Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) has partnered with Singularity University (SU) to launch the SingularityU Global Impact Challenge in West Africa to spur moonshot innovations to solve world’s greatest global challenges.
The two aims to help entrepreneurs develop solutions to problems in energy, environment, food, shelter, space, water, disaster resilience, governance, health, learning, prosperity and security among others using exponential technology.
The 2017 SingularityU West Africa Global Impact Challenge is open to residents and citizens of West African countries including Nigeria and Ghana.
The winner of the Challenge will be selected on April 24, 2017 and awarded a prize to participate in the Global Solutions Program (GSP) free of charge. Upon returning to their home country, the participant will have the opportunity to develop their innovative project, supported by the alumni network and mentors around West Africa.
The West African event is not the first one, since 2010, Singularity University (SU) has hosted many successful Global Impact Challenges across the globe. Singularity University uses exponential technologies to tackle the world’s biggest challenges and build an abundant future for all. It aims to empower individuals and organizations across the globe to learn, connect, and innovate breakthrough solutions using accelerating technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology.
The United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) and Singularity University recently teamed up to launch the Global Impact Challenge – Food in Emergencies, a contest open to social innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide keen of solving the issue of providing sustainable sources of food in emergencies. The challenge runs over about two months till official launch by the Executive Director in Davos at the World Economic Forum last month until the 10th March.
In Nairobi, the GIC was presented in collaboration by WFP and Singularity University and was an open call for bold, transformative ideas, harnessing exponential technology to end hunger by 2030.
The challenge aimed at finding solutions and disruptive technologies to provide sustainable access to local and nutritious food in emergencies. The challenge was open to entrepreneurs, students or passionate members of the public globally.
Winners will have a chance to develop their ideas at a Bootcamp at the WFP Innovation Accelerator in Munich this April. One winning team will also take part in a nine-week long Global Solutions Program hosted at Singularity University’s campus at NASA Research Park in Mountain View, California.
Shortlisted entries will also be considered for support and funding from the WFP Innovation Accelerator.
