Innovate for Refugees Competition kicks off

MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab has launched “Innovate for Refugees (IFR)” competition, in partnership with Zain and MBC Hope and supported by UNHCR, Unicef, UBER and Jusoor. the initiative aims to find and reward tech-driven solutions to alleviate the burden of the refugee crisis.

The competition addresses the most acute hardships faced by refugees, including healthcare, food, shelter, security, education and energy. 10 finalist teams will be announced on September 20 and the Final Award Ceremony will be held on October 4, in Amman, Jordan.

By participating in the IFR Competition, entrepreneurs will benefit on several levels, one of which is the social reward by helping to alleviate the burden faced by refugees. Another aspect is the financial reward through the prizes being offered. This is in addition to the regional and international exposure through the media coverage that the IFR competition will be generating, as well as credibility to their project if it becomes recognized by MIT Enterprise Forum Pan Arab as a reputable brand name in the region and beyond.
Five winners will be rewarded— of which at least one refugee team— with cash prizes and mentorship to successfully implement their project and contribute to ameliorating the conditions of the refugee population.

Four prizes of $20,000 each will be awarded to the most innovative solutions that effectively tackle challenges faced by refugees. Of the five prizes, two are offered by the main sponsors Zain and MBC Hope and are open to solutions across categories including healthcare, energy, food, shelter and security. The third is marked for an educational solution and offered by Jusoor, an NGO established by Syrian expatriates supporting the country’s development.

The fourth prize is marked for a ‘child-focused technology’ that targets the most vulnerable or underserved children and seek to ‘improve child wellbeing by protecting children’s rights, help meet their basic needs, or expand their opportunities to reach their full future potential’.

To support the MIT EF Pan Arab Innovate for Refugees competition, Uber has launched a “Ride for a cause” campaign on August 11 in Beirut, Amman, Riyadh, Cairo and Dubai in order to sponsor the campaign to fund the fifth prize that will be awarded to a solution brought forward by a refugee.