Deadline: February 24, 2019
WorldBank ID4D Initiative has launched a new #MissionBillion challenge to seek solutions in digital identity. They are looking for creative solutions from academics, entrepreneurs, scientists, technologists, and engaged citizens. The inaugural Mission Billion Challenge is powered by the MIT Solve platform, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that uses open innovation and crowdsourcing to solve global challenges.
Despite significant progress in recent years, one billion people are still unable to prove their identity, and millions more have forms of identification that cannot be reliably verified or authenticated. In an increasingly digital age, the lack of verifiable identification often results in exclusion from economic opportunities and a variety of social and political rights.
For the inaugural Mission Billion Challenge, the ID4D Initiative will start with an issue at the heart of digital identification design: privacy and user empowerment of their identification. As countries and development partners strive to provide identification to millions of people, there is an opportunity to inform the design of digital identification systems to enhance data protection and provide individuals with greater control over their personal data. The Challenge aims to surface practical and cost-effective ‘privacy by design’ features that can be embedded into digital identification systems.
The Challenge
How can digital identification systems in developing countries be better designed or adapted to protect people’s privacy and empower them with greater control over their personal data?
Prizes
The Challenge has up to $100K in prizes for most promising ideas.
Cash prizes totaling $100,000 with a top prize of $50,000.
Eligibility
Mission Billion is open to:
- Individuals, including academics, entrepreneurs, scientists, technologists and other engaged citizens
- Organizations, involved in research, advocacy, design and implementation of digital identification systems
Application
Through the MIT Solve platform, innovators and organizations, can submit a solution to the Mission Billion Challenge. Submissions will be evaluated by committees formed of staff members of the World Bank and partner organizations. The final evaluation panel will be composed of globally recognized experts in the field of digital identification systems.
For more information, visit Mission Billion Challenge.
