Dive into the world’s largest call to reach the most disruptive startups that directly contribute to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Led by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the UN agency responsible for promoting sustainable, accessible and inclusive tourism, this Competition aims to encourage the global innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem to embrace sustainability and to deliver impact during the United Nations Decade of Action starting this year.

Bringing together stakeholders from a variety of sectors across the economy, this initiative sets out to reach a common goal, to set innovation at the forefront of sustainable development in corporations and destinations.

Collaborators

Main Partner

Airline partner:

Destination partners

Joint effort

The worldwide COVID-19 outbreak has brought the world to a standstill and both, civil society and the private sector have been severely affected. Consequently, the pandemic jeopardizes all of the progress achieved thus far in terms of sustainability.

Against this backdrop of heightened uncertainty, tourism's proven resiliency and dynamic nature can be harnessed to support and reinforce recovery. Given the sector's capacity to create jobs and increase inclusiveness, UNWTO calls for a transversal, cross-sector approach to boost sustainable development all over the world.

1 in 10 jobs worldwide are in tourism
^{UNWTO (2019)}

54% of people employed in tourism are women
^{UNWTO (2019)}

7% of global exports
^{UNWTO (2019)}

1.5 one billion arrivals reached in 2019
^{UNWTO (2020)}

5% of the Global Unicorn Club Corresponds to travel
^{CBInsights (2020)}

Tourism is a major leader to the global economy and is at the centre of the most disruptive innovation. Due to its active work with startups, the sector has reached safe and experiential travelling as never before. Now, it is the time to bolster this joint effort with entrepreneurs to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through new ways of tackling global challenges.

Format

Startups from all walks of life, from all over the world and all economic sectors are invited to participate if meeting the following criteria:

Be innovative in nature providing value-added solutions
Be sustainability-driven
Be scalable: to have potential for international growth and potential to be applied in corporations and destinations (countries, regions)
Be an Early Stage or Series A startup
Have a tested pilot and business plan
Have been accelerated before
Have a full-time team

All ways of innovation are welcome: new methods, processes, governance models, social impact initiatives, and technologies.

This Competition features 17 categories, each one representing a Sustainable Development Goal.

Each participating startup should select the SDG in which can generate the greatest impact.

To know more from the SDGs, visit our Tourism for SDGs Platform.

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

9.Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

Reduce inequality within and among countries

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

12.Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16. Peace, justice and strong institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

Participating startups will be assessed according to their:

Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
Ease of value capture via collaboration with the startup
Potential business impact
Maturity of the product/technology
Maturity of the team and the organization
Partnership readiness

Benefits for winning startups include but are not limited to:

Pitch at a UNWTO Demo Day
Access to technological support
Access to 90+ Venture Capitalists
Access to Top Corporations and 150+ Countries
Curated mentorship programme from Amadeus, ClarkeModet, Google, IE University, Mastercard and more corporations
Potential pilot project with private sector collaborators and institutions

Get ready for your application:

Keep in mind the category or Sustainable Development Goal you will apply for
Read the Terms & Conditions (hipervinculado al PDF) of the Competition
Make an attractive pitch deck in English (no more than 15 slides)
List your web page, social media users and contact information

Once you have all of them ready, fill out the Application form in English

Download the Terms and Conditions

Feel free to contact us for any inquiries at idt@unwto.org with the subject: "Inquiry SDGs Competition".

Timeline

Launch

14 July, 2020

New deadline for candidatures

10 October 2020 23:59 CET

Announcement of winning startups

21 December 2020

Pitching round for winners

2021

Slides about the Competition

UN Tourism | Bringing the world closer

Sustainable Development Goals Global Startup Competition

Winners

SDG1 - No poverty

SDG2 - Zero hunger

SDG3 - Good health and well-being

SDG4 - Quality education

SDG5 - Gender equality

SDG6 - Clean water and sanitation

SDG6 - Clean water and sanitation

SDG7 - Affordable and clean energy

SDG7 - Affordable and clean energy

SDG7 - Affordable and clean energy

SDG8 - Good jobs and economic growth

SDG8 - Good jobs and economic growth

SDG9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG10 - Reduced inequalities

SDG11 - Sustainable cities and communities

SDG11 - Sustainable cities and communities

SDG12 - Sustainable consumption and production

SDG13 - Climate action

SDG13 - Climate action

SDG13 - Climate action

SDG14 - Life below water

SDG16 - Peace, justice and string institutions

SDG17 - Partnerships for the goals

SDG17 - Partnerships for the goals

Collaborators

Main Partner

Airline partner:

Destination partners

Joint effort

Format

Timeline

Launch

New deadline for candidatures

Announcement of winning startups

Pitching round for winners

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Sustainable Development Goals Global Startup Competition

Winners

Collaborators

Main Partner

Airline partner:

Destination partners

Joint effort

​Format

Target startups

Categories

Evaluation criteria

Benefits

How to apply

Terms and conditions

Questions & Answers

Timeline

Launch

New deadline for candidatures

Announcement of winning startups

Pitching round for winners

Format