Top tips for a successful World Summit Awards application

Dear applicant, we are so glad you are here! Our team has put together the best tips and tools for writing your application. If you have an impactful digital solution and will stick to these 10 points, you have the highest chance to convince the jury:

1) Be clear and concise

• Use simple, clear sentences to describe your solution.
• Stick to the main points. We receive many applications, so clarity is crucial.

2) Would a 10-year-old understand your solution?

• Imagine explaining your solution to a 10-year-old child.
• Avoid complex words and field specific technical language.
• Make sure it’s easy to understand what your solution does and its impact.
• Provide clear examples.

3) Include a video

• We highly recommend including a video demonstration of your product.
• A simple screen recording can effectively show how your product works.
• Ensure the video clearly explains the main features and benefits of your solution.
• If possible, add English subtitles to make it easier for all jury members to understand. Trusted automatic tools for adding subtitles include YouTube’s subtitle feature, Amara, and Kapwing.

4) Describe the context and local challenges

• WSA jury members come from diverse backgrounds and regions. People from the other side of the planet might live in a very different reality with a different set of challenges.
• Help the jury understand why your solution is important in your region, in your community.

5) Financial sustainability matters

• WSA highlights projects with strong social impact. Being recognized by WSA can help strengthen and grow your solution and its reach.
  Therefore, it’s important for the jury to understand that you have diverse and sustainable sources of funding.
• While the jury does not evaluate your application as a business case, demonstrating the sustainability of your solution and its impact is crucial. Include details about your funding sources, such as: grants from foundations or government agencies, subscription fees from users, corporate sponsorships or partnerships, revenue from product sales or services, ...

6) Use translation and AI tools if needed

• If English is not your native language, don’t hesitate to use translation tools.
• Tools like Google Translate and DeepL can be very helpful.
• You can also use AI tools like ChatGPT to refine your text.
• It’s perfectly fine to use AI tools like ChatGPT. Here are some helpful prompts:
  "Can you make this answer clear and easily understandable to people from different countries and backgrounds?"
  "Can you check if this answer has a natural flow and is clear?"
  "Can you check if this answer is not repetitive or redundant?"
  "Can you make this answer more concise?"
• Remember, smooth-looking text without substance will not be beneficial. Being concise, specific, and to the point is a great advantage.

7) Include a user account for the Jury if you can!

• Clear and concise language is great, but there’s nothing better than having the jury members try out your solution.
• If your solution is geo-restricted, we highly recommend granting temporary access to the Jury members, so that they could download it and see it for themselves.

8) Demonstrate your impact

• Impact data should show real changes in the lives of your target group.
• Judges are interested in seeing qualitative and quantitative data, they are also interested in use stories. One of our past winners mentioned a court case, where the recording from their app was used as evidence and helped a domestic violence survivor win the court case. That’s such a proof of impact!
• Your impact data should address the “So what?” question. For instance, if you say, “We have 5000 app downloads,” explain what that really means. How has your app affected the users' lives beyond just adding another app to their device?
• By showing clear, specific results (“so what” answer), you provide a compelling case for the value of your solution.

Example:

Imagine you have a digital health app called "HealthConnect" that contributes to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. Instead of saying, "Our app has 5000 downloads," you could say, "Out of 5000 downloads, we have 3000 active users who use the app to monitor their health daily. Thanks to 'HealthConnect,' 80% of active users reported improved management of their chronic conditions within three months, reducing hospital visits by 25%."

9) Attach a slides deck

• Do you already have a readymade slides deck, describing your solution, the problem, the technology, and your team? Make sure to attach it and refer to it in the application.
• If you are sharing a Google link, check the privacy setting and make sure that it is accessible to anyone.

If you have questions about any of the above, don’t hesitate to reach out to office@wsa-global.org.
We are happy to help.