GIST Tech-I 2018

The GIST Tech-I Competition is an annual competition for science and technology entrepreneurs from emerging economies worldwide. Aspiring innovators submit their ideas and startups online which are then reviewed by experts and voted on by the global voting public in order to determine the finalists. New this year, U.S. Department of State is inviting all former GIST Tech-I finalists to participate in the program to recruit and mentor the next generation of science and tech entrepreneurs.

New this year, past GIST Tech-I finalists will play an active role in soliciting, selecting and mentoring the 2018 Tech-I participants. Throughout the course of the competition, the past finalists will function as Alumni Mentors who work with competitors to improve their ideas and perfect their pitch. New 2018 applicants will be able to choose which Alumni Mentor they want to work with when they apply to the competition. Alumni Mentors will then select the best applications from the 2018 applicant pool to move on to the semi-finals. Those semi-finalists will then compete in a global public vote. The top 10 semi-finalists with the most public votes, along with their Alumni Mentors will advance to the Tech-I finals during the 2018 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in Istanbul, Turkey. At the finals, competing entrepreneurs will pitch their startups to a global audience with the chance to win prizes and seed capital.

Since 2011, innovators from around the globe have showcased their science and technology ventures to the world through GIST Tech-I Competitions. Thousands of expert reviews have taken place and the online voting public has cast over 1 million votes in support of these talented young innovators.

The GIST initiative is led by the U.S. Department of State, and the Tech-I competition is implemented by AAAS.