ITU Innovation Challenges 2020

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

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

Eligibility criteria
All challenges are open to any participant anywhere in the world. Gender or age restrictions may apply. Consult the individual challenge briefs for details.
Participants will be required to engage in a co-creation process on ITU’s challenge platform.
There will be a minimum of five winners per challenge. The final number of winners for each challenge is subject to the organizer’s discretion.
Only one entry per challenge is permitted. Multiple entries from same applicant for one challenge will be disqualified.
Additional eligibility criteria may be apply for specific challenges. Consult the individual challenge briefs for details.