONS: All applications must submit both of the following application components:
Application Form:
Applicants must submit the application form here.
Pitch Deck (Download the pitch deck templates here in Arabic, English, French, and Spanish):
Pitch Deck submissions must be submitted in PDF format and size should be less then 10MB.
Pitch Deck submissions can be done through the application form.
Important Submission Rules :
Pitch decks must be created by and owned by the Participants(s).
Pitch decks can be submitted in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic.
Applicants are strongly suggested to design intersectional, cross-cutting solutions that relate to at least one of the sub-pillars of the Youth Summit 2022.
Applications will be judged based on the following criteria: (1) Clarify, scope and relevance of the proposed solution to the challenge question; (2) Innovation and originality; (3) Feasibility of implementation and sustainability; (4) Potential for global impact and scale.
Useful links :
Pitch deck template
Submit your application here.
For questions, comments, and enquiries, please reach out to us at youthsummit@worldbank.org