ITU Innovation Challenges 2020

Rethinking the digital economy’s value chains during Covid-19

The 2020 edition of the ITU Innovation Challenge will be taking place amid a global pandemic caused by Covid-19. This has resulted in stress on value chains and countries’ readiness for a digital economy, significantly affecting social conditions worldwide. Global supply, production, consumption and delivery chains are disrupted. Traditional economies are struggling, as industries have not been digitalized and infrastructure is inadequate to cope with current stress levels.

Policy-makers and innovators worldwide are under pressure. Their communities must embrace a digital economy so that a semblance of normalcy can be maintained in these uncertain conditions. Therefore, the overall theme of this year’s challenges is Rethinking the digital economy’s value chains during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The challenge is a global open competition platform for innovators and ecosystem builders to present their ideas and projects, empowering them to transform their communities into thriving digital societies.

Three opportunities to win

Women in technology challenge: For innovators with digital projects that create impact for women in their communities.

Digital change-maker challenge: For innovators with ideas that create digital impact in their communities.

Ecosystem best practice challenge: For ecosystem builders with good practices that nurture an enabling environment for innovators in their communities.

Winners will attend a four-day global flagship ITU event to learn, network, innovate and scale up.