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EVENTS
World Bank Group Youth
Summit 2017: Technology
and Innovation for Impact
December 4-5, 2017
1818 H St NW, Washington, DC 20433
OVERVIEW
SUMMIT
COMPETITION
VOLUNTEER
AGENDA
IDEAS WANTED
Rapid technological changes have created both challenges and
opportunities around the world, we must take advantage of the
inherent transformative potential of technology to make the world
more prosperous and inclusive for all.
If you could take advantage of today’s technology and solve
any problem or need, what would it be?
Would it support the WBG twin goals of ending poverty and
boosting shared prosperity?
Contribute to building the inclusive tech-world of tomorrow by
sharing your idea!
Deadline for Submission: 13 October 2017
To Participate Click Here
*****
About the Competition
Rethinking technology to ensure that all people across the world –
today and in the future – are well equipped and have access to
resources and opportunities to fully realize their potential and shape
their own paths, is one the most complex and pressing challenges
of our time. Everybody has a role to play – but no one is better
placed than young people themselves as early adapters and most
active users of technology to identify the obstacles faced and find
ways to overcome them.
The purpose of this competition is to challenge young people to
take advantage of today’s rapid changing technology and solve the
problems that matter to them most by crafting their own solutions so
that they can build the future they want. In addition, the competition
also aims to inspire and create a dialogue on innovative ways to
address some of the problems and needs that have also been
created by this “technology revolution”, and that hinder sustainable
development.
Why Participate?
Do you have an idea that has the potential to solve a problem or
need by taking advantage of the transformative potential of the
digital revolution and the technological advances of our times?
Does your idea positively impact your community, your country,
and/or society at large? If the answer to both questions is yes, then
the Youth Summit 2017 Competition gives you the opportunity to
share your idea, connect with peers and high-level experts, and
explore how to bring your idea to the next level.
Who Should Participate?
The competition is open to individuals or teams of 2 to 4 people
aged 18 to 35, from all over the world. Prior entrepreneurial
experience or business background is not required. All individuals
with the drive to innovate are encouraged to participate, including
professionals from business or policy, students and academics,
NGO leaders, government officials and start-up founders.
How to Enter the Competition?
Participants should propose an innovative and action-oriented idea
on how to provide a solution to a developmental challenge adapted
to the realities of the 21st century. The proposed solution can be
aimed at business (private sector) or policy (public sector) and
should relate to at least one of the subthemes of the Youth Summit
2017:
Transforming the Jobs and Skills of Tomorrow
The rapid technological changes we are experiencing
nowadays are revolutionizing the future of jobs and
businesses. According to Oxford university, about half of
today’s jobs will disappear in the next 25 years. Automation is
among the main protagonists of this story, as it is expected to
eliminate many existing jobs. Thus, many economies face
increasingly polarized labor markets and rising inequality, as
technology augments higher skills while replacing routine jobs.
But just as technology is destroying jobs, it is also creating
new ones, generating a demand for new skills to be
competitive in the 21st century. Outsourcing is bringing
internet-based jobs to the poor and vulnerable. The diffusion of
technology in the labor market promotes social and productive
inclusion for women, people with disabilities and other
disadvantaged populations. In addition, shared economy and
other new business models are also disrupting the job market
and posing new opportunities and challenges to traditional
industries and government regulators. But what do these new
jobs and business models mean for global poverty and
inequality? How is technology affecting the job market in
developing countries and how can their citizens better prepare
for the new economy?
Leveraging Information & Communication Technologies (ICTs)
Information and Communication Technologies (“ICTs”) are
positively impacting the world by reducing the cost of
information, benefiting consumers, the financial sector,
businesses, voters and governments. Technologies are
increasing efficiency when existing activities are done at lower
costs, faster and more conveniently. They drive innovation and
take critical services such as health care, education, finance,
infrastructure and disaster recovery to underserved and rural
areas, boosting economic growth, increasing inclusion and
promoting social development. Increased broadband
connectivity, for example, facilitates international economic
integration and access to news and knowledge. However, 60%
of the world’s population is still offline, with no access to the
digital world and no opportunities of participating in the
technological revolution. Large parts of these unconnected
populations are predominantly rural, with low income and high
level of illiteracy. Citizens and private sector, as well as
governments and regulators all have a critical role to play in
addressing these barriers and improving the reach and
affordability of ICTs. How can all stakeholders contribute to
maximizing the potential of ICTs in developing areas of the
world? What are the lessons learned from around the globe in
the promotion of development through digital technologies?
Igniting Youth Entrepreneurship
All around the world, young people see entrepreneurship as a
mean to achieve social and economic development. By
lowering information barriers and costs, the Internet and other
technologies increase experimentation and give rise to new
opportunities for entrepreneurship, both in the ICT and the
ICT-enabled sectors. Tech entrepreneurs are crucial in
generating new business ideas that transform local and global
communities. Youth with the right skills and facing fewer
barriers to entry have and can improve on existing
technologies by introducing superior business models or more
efficient approaches, which leads to benefits in connectivity,
employment and costs reduction around the globe. In addition,
innovators disrupt markets and existing incumbents, avoiding
the monopolization of industries and the concentration of
power that can lead to inequality and unrest. But for young
entrepreneurs to be able to succeed and have significant
impact, a serious commitment from governments, private
firms, educational institutions and the financial sector is
needed. What can be done to spark the entrepreneurial
potential inherent to the youth around the world? How can the
next generation of tech entrepreneurs help unleash private
sector-led growth, increase productivity and benefit their
societies?
Deadlines & Process
Stage 1 – Submit your Idea (Deadline: 13 October 2017)
Participants must submit their proposal by October 13 2017,
11.59 pm EST. Proposals will be evaluated by an Expert
Committee. Shortlisted individuals/teams will be announced by
mid-October 2017 and will proceed to the next stage.
Stage 2 – Refine your Idea & Prepare your Pitch (Mid-October
to Early-December 2017)
Individuals/teams shortlisted in Stage 1 will receive feedback
on their proposals and may be asked to submit further
information, refine their proposals and/or submit short
‘pitching’ videos. Based on that, the Expert Committee will
select the ‘Finalist’ individuals/teams who will proceed to Stage
3.
Stage 3 – Pitch your Idea at the Youth Summit 2017 (4-5
December 2017)
Finalists will join the Youth Summit 2017, taking place at the
World Bank Group Headquarters, Washington DC. The entire
morning of the second day of the Summit (December
5th,2017) will be dedicated to showcase Finalists’ ideas.
Finalists will present their proposal in front of a Judging Panel
and Summit attendees – presentations will be live-streamed.
After the presentations, winners will be selected by a
combination of votes from the judging panel and the
audience.
Ready to Apply?
To share your idea and enter the Youth Summit 2017 Competition,
you shall:
1. Make sure that you/your team meet the Eligibility Requirements:
The Competition is open to individuals or teams of 2-4 people,
aged 18 to 35 inclusive as of 11.59 pm EST on October 13,
2017.
Teams and individuals are limited to one submission each.
The Competition is open to nationals of ALL countries of the
world.
Active staff of the World Bank Group (at the time of the
submission up until the closing of the Youth Summit 2017),
including Consultants and Interns, are not eligible to participate in
the Competition.
2. Prepare a proposal that outlines your idea, as per the following
Submission Rules:
Proposals must be created by and owned by the Participants.
Proposals must be submitted in English.
Proposals shall provide an innovative and action-oriented
business-level or policy-level idea aimed at solving a
problem/need that will support at least one of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals and one of the World Bank’s
Twin goals of (1) Reducing poverty and (2) Boosting Shared
Prosperity.
Proposals must comply with at least one of the following criteria:
The problem/need to be solved must have been caused by a
technological transformation, and/or;
The idea/solution must use a technological component (such
as ICTs) to solve the developmental problem/need.
The problem/need and the proposed solution outlined in the
Proposals must relate to at least one of the subthemes of the
Youth Summit 2017 and should apply to a least one World Bank
Borrowing Country (IDA, IBRD or Blend).
Proposals must (a) provide a short 2-5 sentences summary of
the idea, (b) describe which Sustainable Development Goal it will
support and which YS Subtheme it relates to, (c) describe the
specific problem/need that the proposed solution seeks to
address, and (d) describe the solution proposed to address this
specific problem/need (e.g. a product, service, program, policy,
course, initiative etc.).
Proposals will be judged based on the following Judging Criteria:
(1) Clarity, scope and relevance of the problem and of the
proposed solution; (2) Innovation and originality; (3) Feasibility of
implementation and whether it is sustainable in time; (4) Potential
for impact. Please refer to the Competition Rules and
Regulations for further information about the Judging Criteria.
Proposals must be between 1,000-2,500 words in length, all-
inclusive – i.e. including all bodies of text, titles, headings, tables,
textboxes, footnotes, endnotes, references, appendices etc. –
and must not exceed 4 pages in total.
The following information must be provided at the top of the first
page of the Proposal: (a) the names of the Participant(s)
submitting the Proposal – for teams, all team members’ names
shall be listed; (b) the final word count (all-inclusive).
To write your proposal, you can refer to the Writing Tips, which
provide a resource to help you structure and develop your proposal
– referring to these tips is not mandatory; proposals will be judged
solely based on the Judging Criteria and Submission Rules.
3. Make sure that you are aware of, accept, and agree with
the Competition Rules and Regulations.
4. Submit your proposal by 11:59 pm EST, October 13, 2017
through the online Competition Submission Form. In addition to the
Proposal, you will be asked to provide some information about
yourself and other team members – if applicable – including a short
200-word bio for each of you.
