Education Empowers: Innovating for Inclusive Futures

High school student walking through hallway with her friends
© Gettyimages/Drazen Zigic

The 2024 Community Challenge

Problem space:

Despite education being a fundamental human right and a catalyst for sustainable development, significant global challenges remain. By 2020, approximately 258 million children and young people were not in school, including 132 million girls (UNESCO). Geographical, economic and social barriers deny access to millions, while those who are in school often face poor quality and outdated curricula. Wide disparities, especially among marginalised communities, girls and minority groups, perpetuate poverty and limit opportunities. 

Lifelong learning is crucial in our rapidly evolving economy, yet many systems fail to provide it. New technologies promise solutions, but also pose risks that require responsible use and equitable access. Addressing these issues is essential to creating an equitable educational landscape for all. The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified learning loss globally, highlighting the urgent need for innovative and inclusive educational solutions.

The challenge:

To address these pressing challenges, the 2024 Challenge of the calls on visionaries, social entrepreneurs and innovators to submit breakthrough ideas that promise to transform education. You are invited to develop ideas to address critical issues in education and contribute to the : Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
 

We are looking for innovative solutions with sustainable societal impact to address topics such as:

Equitable access to Education:
Quality of education: 
Gender inequality:
Lifelong learning: 
Responsible use of new technologies:
AI equity and ethics in education: 
Game-based education:
Or any category related to education

Why should you join?

  • This is your chance to test and validate your early-stage innovation.
  • Join the Community Challenge, designed as a crowd innovation initiative to tap into the expertise of the community of Germany alumni and the resources of entrepreneurs.
  • Collaborate and network to turn ideas into action and build valuable connections for future growth.
  • Winners will receive professional coaching to develop business plans and networking opportunities to advance their concepts.
  • Need guidance? Register for our, covering idea generation, business planning, pitching, and more.

Timeline

1. Online workshops on activating social entrepreneurship (optional)
2. Submission of ideas
3. Community Engagement and Feedback
4. Final Virtual Pitching Day
5. Professional entrepreneurial coaching

Target group and ideas we are looking for

The Community Challenge is open to all from all sectors, but especially professionals from areas such as public education, online education, higher education, vocational training, special education, etc. Both individual and team entries are encouraged. Please note, that you have to be a to attend the Virtual Pitching Day and present your idea.

We are looking for early-stage ideas, even in their early phases. Whether you're brainstorming multiple options, validating feasibility, or have a prototype and are visualizing with potential customers, we want to hear from you.

Our jury

FAQs

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