Published 24th Jul, 2023

By Tola Owoyele

The Kids Innovation Hub, an initiative of The Destiny Trust, a child well-being foundation, has announced a competition designed to reward young innovators.

Titled ‘the Kids Innovation Challenge 2023’, the competition is billed to offer young Nigerian innovators an opportunity to compete with one another on technology-based ideas and solutions expected to address critical social challenges being faced by children all around the world.

“Children between 13 and 17 years of age are invited to develop innovative technology-based solutions that would address critical social challenges facing the world’s children. It focuses on key issues regarding access to education, healthcare and food security and child malnutrition,” a statement signed and released by Sandra Okwundu. the initiative’s Tech & Skills Development Unit Head, reads in part.

“The Challenge seeks to identify and nurture the genius in underrepresented children, focusing on children from public schools or low-income private schools, as well as young secondary school leavers from low-income backgrounds across Nigeria.”

The competition’s registration portal has gone live and interested participants in the stated age bracket can register at www.kidsinnovation.Africa/challenge.

Applications will be evaluated based on the originality of ideas, effectiveness of innovation, market potential, scalability of idea, technical knowledge and capacity to develop the idea among others.

The event is expected to end in a grand tech showcase and demo event where seven shortlisted participants will pitch their innovative ideas before a jury comprising of outstanding software engineers, visionary tech founders and start-up accelerator managers.

“The initiative makes skills learning possible for children through in-school trainings, afterschool classes, virtual classes and an annual bootcamp held in August of every year,” reads the statement.

“Children are equipped with essential skills for the future of work and inspired for a lifelong passion for using technology to solve problems.

“We recognise the commitment of our amazing sponsors, Max, Money Africa, SkillPaddy and Gamaliel and Susan Onosode Foundation (GAMSU) for supporting our mission to empower Africa’s next generation of innovators and tech talents.”

Prizes worth over N3 million are to be won by competitors at the event. Apart from cash prizes, winners will also go home with a laptop and an opportunity to attend tech-skills development courses. In addition, winners will enjoy a one-year mentoring aimed at supporting and developing their innovation.

The application portal went live on July 17 and shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview by August 12.

The demo event is scheduled to hold in September 2023.

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