2017 SingularityU West Africa Global Impact Challenge

The purpose of the SingularityU West Africa Global Impact Challenge is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in the region, with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.

This year, we are ideally looking for applicants who have the skills and passion to develop and launch a startup company around a moonshot idea that addresses climate change, although we will also accept outstanding applicants who have other areas of expertise or choose to innovate in other fields.

We selected the climate change theme because it has consequences for every industry, geographic region, and way of life. Even if you don’t consider yourself a climate change authority or innovator, your skill set can probably help mitigate the effects of climate change. If you’re already passionate about impact or working in the impact space, you can create a moonshot innovation to address this urgent global problem.

We will not require participants to innovate in the climate change space, and welcome people from all disciplines to apply, but this theme will inform the program curriculum. We are looking for applicants from ANY technology or science discipline because we know a challenge as huge as climate change can only be solved within the convergence of multiple disciplines and exponential technologies.

What moonshot innovation would you develop to solve a global grand challenge (environment, energy, water, food, health, disaster resilience, governance, learning, space, security, prosperity, and shelter) using exponential technology that would impact the lives of a billion people in the next 10 years? 

The prizes

The winner of this challenge will secure full sponsorship to attend the prestigious Global Solutions Program at Singularity University. The program runs from June 17 to August 17, 2017, and will be held on the SU campus at NASA Research Park in the heart of Silicon Valley. 

But wait! There’s more!

All semi-finalists and finalists of this challenge will be invited to participate in an immersive workshop experience in Lagos, Nigeria during the week of April 17. Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about exponential technologies and the latest entrepreneurial tools! Make sure you have your passport and visa ready!

Dates and timeline

Applications open: February 16, 2017
Applications close: April 3, 2017
Finalist decisions: April 7, 2017
Innovation workshop & pitch event: Week of April 17, 2017
Winners announced: Week of April 24, 2017

Enter this Challenge!