UNOSSC-ITU Digital Innovation Challenge

About the Challenge

The Digital Innovation Challenge in Response to COVID-19, supported by United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) and ITU, was launched in June 2021. It aims to help identify innovative digital solutions which can offer countries, societies, communities and institutions from the Global South to deal with the cascading effects of the pandemic – across governance, economy, social sectors and well-being – and contribute to the organization’s respective focus on South-South Cooperation and digital technologies. The project leverages ITU’s other innovation challenges, the global innovation forum and sustainable ecosystem development and training and UNOSSC’s Global South-South Development Centre (GSSDC) Network institutions, expertise and capacity development opportunities, to deliver on the desired outcome.

Innovation Categories/ Topics

The Digital Innovation Challenge is designed to easily share and rapidly develop innovative digital solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. The overall scope of the Challenge will correspond to the three focus areas identified by the UN Secretary-General i.e. i) tackling the health emergency by supporting health systems and non-health agencies;, ii) supporting countries in social impact and the economic response and recovery; and iii) helping countries to recover better by strengthening preparedness measures.

Challenge Outcomes

The Global South COVID-19 Digital Innovation Challenge intended outcome is to build a network of champions in developing-country ecosystems to i) accelerate the response to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; ii) grasp the current innovation impetus and bring innovative digital solutions into international development, and reach out to entities which are usually in innovation’s frontlines activities; iii) leverage South-South cooperation networks, platforms, and funding mechanisms to achieve impact at scale through sharing and replicating selected innovations; and iv) provide open access to resources from the international expert community and build entrepreneurship capabilities for innovators in governments, intergovernmental organizations, private sector and start-up companies, research institutions and academia, and CSOs.

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Accelerate

Response to the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

Grasp the current innovation impetus

Bring innovative digital solutions into international development, and reach out to entities that are usually in innovation’s frontlines activities

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Leverage South-South cooperation networks, platforms, and funding mechanisms

Achieve impact at scale through sharing and replicating selected innovations

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Provide Open Access

resources from the international expert community and build entrepreneurship capabilities for innovators in governments, intergovernmental organizations, private sector and start-up companies, research institutions and academia, and CSOs.

Selection of Winning Proposals

Over 250 submissions from over 50 countries were reviewed by an expert selection committee of over 40 members based on the evaluation criteria to determine the 25 best innovative solutions that can be replicated through South-South cooperation. Shortlisted projects presented their innovations to a selection committee during the Global Innovation Forum at a Pitch Live virtual events on 27 and 28 October 2021. The selection committee awarded 12 winners from 10 countries from the Global South, during the “Bringing it all together” Awards ceremony. The event was a part of the 2021 edition of the Global Innovation Forum, held by ITU, which focused on “building partnerships to mainstream entrepreneurship.”

Winning proposals were provided with seed funding up to USD 25,000 to implement/improve/scale up their proposed solution(s), with mentorship and training support, in a new market (developing country) by the end of April 2022. The list of selected winners is provided below:

List of Selected Projects

[nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Project” col_2_content=”Country” col_3_content=”Organization/Institution”][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Wheels for Life by Rescue.co” col_2_content=”Kenya” col_3_content=”Capsule Limited” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3762369″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Blended Hands-on Science Teacher Training” col_2_content=”Ghana” col_3_content=”Practical Education Network” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3762272″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Patient-centric Active Adherence, Care and Treatment Solution (PACTS)” col_2_content=”India” col_3_content=”ZMQ Development” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3757398″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”StopCOVID – Scan QR CODE for the Safety of the Country” col_2_content=”Cambodia” col_3_content=”Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC)” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3759430″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Integrating digital technology in last-mile delivery of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services within peri-urban suburbs during the coronavirus pandemic in Uganda” col_2_content=”Uganda” col_3_content=”The Medical Concierge Group Limited” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3762252″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Affordable food for Everyone” col_2_content=”Uganda” col_3_content=”Solerchil Technologies” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3757355″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Digital Literacy in Ecuador’s Amazon” col_2_content=”Ecuador/USA” col_3_content=”Equitable Origin, Inc” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3759418″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”O-lab: Learning without Borders Colombia-Nigeria” col_2_content=”Colombia” col_3_content=”Fundación El Origen” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3762304″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Freelancy” col_2_content=”Tunisia” col_3_content=”Freelancy Dévelopment” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3759919″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Building Digital Tools to Strengthen India’s COVID-19 Response through Nutrition Application” col_2_content=”India” col_3_content=”Dimagi Software Innovations Private Limited” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3757396″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Ketabi App” col_2_content=”Jordan” col_3_content=”Integrated Generation” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3752596″][nectar_horizontal_list_item columns=”3″ column_layout_using_3_columns=”even” col_1_text_align=”center” col_2_text_align=”center” col_3_text_align=”center” font_family=”p” open_new_tab=”true” hover_color=”accent-color” col_1_content=”Savvy” col_2_content=”Nigeria” col_3_content=”Publisher E-publishing and Digital Music Distribution Limited” url=”https://cocreate.itu.int/post/3748142″]

The Mentorship Scheme

As the next step, the selected 12 organizations will be able to avail the mentorship scheme to increase the potential/ capabilities of the selected proposals/ teams to scale up innovations across developing countries.

ITU and UNOSSC, through an open Call for Mentors, brought on board 24 experts comprising leading policy-makers, financiers, start-up accelerator/incubator programme managers and recognized ICT experts to train the winners to scale and enter new markets while improving lives and enhancing the capabilities of innovators. The mentorship scheme aims to increase the capabilities of the challenge winners and support them to scale up their innovations. The award winners will be matched with mentoring opportunities which will advise them on their innovations throughout the implementation and scaling up process. UNOSSC will seek out development partners that have expertise in ICTs and digital innovations to mentor the winners to scale and enter new markets while improving lives and enhancing the capabilities of innovators.

The kick-off session for the mentorship programme was held on 14 April and each organization was assigned a mentor.

Meet Our Mentors

[team_member image_url=”13615″ bio_image_url=”13615″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Ugo Ikpeazu” job_position=”Professor/ Development Consultant, EU Business School” team_member_bio=”Ugo is interested in technology for social development & is a business development advisor to organizations like Gavi. He is a Professor at EU Business School & is coordinator of their Young Entrepreneurs Program. Ugo is President of Africa21 in Geneva & Co-proprietor of PenPlay School in Nigeria.”]

[team_member image_url=”13616″ bio_image_url=”13616″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Namatirai Zinyohwera” job_position=”Chief Revenue Officer, Modern Centric Holdings (Pty)” team_member_bio=”Mr. Zinyohwera is an experienced revenue growth leader specializing in fintech business development and result-orientated business development executive, building, measuring, and learning from multi-sectoral sales management experience. He has a proven track record of high-impact technology sales and disruptive go-to-market strategies, achieving growth through strategic partnerships in Africa.”]

[team_member image_url=”13601″ bio_image_url=”13601″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Alex Masika” job_position=”Business Development Lead – Africa, Atlas AI” team_member_bio=”Alex Masika has over 15 years’ experience in energy, IT and innovation sectors. He has previously worked for Chevron Energy, Digital Divide Data, Google, BRCK is currently the Business Development Lead – Africa for Atlas AI. Alex was the recipient of the prestigious ITU global SME award in 2016.”]

[team_member image_url=”13700″ bio_image_url=”13700″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Ahmed Khalaf Fahmy” job_position=”Lecturer (Innovation and Entreprenurship) , TIEC (Technology Innovation an Entrepreneurship Center) Ministry of Information Technology Egypt” team_member_bio=”Ahmed Fahmy is a Lecturer and Mentor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the last 10 years in several institutions such as Qatar Science and Technology Park, the American University in Cairo and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (Ministry of Information Technology Egypt), before working with full capacity as a lecture and Mentor, Ahmed Was working as a consultant for technology companies such as Nokia, Ericsson and Huawei in different parts in the world. Ahmed completed his Academic records between Helwan University in Cairo, Hamburg Port institute in Germany and Bologna University in Italy.”]

[team_member image_url=”13600″ bio_image_url=”13600″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Sara Hammoud” job_position=”Business Development Consultant, Engineering Group Contractors” team_member_bio=”Ms. Sara Hammoud hold an Engineering degree with a minor in Economics from the American University of Beirut, Lebanon. She has been been in the entrepreneurial ecosystem for four years during which she wore diverse hats from founder, intern with global startups, to mentor & consultant for startups in Africa, Europe, Lebanon, & Armenia.”]

[team_member image_url=”13599″ bio_image_url=”13599″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Erwin Middleton” job_position=”Founder, J29 Business Simplified” team_member_bio=”Erwin is the Founder at J29 Business Simplified, a business supporting business owners learn, grow and get online. Offering over 15 years of professional experience in the financial services sector which includes corporate & business banking in South, entrepreneurship, marketing and working with small and medium business owners. I am a Professional Business Advisor with extensive experience in business funding, mentoring and support services. As an entrepreneur myself with a background in banking, finance, marketing and business, I understand and have experienced the challenges business owners face.”]

[team_member image_url=”13598″ bio_image_url=”13598″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Daniel Nieto” job_position=”Vice President, Mastercard” team_member_bio=”Daniel Nieto is responsible for relations with the Government for Spain and Portugal at Mastercard. Previously he served as Expert in Digital Inclusion and Policies Issues at the United Nations. He is the author of international flagship publications published by the United Nations.”]

[team_member image_url=”13701″ bio_image_url=”13701″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Mwende Njiraini” job_position=”Associate, DiploFoundation” team_member_bio=”Mwende Njiraini Telecommunication Engineer by profession and an Associate with DiploFoundation. I worked at the Communication Authority of Kenya, most recently as the Manager, Innovation Research and Development and was until October 2021 Chair of ITU-T Study Group 17 (security), Regional Group for Africa.”]

[team_member image_url=”13597″ bio_image_url=”13597″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Fouad Bajwa” job_position=”Co-Founder and CEO, Agriculture Republic and Digital Dera” team_member_bio=”Fouad Riaz Bajwa is the Co-founder and CEO of Agriculture Republic. Fouad is a public policy entrepreneur and has been engaged with start-ups and policy initiatives that are helping shape the future of innovation, industrialization and future economic growth.”]

[team_member image_url=”13596″ bio_image_url=”13596″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Carlos Pons” job_position=”Senior Digital Strategy & Innovation Lead, NTT Data” team_member_bio=”Carlos Pons is a self-taught tech professional working on improving people’s lives through human-centered technology. He works on digital transformation, strategy and innovation for European Union institutions and United Nations Agencies.”]

[team_member image_url=”13611″ bio_image_url=”13611″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Stella Bvuma” job_position=”Head of Department, University of Johannesburg” team_member_bio=”A Mentor and Coach, has a driven robust passion in the area of ICT4development & digital technology , smart cities, Cybersecurity, and digital economy.research focuses on ICT adoption or technologies by SMMEs towards growth and development including digitization in the fourth industrial revolution.”]

[team_member image_url=”13610″ bio_image_url=”13610″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Sreekanth Mukku” job_position=”Independent Digital Policy Researcher and Consultant, Konnektiv” team_member_bio=”Sreekanth Mukku is a digital policy researcher and consultant with 15 years of experience in conducting research and delivering expert advice on adopting inclusive, responsible and sustainable digital innovation practices.”]

[team_member image_url=”13702″ bio_image_url=”13702″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Preetam Singh Heeramun” job_position=”R&D Technical Lead, National Air Traffic Services (NATS)” team_member_bio=”Originally from Mauritius, Mr. Heeramun pursued his university degree in the UK. In his 17-year career, so far has involved R&D and innovation roles in organizations across different industry sectors to launch products globally.”]

[team_member image_url=”13609″ bio_image_url=”13609″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Kalin Nicolov” job_position=”Chair Human Experience Working Group, Trust over IP, Linux Foundation” team_member_bio=”Mr. Nicolov is co-founder of Sovrin Foundation (Hyperledger Indy, Ursa and Aries), co-founder of Trust over IP (digital trust) and advisor at InnoSuisse. He has experience in global infrastructure innovation, ranging from travel: airports, airlines and airports to nation-state systems like retail Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), digital identity, machine readable governance, etc”]

[team_member image_url=”13608″ bio_image_url=”13608″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Ahmed Riad” job_position=”Board Member, UNDRR Private Sector Alliance for Resilient Societies” team_member_bio=”A well-known Thought Leader on Business Resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, and Business Continuity on a Regional and global basis. He is currently Managing Director of Estmrarya Consulting a multi-awards winning Consulting firm specializing in providing Consulting, Training, and Innovation in Business Continuity Management, Disaster Risk Reduction, Information Resilience, and Business Resilience to clients in the GCC and beyond.”]

[team_member image_url=”13607″ bio_image_url=”13607″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Koketso Seripe” job_position=”Chief Executive Officer, Anora Technologies (Pty) Ltd” team_member_bio=”Mr. Koketso Seripe is an engineer with design, operations, project management & executive leadership experience. He worked for various multinationals and local companies as Director & then Chief Executive. In addition to engineering qualifications, he hold an MBA and is an accredited coach with ProctorGallager institute.”]

[team_member image_url=”13606″ bio_image_url=”13606″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Saahil Kapoor” job_position=”Technology and Innovation Specialist, United Nations Population Fund, India Office” team_member_bio=”Sahil works for UNFPA India CO. With an engineering background, MBA from IIT Delhi and IGNITE fellowship from Univ. of Cambridge, he brings 12 years of expertise in designing and scaling up solutions to problem statements for social impact. Experience working in Asian and African countries.”]

[team_member image_url=”13605″ bio_image_url=”13605″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Samuel K. Kruiner” job_position=”Export Development Consultant, Ministry of Economic Development” team_member_bio=”Mr. Samuel Kruiner is has over 26 year’s professional experience at middle and senior management levels in public and private sector entities in developing countries (CARIFORUM) and Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).”]

[team_member image_url=”13604″ bio_image_url=”13604″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Jeroen Van der Lugt” job_position=”Sales Coach, Van der Lugt Sales coaching and Holland Startup” team_member_bio=”Over 30 years of sales experience. Had his own Startup for a couple of years. As a certified coach, he support Startups in sales.”]

[team_member image_url=”13603″ bio_image_url=”13603″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Althea WEST MYERS” job_position=”Director, Cayman Islands Centre for Business Development” team_member_bio=”Director-Cayman Islands Centre for Business Development; Manager-Business Advisory Services, JBDC; Adjunct lecturer-Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, Business Principles and Management and Organizational Behaviour in 4 Jamaican Universities; SME Expert with GOPA Consulting-Germany.”]

[team_member image_url=”13602″ bio_image_url=”13602″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Sana Larif” job_position=”PhD Researcher, Catholic University of Louvain” team_member_bio=”Sana is currently a Ph.D. researcher in entrepreneurship and management sciences at UCL, Belgium. She worked as a mentor and facilitator for Tunisian startups, and also animated trainings and workshops in innovative entrepreneurship for NGOs and entrepreneurial meta-organizations in Tunisia.”]

[team_member image_url=”13614″ bio_image_url=”13614″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Eduardo Gonzalez” job_position=”Entrepreneur | Strategy & Business Development | Accelerate Growth of Scale-up’s, KOPIT” team_member_bio=”Mr. Gonzalez has done his professional career in multinational companies in several continents working in the IT an d energy industries. Three years ago he decided to jump into the start-up world. Franco-colombian citizenship.”]

[team_member image_url=”13613″ bio_image_url=”13613″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Hanisha Vaswani” job_position=”Founder, Majority” team_member_bio=”Computer engineer with 14 years of experience running tech startups in India. Currently launching a fund for early-stage tech + impact startups, called Majority. Also previously worked with the World Food Programme Innovation Accelerator, and mentored startups across Asia and Africa.”]

[team_member image_url=”13612″ bio_image_url=”13612″ team_memeber_style=”bio_fullscreen” name=”Nahel Muhammad Amirah” job_position=”Innovation Support Manager, Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center” team_member_bio=”Eng. Nahel Muhammad Amirah, the Innovation Support Manager at Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center (TIEC). He is the manager of EgyptInnovtae.com Platform. He is an active member of IEEE TEMS and Egyptian national committee for Innovation Management ISO.”]