Deadline: 12 May 2020
COVID-19 is an unprecedented global crisis with numerous implications. In addition to compromised health, this pandemic presents vast socio-economic issues, many of which disproportionately impact developing countries where income losses are predicted to reach at least US $220 billion.
In the Eastern Caribbean, immediate effects are being felt among communities reliant on tourism, food structures dependent on imports and Micro, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) now struggling to cope with business closures and declining revenue streams. With island states on lockdown, increased self-isolation measures in place and international flight suspensions, there will be more repercussions to come that compromise livelihoods, particularly among the informal sector.
They invite the innovators, entrepreneurs, thinkers, dreamers, visionaries, creatives and more to participate in UNDP’s Eastern Caribbean #IslandHack prototype challenge as they come together to find #NextGen solutions to COVID-19!
Areas of Interest
While all solutions and prototypes responding to any COVID-19 Eastern Caribbean challenge are welcome, below are some categories of interest for participant consideration:
- Digitization of Fisheries: How can fisheries be modernized in order to digitize fisherfolk offerings?
- Economic Transformation: How can MSMEs develop virtual business models accounting for the future of work? How can digital payment tools be strengthened, thus enabling the e-commerce growth of MSMEs?
- Tourism of Tomorrow: How can the tourism sector shift and adapt to declining travel rates and changing consumer needs?
- Access to Essential Services: What resources can help the public better access essential services in a safe manner?
- Virtual Healthcare: How can healthcare be efficiently and securely accessed in the context of the pandemic? This includes healthcare workers on the front lines and patients at home practicing physical distancing.
- Protecting the Vulnerable: How can vulnerable persons such as the elderly and disabled access food and medicine without leaving their homes?
Prize Information
- 1st prize: US $10,000
- 2nd prize: US $5,000
- 3rd prize: US $3,000
Eligibility Criteria
Participants over the age of 18 who are recognized nationals in the following countries are eligible to participate: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Mentorship
Participants will have access to prototype mentorship from diverse regional experts in categories such as economics, hospitality, agriculture, fisheries, entrepreneurship and more. The mentor list will be announced shortly.
Mentorship will work as follows:
- Selected participants will be assigned a Mentor
- Mentors will provide prototype feedback pre #IslandHack Day of Prototyping
- Mentors will be available online for 3 hours of live feedback during the #IslandHack Day of Prototyping
Judging Criteria
Preference will be given to ideas and prototypes based on the following:
- Quick ability to apply prototype (the faster the better)
- Potential to scale throughout the Eastern Caribbean
- High degree of innovation
- Cost effective implementation
- Solution to a real and problematic Eastern Caribbean COVID-19 challenge
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3ffioAM
