Application Deadline: June 7, 2019
Global Impact Challenges (GICs) are annual competitions organized by geography and theme. These challenges are an open call to entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists, and engineers with the most innovative ideas for moonshot innovations and startups that can positively impact a billion people in 10 years.
The purpose of the SingularityU MENA GIC is to foster innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in the Middle East and North Africa with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.
The challenge is open to residents and citizens in the MENA region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Iraq.
What innovation would you develop to solve a global grand challenge within by using exponential technology within the Health, Education, Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, or Fintech industries
In this year’s SingularityU MENA GIC, we are focusing on Health, Energy, Education, Agriculture, and Transportation (HEEAT) and Fintech. Here are some key statistics and reasons why these are the most demanding industries to tackle for the development of the MENA region:
- Health: MENA region countries spend on average only 8% of their budgets on healthcare.
- Energy: As technology develops, electrical power demand grows while natural resources are decreasing.
- Education: Currently the MENA has almost 22 million children out of school, leaving a big of unequal reach out of quality education.
- Agriculture: By 2050 an estimated $35 billion USD will be spent in financial damages due to climate-related disasters.
- Transportation: Investing in transportation will facilitate the relocation and import/export businesses, which is key to tackling major issues like poverty.
- Fintech: Even though Egypt has the highest population number of MENA (95 million people), only 14% out of 52% of the total number of adults in the country, has a bank account.
Do you have a moonshot idea that tackles one of the areas mentioned above? Can you impact the lives of millions?
The Shortlisting Process
The top 20 shortlisted finalists of this Global Impact Challenge will be invited to attend a bootcamp held in El Gouna, Egypt from July 19-24, 2019, before the final pitch event.
Timeline:
Applications Close: June 7, 2019
Finalists Announced: TBD
Bootcamp: July 19-24, 2019
Live Pitch Event & Winners Announced: July 26, 2019
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the SingularityU MENA Global Impact Challenge 2019