Asia-Pacific Social Innovation Cooperation Award

Deadline: 22-Mar-2024

Nominations are now open for the Asia-Pacific Social Innovation Cooperation Award.

Purpose of the Award

• In order to explore the diverse social innovation models in the Asia-Pacific region and encourage more aspiring people to invest in the field of social innovation, the Small, Medium and New Enterprises Agency of the Ministry of Economic Affairs established the “Asia-Pacific Social Innovation Cooperation Award” to select and reward the Asia-Pacific region for implementing the United Nations sustainable development goals. (Sustainable Development Goals, hereinafter referred to as SDGs) as the core value, and connect multiple stakeholders to create significant social impact cases of social innovation partners.

Award Categories

• Social innovation means changing the relationship between social groups through the innovative application of technology or business models, and finding new ways to solve social problems from such changes. This award aims to encourage social innovation cooperation cases and integrates the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into three awards: “Environmental Sustainability”, “Economic Inclusion” and “Social Co-Prosperity. One winning case will be selected for each category, and one case will be awarded a “Special Jury Award”. The breakdown is as follows:
  • Environmental Sustainability Award (Biosphere Sustainability):
    • aims to encourage social innovation cooperation cases that have direct benefits for environmental protection and sustainable development. The highly corresponding SDGs goals are clean water resources (6), sustainable energy affordable to everyone (7), climate change countermeasures (13), ocean sustainable development (14) and terrestrial ecological sustainable development (15).
  • Inclusive Business Award:
    • This award focuses on socially innovative practices in economic activities and business. Economic innovation does not only mean increasing income or employment opportunities, but reducing inequality and negative impacts on the development of economic activities, and driving economic growth and circulation in a more responsible manner. The highly corresponding SDGs goals are No. 8 Good Jobs and Economic Growth, No. 9 Industrial Innovation Infrastructure, No. 10 Reducing Inequality, and No. 12 Responsible Production and Consumption.
  • Social Prosperity Award:
    • This award focuses on social innovation actions directly related to the basic dignity of social life. Highly corresponding SDGs goals include the 1st goal to end poverty, the 2nd goal to end hunger, the 3rd goal to improve quality of life, the 4th goal to quality education, the 5th goal to gender equality, the 11th goal to sustain urban and rural development, and the 16th goal to fairness, justice and Peace.
  • Special Jury Award:
    • Although the Covid-19 epidemic has slowed down, the turbulence caused by abnormal climate and man-made disasters still makes human life and survival full of challenges. The harmonious coexistence between people and between people and the environment is even more valuable and valuable. It should also be highlighted and encouraged. To this end, the 2024 Jury Special Award takes “Harmony” as the theme, rewarding social innovation cooperation cases that can embody respect for others and ecology, demonstrate social and environmental inclusiveness and coordination, and then advocate the realization of “harmony” to the international community. A vision of the global common good.
    • However, when applying for special awards, cases still need to be registered in one of the three categories: “Environmental Sustainability”, “Economic Inclusion”, and “Social Co-Prosperity”. This project is independent of the three awards. If you are interested in applying, please check the box in the application form.

Award Information

• The award-winning units will receive the following reward resources, and relevant implementation methods will be notified separately.
  • Taiwan Social Innovation Exchange Itinerary (approximately 2024/5/3-2024/5/9, lasting approximately 1 week), the winning unit will have a fully funded subsidy quota for one person, and the subsidy includes: round-trip economy class air tickets (Taiwan will receive The awarding unit will provide domestic transportation expenses), accommodation during the exchange trip (arranged by the organizer), participation in the award ceremony, participation in the Asia-Pacific Social Innovation Summit, exchanges and visits to social innovation organizations, etc. The winning unit must fully cooperate with the organizer’s itinerary to receive relevant subsidies.
  • A trophy
  • One copy of the award certificate
  • Related marketing exposure
  • Priority in participating in Asia Pacific Social Innovation Community (APSIPA Alumni) activities

Eligibility Criteria

• The subject of application is “cooperation cases” between organizations. All social innovation cooperation cases implemented in the Asia-Pacific region can apply, regardless of organization type or organization registration.
• The same case can only apply for Category 1 awards, and can only be applied by one representative. If the same case is submitted repeatedly, the one with the earlier submission time will be given priority. Each applicant can submit at most one cooperation case in each award category.
• Cooperation cases need to be implemented for more than 6 months (that is, implementation will begin before June 30, 2023), otherwise they will not be eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Ministry of Economic Affairs.