“COVID-19 Challenge 2020” – an online contest for innovative tools and solutions to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic where young innovators throughout Uzbekistan be able to collaborate and build innovations by combining knowledge, technology, medicine and entrepreneurship to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the restrictive measures settled by the government of Uzbekistan in order to combat the spread of the virus in the country, a large number of people has been left without jobs. To date, not only vulnerable citizensbut also particular communities and enterprises. In this respect, this competition is an attempt to create an online platform where innovators can come up with, experiment and create technologies and digital solutions to help cope with this crisis.

With networked and collaborative approach organizers plan to facilitate mobilizing, identifying and deploying technological solutions to critical challenges to minimize and mitigate the social and economic effects of COVID-19 crisis to communities and in particular protect vulnerable segments of the population. The contest is looking for technological solutions that can be deployed quickly and have the potential to rapidly scale nationally.

The contest is jointly organized with: IT Park, Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations, Ministry of Innovative Development, Youth Union, Youth Academy under the Ministry of innovative development, Health Ministry, Youth entrepreneurship development support center of Uzbekistan, Digital Trust Fund, World Bank, OSCE, Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

It is worth adding the contest organizers to work with a team of mentors who will act as experts to assist in the direction of activities and feedback between several project teams. Their purpose is to help teams create solutions that are both meaningful and implementable. For each direction, 4-5 mentors are expected to be involved.

The contest is held in the following tracks:

1 - HEALTHCARE
2 - HELP TO VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
3 - SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT
4 -COMMUNITY SUPPORT
5 - EDUCATION
6 - IMPROVEMENT OF AWARENESS AND BEHAVIORAL MODELS
7 - LEISURE
8 - ALL OTHERS
Here it’s possible to offer solutions and ideas that are not covered by previous topics.

We invite all innovators to offer solutions for any other topics that you think are important and must be included in the list. So, generate your ideas and feel free to think different!

Any individual has the right to participate in the contest. To join the contest interested interested individuals and companies are asked to register and submit the idea of suggested technology solution by completing online form. Next, submitted applications to be reviewed and successful teams will be invited for an online interview. Innovators that progress past the interview will undergo mentorship (online moderation and brain-storming)  and project protection prior to final selection and contracting process. 

A minimum of 5 selected projects will be supported with financial contribution of up to $10,000 provided by partners for testing and further deployment of proposed technology solutions.

The contest organizers will work closely with the Special Republican Commission for the COVID-19 spread prevention to ensure the most effective solutions can receive further funding and implementation to achieve the maximum possible effect within the current crisis.

Participation requirements, contest rules and additional information are available here: http://covid-19challenge.it-park.uz

The “COVID-19 Challenge 2020” initiative is implemented by UNDP and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations within a joint project «Promotion of Youth Employment in Uzbekistan», funded by the Government of Russian Federation.