The Childtech Challenge 2023 Call for Applications Is Open: Find Out What It Is and How to Take Part
4 min read Impactus Ventures
The Childtech Challenge 2023 is here! It is the largest social innovation competition in Latin America for startups from around the world with an impact on childhood and youth, organized by Impactus Ventures and United Way.
If this is the first time you hear or read about this initiative, let us tell you one thing: you have to take part. Why? The Childtech Challenge is a competition that looks for the most innovative startups in the world, with technology-based solutions aimed at girls, boys and young people, willing to implement their solutions in vulnerable communities in Latin America.
The winning startups carry out this implementation together with the best nonprofit organizations, with a long track record and experience working with children and youth through programs, innovative and technological solutions, and other initiatives. They also receive funding for the implementation.
Yes, we give them a push so they can scale and expand their solution into new markets, and gain access to areas or spaces that might otherwise be a real challenge. And most importantly: we help them reach and transform the lives of more girls, boys and young people in Latin America.
Only the best startups make it into this competition. So if you have a high-impact solution focused on children and youth, we invite you to take part. You must apply between September 13 and October 22. We are looking for startups from anywhere in the world that have been operating for at least 18 months since their creation, with success stories and proven solutions, and that are interested in implementing them in vulnerable communities in Mexico and Colombia.
Solutions must aim to solve one of these challenges:
- Developing socio-emotional skills in early childhood center professionals.
- STEM teaching, learning and prototyping with a focus on rural settings.
- Strengthening socio-emotional skills in refugee and mobile families with young children.
- Building a sustainable future through recycling and environmental education for students of all ages.
- Developing autonomy and independence skills in children and young people with intellectual disabilities and their families.
There will be 5 winning startups, and they will receive USD 20,000 in funding. They will also have the support of Corporación Educativa Minuto de Dios in Colombia, Vía Educación in Mexico, Grupo Promesa in Mexico and Effeta in Mexico. These five organizations will help the winners implement their solutions in vulnerable communities in Mexico and Colombia. And that is not all: finalists will receive soft-landing workshops and will be considered for other commercial scaling projects and investment opportunities in Latin America.
What will the selection process look like?
- Call for applications
Entrepreneurs can register their startup from September 13 to October 22 at impactus.ventures/childtech
- Finalist selection
A group of experts in innovation, entrepreneurship, technology and childhood will evaluate all participating startups to define the finalists and winners.
- Demo Day
The startups that reach the final will present their implementation proposal to the judges, who will choose the winners.
- Winner announcement
Finally, we will announce the startups that win the competition through our social media and website.
- Implementation
Wait, there is more! Once we know the winners, the implementation process will begin to bring their solutions to vulnerable communities in Mexico and Colombia.
Top-level startups focused on children and youth have taken part in this competition, such as Storybook, Beereaders, Matific, Afinidata and Brave Up. These companies won the first and second editions of the Childtech Challenge, an initiative that let them expand, enrich their value proposition, build alliances with strategic partners, scale their product and reach more girls, boys and teenagers in Latin America.
If you have questions about how to take part or would like to know more about the Childtech Challenge 2023, you can read the rules of the call here. We also invite you to the Childtech Challenge 2023 Q&A event on Wednesday, September 27 at 11 am EST, which will be streamed on our social media. There you can get answers to all your questions. You can sign up here
We will also hold an event with success stories from the Childtech Challenge on Wednesday, October 11 at 11 am EST. You will meet the startups that won the first and second editions of this competition, and hear the founders tell in their own words about their experience and achievements. You can also follow the live broadcast on Impactus’ social media. You can register here
The Childtech Challenge 2023 is possible thanks to the joint organization of United Way and Impactus Ventures, and the valuable contribution of our partners: Fundación FEMSA, Comunidar, Genesis Foundation, Fundación Mustakis, Fundación de Acero, Fundación Frisa, Fundación Riisa, HEB en la comunidad, Fundación Xignux and Impacto Colectivo.
The call for applications is open! Don’t forget to register your startup between September 13 and October 22. Don’t think twice: take part and help us transform the lives of thousands of girls, boys and young people. We want to see you succeed in this competition! Do you accept the challenge?
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