The Futures Project Call for Innovators for the Future

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Application Deadline:July 15th, 2020

As the world lives through a crisis unprecedented in recent history, we launch our first Global Open Call to Action for Innovators for the Future. We solicit your help to turn this severe global challenge into an opportunity – an opportunity to address the urgencies of the moment and the problems of our futures. This Call to Action is organised in partnership with the UN75 Global Conversation Initiative.

We seek to identify projects that help communities, building on our motto: innovation is the future delivered. You can nominate an initiative you know of, or self-nominate a project you’re affiliated with. We are especially interested in learning about work that may have gone unrecognized on the global stage, whether these initiatives are very recent or more established, provided they are relevant for today and the future.

These are the qualities that we look for in our innovators and their projects:

• Future-oriented & optimistic:
  Believing in our capacity to inspire positive change and build a better world and a better future for all.
• Unorthodox & passionate:
  Bold ideas that show ingenuity, passion and dedication and that move beyond traditional definitions, concerns and binaries.
• Sustainable & responsible:
  Ideas that use resources with care and do not come at the cost of the well-being of others.
• Specific & impact-driven:
  Projects that target clear needs of communities and their environment. Ideas that are meaningful to people.

Benefits

Top 75

The Call for Innovators will select the top 75 inspiring and impactful projects and recognize them in conjunction with the UN75 Global Conversation project. These projects will be portrayed online in a digital yearbook as recognition of the Innovators’ work. Their work will be shared through The Futures Project’s network as well as through the social media channels of the UN75.

Top 15

Of these 75 projects, 15 semi-finalists will additionally have their projects reviewed by and receive feedback from our Jury of Leaders, comprised of CEOs, NGO directors, political leaders, impact fund managers, foundation executives, and leaders from other fields. Participants will receive feedback from this jury of leaders and training and practical support on pitch preparation. They will be invited to pitch their projects in front of a jury of high-level leaders, funders, investors, and supporters at The Futures Project’s Flagship Conference in Munich in December 2020.

Top 5

The Futures Project will select up to 5 winning projects to participate in our highly-customised Social Impact Accelerator in Spring 2021. This four-month experience will include one-on-one mentoring with experts and industry leaders, interaction with our global network, and an intensive 5-7 days, in-person training week in Berlin. While the Accelerator programme will last for 4 months, participants will receive individualised mentorship for a full year. Participants will regularly learn from and work with our broad range of renowned partners from around the world, including business leaders, foundations, NGOs, and media partners. Through participation in this programme, Innovators will receive practical training and opportunities for collaboration that will launch their projects into the next phases of impact for the future.

Timeline

Step 1 Register and Expression of interest

Register with us and fill out the pre-application form
The pre-application form acts as an eligibility check. We will accept expression of interest forms up to July 3rd and will inform you about selection or rejection as we screen the applications.

Step 2 Full Application Form

Call ends July 15th, 2020

Fill out the full application form by July 15th

Step 3 Screening

Starts July 1st, 2020

Applications will be screened on a rolling basis based on a check for plagiarism and values-alignment with The Futures Project by TFP team.

Step 4 Expert Evaluation

Starts August 4, 2020

Experts from the all around the globe primarily from academia, institutions and research backgrounds will evaluate the technical aspects of the project. Every application is evaluated by 3-6 experts, which will include one that is a domain expert. The selected top 75 inspiring and impactful projects will be recognized in conjunction with the UN75 Global Conversation project. These projects will be portrayed online in a digital yearbook as recognition of the Innovators’ work. Their work will be shared through The Futures Project’s network as well as through the social media channels of the UN75.

Step 5 Juror Review

Starts September 15, 2020

Our international jury of leaders, comprised of CEOs, NGO directors, political leaders, impact fund managers, foundation executives, and leaders from other fields will select the top 15 based on understanding of the problem, solution and the team behind the projects. Participants will receive feedback from this jury of leaders and training and practical support on pitch preparation.

Step 6 Final Presentation

Dec 7 and 8, 2020, Munich

The top 15 will pitch their projects in front of a jury of high-level leaders, funders, investors, and supporters at The Futures Project’s Flagship Conference in Munich in December 2020. The process of selection of the top 5 will include personal interviews, group sessions and a pitch presentation.

Accelerator Program

Spring 2021

The Futures Project will select 5 winning projects to participate in our highly-customised Social Impact Accelerator in Spring 2021. This four-month experience will include one-on-one mentoring with experts and industry leaders, interaction with our global network, and an intensive 5-7 day, in-person training week in Berlin. Though the Accelerator programme will last for 4 months, participants will receive individualised mentorship for a full year. Participants will regularly learn from and work with our broad range of renowned partners from around the world.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Futures Project Call for Innovators for the Future