Deadline: October 5, 2020
Applications are open for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Digital World SME Virtual Awards 2020. The Awards are an opportunity to recognize excellent innovative tech solutions, build resilience and foster investment in tech SMEs in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
The awards are given to any startup or SME with an innovative tech solution in one of the following four sectors:
- Connectivity: innovative solutions to increasing universal access to the internet.
- Smart cities, smart living: using digital tech innovatively to improve urban life and beyond in areas such as energy, transport, planning, food management, commerce and education.
- E-health: using technology to improve healthcare through remote diagnosis and treatment, care in the home, monitoring and prevention.
- Digital finance: ICT-based initiatives focused on increasing and improving access to the economy for the banked and unbanked.
Benefits
- All eligible applicants will be invited to take part in a series of online masterclasses on pitching to clients, raising funding and developing capacity in November 2020. A selected shortlist of entrants will be asked to pitch live online to an expert jury of investors, business and tech specialists.
- The winners will receive UN recognition, online visibility on the ITU Digital World website, a unique certificate of achievement – and an invitation (an Executive pass) to join them at ITU Digital World 2021 in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, in Q42021 to take part in the full SME Programme on site and in person.
Eligbility
- Open to participants identifying as a small or medium enterprise and start-ups.
- They should have an innovative tech solution in one of the following four sectors can apply:
- Connectivity
- Smart cities, smart living
- e-Health
- Digital finance
- All entries to the Awards must be submitted in English.
Application
Applicants must adhere to the following instructions:
- Be concise. Include only the most essential information needed for the jury to assess your business.
- By filling in the form, you acknowledge that all information (including financials) is accurate.
- To be eligible to enter the Awards you must meet your country’s national criteria for a startup or SME, have less than 250 employees and have an annual revenue of less than CHF 50 million.
- Each SME can apply to one Awards Category only
For more information, visit ITU Digital World Awards.
