DPI for People and Planet Innovation Challenge

A global call for innovations using DPI to tackle critical issues.

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The Digital Public Infrastructure for People and Planet (DPI4PP) Innovation Challenge 2025 officially opens for registration. The challenge is hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Co-Develop, Gates Foundation, Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), in partnership with the COP30 Presidency. This global initiative seeks innovative DPI-based solutions across various sectors, ranging from energy transition and disaster resilience to sustainable agriculture and carbon markets.

Through this challenge, innovators worldwide can leverage DPI and infrastructure thinking to create inclusive, scalable, and impactful solutions that benefit communities globally, particularly low-income and climate-vulnerable populations.

The challenge welcomes entries from a range of innovators, including research institutions, startups, social enterprises, established companies, and non-profit organizations from around the world. Participants are encouraged to propose new concepts or enhance existing solutions using digital public infrastructure.

This challenge is unique in three ways:

  • It is the world’s first innovation challenge focused specifically on the intersection of people, planet and DPI.
  • It is not a one-off competition, but part of a broader journey aimed at launching high-impact, scalable, and deployable solutions.
  • It is anchored by global DPI leaders—including technical experts, governments, and development agencies— and the climate community and is held in partnership with the COP30 Presidency.

Overview

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Closes June 27, 2025
Program dates Jul 28-Nov 21,
OrganizerBoston Consulting Group (BCG)
Website Visit website
Targets
Africa, Americas, Antarctica Region, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Micronesia
Sectors Sector agnostic
Partner Program DPI for People and Planet Innovation Challenge image of DPIlogo
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What is Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)?

DPI is a set of foundational digital systems that form the backbone of modern societies. It enables secure and seamless interactions between people, businesses, and governments. From verifying identities and opening bank accounts to ensuring fast and reliable digital payments and enabling safe, efficient data exchange across government services—DPI can make everyday life more connected and inclusive.

Do I qualify?

  • Your solution is either new or an enhancement of an existing one: you’re proposing a brand-new idea that uses Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), or improving an existing solution by integrating DPI (a “+1 approach”)
  • Your solution directly addresses an environmental or climate-related challenge. This could include areas like energy, transport, agriculture, water, disaster resilience, public health, forests & biodiversity, or climate finance
  • You use or plan to use Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). For example: digital identity, interoperable payment systems, or data-sharing platforms.
  • You build on or connect with existing DPI systems. Your solution integrates with DPI already in use in a country or region (e.g., Aadhaar, Pix, BeckN protocol, etc.)
  • You use or contribute to Digital Public Goods (DPGs) for DPI. These are open-source tools or building blocks that help create or expand DPI systems
  • Your solution supports inclusive, scalable, and impactful outcomes. It should have potential to benefit low-income or climate-vulnerable communities at scale.

Some examples include: 

  • Real-time energy demand forecasting and automated coordination using a unified digital grid platform
  • Green mobility incentives by tracking transport data and identifying eco-friendly transport options across multiple transport modes
  • Farmer registries to recognize and reward climate-smart agriculture practices
  • Forest health monitoring via a unified platform that aggregates remote sensing data, satellite images, and other inputs
  • Anticipatory disaster aid transfers using digital identity and payment systems
  • Carbon credit tracking enabled by harmonized, cross-registry carbon credit metadata

Not sure if you qualify? Feel free to email info@dpi4pp.org to share your idea and discuss how it might fit the challenge.

What’s in it for you?

What’s in this challenge for you?

  • Top finalists will have the opportunity to showcase their solutions at COP30 in Brazil and
    engage directly with global leaders.
  • Be part of the broader People, Planet and DPI community built through this challenge.
  • Receive up to $100,000 in grant funding will be awarded to finalists to support the development and field testing of their solutions.
  • Receive tailored mentorship from experts, helping deepen their understanding of DPI, Digital Public Goods (DPGs), and climate intersections, while sharpening the technical, strategic, and impact dimensions of their solutions.
  • Benefit from opportunities to scale their solutions through targeted connections with potential investors and strategic ecosystem partners.
  • Winners can receive ongoing implementation support, strategic guidance, and valuable networking opportunities at high-profile global events.

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