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Unilever Competition to Fund Innovative Ideas from Young Social Entrepreneurs
Multinational consumer goods company Unilever is asking young leaders to prove what they’re doing to help build a sustainable future. Now, in the second year of its Sustainable Living Entrepreneurs Awards, the company — in partnership with Ashoka and the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership — is inviting young people (ages 30 and under) to come up with practical and innovative solutions to some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges.
Seven stellar entrepreneurs will be awarded a total of more than €200,000 (US$272,000) in financial support, in addition to mentoring, to help scale their services or applications. The competition seeks to provided resources and recognition to solutions based on one or more of the following nine categories:
- Water, sanitation and hygiene
- Nutrition
- Water scarcity
- Greenhouse gases
- Waste
- Sustainable agriculture
- Smallholder farmers
- Opportunities for women
- Micro-Enterprise
- Tackling critical issues
Finalists will take part in a four-week online development program and a two-day accelerator workshop in Cambridge, U.K. before pitching to a panel of leading business and sustainability entrepreneurs in London.
Entries will be assessed on their level of innovation, measurable impact, financial sustainability and the overall leadership qualities of the entrepreneurship. The most influential entrepreneur will receive the HRH The Prince of Wales Young Sustainability Entrepreneur Prize.
Last year's competition winner was Gamal Albinsaid, 24, of Garbage Clinical Insurance in Indonesia. Gamal’s innovative project helps the poorest communities gain access to health services and education through the collection and recycling of garbage.
The competition deadline is August 1. To enter, submit your solutions online via the Ashoka Changemakers Platform. Seven finalists will be announced in October, and the accelerator workshop and final judging will take place in January 2015.
Image courtesy of Ashoka Greece Facebook Page
Sherrell Dorsey is a social impact storyteller, social entrepreneur and advocate for environmental, social and economic equity in underserved communities. Sherrell speaks and writes frequently on the topics of sustainability, technology, and digital inclusion.
