Young Innovators Win Top Awards in NFTE's World Series of Innovation
NEW YORK (PRWEB) April 17, 2018 -- Eleven teams of young innovators from around the world were recognized for their entrepreneurial ideas to help solve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are global goals that the United Nations has identified as the largest and most serious challenges to humanity. The World Series of Innovation (WSI) is an annual online competition that invites small teams of students aged 13–24 to imagine creative solutions to SDG challenges such as stopping the flow of plastic waste into our marine environment, promoting safe work environments, or increasing access to affordable, reliable energy sources.
Organized each school year by NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship), a global nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset in youth, the WSI celebrates innovation. The competition's sponsors include The Moody’s Foundation as well as Citi Foundation, Resonance Philanthropies, MasterCard, and The Coca-Cola Company.
In this competition cycle, the WSI posed six unique Innovation Challenges:
The Moody’s Foundation Infrastructure Challenge: Design an initiative, innovation or invention to counteract the effects of rapid urbanization on city infrastructure. (SDG #9, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure)
Citi Foundation Decent Work Challenge: Design an initiative, innovation or invention that promotes access to decent work and safe working environments. (SDG #8, Decent Work and Economic Growth)
Coca-Cola Healthy Living Challenge: Design a new beverage brand that helps promote or support healthy living and well-being at all ages (SDG #3, Good Health and Well-Being)
Resonance Philanthropies Plastic Waste Challenge: Design an initiative, innovation or invention that will help stop the flow of plastic waste into our marine environment inclusive (SDG #14, Life Below Water)
The Moody’s Foundation Energy Challenge: Design an initiative, innovation or invention that increases access to affordable, reliable energy for a community (SDG #7, Affordable and Clean Energy)
Mastercard Financial Access Challenge: Design a technology solution that provides individuals who are excluded from the formal financial system with a payment solution that meets their needs and provides a gateway to improved financial access. (SDG #8, Decent Work and Economic Growth)
Prizes were awarded to the top two student teams in each category, drawn from a pool of 800 international entries. Each winning team received a $2,000 cash prize, plus $500 for their school or nonprofit organization. Runner-up teams each received a prize of $250. Volunteer judges from the sponsoring companies and NFTE’s pool of volunteer business and entrepreneurship mentors helped to select “Adjudicators Choice” winners. The "People's Choice" winners were selected by popular vote.
“Today’s youth are already changing the world, and we are proud to once again celebrate this next generation of innovators,” said Shawn Osborne, President and CEO of NFTE. “The World Series of Innovation is designed to be a stepping stone towards a lifetime of ingenuity, entrepreneurism, and creativity. We want these students to have the confidence to know they are capable of making a positive impact in the world.”
The WSI winners, listed by Innovation Challenge:
Citi Foundation Decent Work Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner: TeenWork! Project, a community-based app that enables clients (adults) to post requests for their chores. Teens can log-in and pick up these chore, earning community service hours or income. Developed by a team from Mount Eden High School in Hayward, CA.
•People’s Choice Winner: E-Link Enterprise, a solution to provide opportunities for young entrepreneurs in underrepresented areas to connect with private investors to start up projects that are beneficial for communities in said unrepresented areas. Developed by a team from Galileo High School in San Francisco, CA.
The Moody’s Foundation Infrastructure Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner: CropUp, an outdoor aquaponics and vertical farming system that is both space-saving and sustainable. Developed by a team from Oak Grove High School in San Jose, CA.
•People’s Choice Winner: Waterifier's PurePedal, a mechanism to filter water through pedaling, which can be attached to any bike. Developed by a team from McArthur High School in Hollywood, FL.
Coca-Cola Healthy Living Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner: The Condom Cap Energy Drink, a low-calorie energy drink that comes with a double sealed external condom, designed to educate consumers about STIs and encourage use of condoms. Developed by a team from Peak to Peak Charter Charter School in Broomfield, CO.
•People’s Choice Winner: FERroUS, an iron supplement drink created for women to help combat widespread iron deficiencies. Developed by a team from Newton South High School in Newton, MA.
Resonance Philanthropies Plastic Waste Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner AND People’s Choice Winner: Trasher, a mobile app linked to recycling bins that incentivizes the user with transferable coins that can be used in their social enterprises or donated to charity. Developed by a team from ITE College East in Singapore.
The Moody’s Foundation Energy Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner: Enertree, a renewable energy bank disguised as a tree, decorating the community while providing clean and easy access energy. Developed by a team from Oak Grove High School in San Jose, CA.
•People’s Choice Winner: Kinetistep, floor tiles that convert kinetic energy into sustainable electricity. Developed by a team from San Leandro High School in San Leandro, CA.
Mastercard Financial Access Challenge
•Adjudicators Winner: Project Equality, a website that links people with lenders who wish to put their savings to good use and borrowers in need of a loan, as well as a community bank. Developed by a team at Santa Clara University in San Leandro, CA.
•People’s Choice Winner: A Hand for a Hand, a business connecting people who are not in formal banking systems, refugees, and people who have recently experienced a natural disaster, providing debit cards linked with companies who offer discounts when used at their store. Developed by a team at San Leandro High School in San Leandro, CA.
About NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship)
NFTE is an internationally recognized nonprofit that activates the entrepreneurial mindset in young people. Research shows that the entrepreneurial mindset—skills including innovation, self-reliance, comfort with risk, communication, and problem-solving—prepares young people for lifelong success. Equipped with the mindset, as well as the business and academic skills that NFTE teaches, NFTE students are ready to thrive in the innovation economy no matter what path they choose. NFTE focuses its work on under-resourced communities. Through its nationwide network of U.S. offices, NFTE programs reached almost 35,000 students in over 1000 schools last school year. Partnerships in eight other countries allowed NFTE to serve an additional 40,000 young people internationally. Learn more at nfte.com
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