Author: Tamari Cholokava

WSA Young Innovators is a special recognition for young social entrepreneurs under 26 years of age, using ICTs to take action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Together with the WSA winners of each year, they are honored as outstanding digital innovation with social impact.

 

The WSA Young Innovators call closed this year with nearly  300 applications from 80 countries. An especially selected youth expert jury evaluated all applications carefully and selected 5 WSA Young Innovators winners.

 

From providing African children with access to technology courses at a young age in Nigeria to supporting language education for refugees and asylum seekers in Belgium.

 

Making volunteering innovative and accessible in Lebanon, offering affordable cold storage services to farmers and agribusinesses in Kenya and strengthening accessibility for persons with disabilities with the eye tech that leads blind people to safe paths in Syria - Each of these solutions from the Young Innovators 2022 answers the specific local needs to impact lives and improve the quality of life.

 

Together with the 40 winners of WSA, the winners of the WSA Young Innovators 2022 will present their solutions and get awarded at the WSA Global Congress 2022, May 31 - June 3, 2023.

 

 

 

The Volunteer Circle, Lebanon

 

SEE HERE ALL WSA WINNERS 2022!

 

TECHNOLOGY BRIDGING GAPS - The WSA top 40 of 2022 continue to respond to global challenges with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in mind

 

 

The WSA Call for Application closed with nearly 350 nominations from 79 countries. The 40 WSA Winners 2022 present digital impact innovation that drives social change, be it empowerment, inclusion or harm prevention. Through digitalization, help lines and different apps and platforms offer new opportunities, knowledge and safety to those who need it the most.

 

With a diverse range of topics, the winners provide solutions to global issues in different areas of life. They range from an accessibility platform powered by people with disabilities, fully autonomous VR therapy that aims to make therapy more available to all, motorcycles with swappable batteries to reduce pollution and fight climate change to a flood simulation tool and platforms created for increasing civic advocacy. The 40 winners show how innovation, determination and the desire to see positive change impact lives all around the globe.

 

 

 

MEET THE WSA WINNERS

 

 

 

The final jury phase concluded in a four day Grand Jury Meeting of 20 international high-level experts in Jakarta, Indonesia, where the most convincing solutions were decided through a democratic and transparent process.

 

 

The WSA Winners 2022 will present their innovations at the The WSA Global Congress 2023. The Congress will gather social entrepreneurs, ICT experts and policy makers, young changemakers and digital problem solvers from all around the world to discuss and share how ICTs and interactive innovations can have a positive and sustainable impact on society.

DIGITAL. PURPOSE DRIVEN. EUROPEAN. – RELENTLESSLY WORKING FOR A BETTER FUTURE. The European Young Innovators Winners 2022 present outstanding digital solutions with relevance and immediate impact in their communities. With digital tools and a passion to see a better tomorrow the 15 winners address current issues and create new possibilities.  

 

The regional initiative of the European Young Innovators connects and highlights purpose driven digital entrepreneurs under the age of 30 years across Europe. The solutions are marked by relevance, quality, and immediate impact in their communities. 

 

European Young Innovators 2022 list

 

In 2022 Europe was still battling the global pandemic when a new disaster hit, and digital tools were needed and used to answer to new problems and uncertainties. This year’s winning projects include a support and information platform for Ukrainian migrants, and a platform that lets users create and store digital memorials of their deceased loved ones.

 

Furthermore, this year's winners are aiming to increase the parliamentary transparency and help companies with greener and more efficient data collection. They contribute to the fight against climate change by using machine learning to analyse microplastics and creating a machine to provide zero waste oat milk.

 

 

Connection as a catalyst for change 

 

The WSA European Young Innovators are yet again coming up with new ways to increase inclusion and reach curious minds behind accessibility gaps. This year the special focus was on new ways of sharing and using human connection to teach and learn. Among this year’s winning projects are platforms connecting girls from Eastern Europe with girls from America, and high schoolers who are looking to study at a university abroad with students who already study there to spread information and learn from each other. One winning project unlocks the potential of primary school teachers by helping them teach children digital skills needed in their future work lives.  

 

This year’s winning solutions highlight the importance of taking care of each other. Be it through a platform that provides emergency help to women at risk of violence or a device that makes accepting video calls easier for elderly people, these projects change lives. An innovative charity platform lets people see real-time which charities need your help the most and what’s the best way to donate, and another app enables people to rent and lend resources they already own inside a community.  

 

 

“For us by us”  

 

In a changing world European Young Innovators utilise the knowledge and experience already existing inside a community. A language learning and integration app created for the refugees by the refugees, and a metaverse platform to teach young girls IT skills in a gamified way pave the way for a change. Digital tools are opening doors and creating possibilities we once only dreamed of. 

 

European Young Innovators 2022 - represented countries