Ahead of the November 30 deadline, C40 is calling women around the world to apply for the Women4Climate Tech Challenge, a global competition designed to spark innovation and accelerate climate solutions within the tech community. The Women4Climate Tech Challenge was officially announced in September at the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, California.
Applications for the international contest are open to any woman with ideas or plans for innovative solutions to cutting greenhouse gas emissions and combating global climate change at the city level. Operating at the intersection of two areas in which women continue to be underrepresented, the Women4Climate Tech Challenge creates an exciting opportunity for women to lead climate action through technological innovation. The competition embraces the tech community’s role in building solutions of the future and seeks to amplify women’s voices in the climate conversation, marking an important step toward greater inclusion in STEM fields.
Winners will receive a fellowship, support and acceleration from C40 and its partners, as well as the opportunity to see their projects brought to life in one of the C40 cities that has already committed to experimenting and implementing the projects: Paris or Tel Aviv-Yafo. During the application period, C40 is co-hosting community events with participating cities and local incubators, including Paris&Co in Paris and The Platform: Urban Innovation Center in Tel Aviv-Yafo.
C40’s support for winning projects will be custom-designed for each solution depending on each project’s level of maturity, and may include acceleration, incubation, residence within the city, and urban space for experimentation. The ultimate vision for the Tech Challenge is to uncover the groundbreaking climate solutions we desperately need and potentially see the scaling of winning projects in other C40 cities.
The Women4Climate initiative, launched in 2016 by C40 Chair and Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, empowers young women taking bold climate action in the world’s leading cities. Through the Tech Challenge, C40 hopes to extend the Women4Climate initiative and its successful Mentorship Program into the innovation community, driving action that will help cities tackle climate change with measurable impact.
“It is far past time that women leaders worldwide are equally recognized for their work both in driving impactful global climate action and in pioneering technological innovation,” said C40 Chair and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo. “We must lift up these talented and driven women and show them unwavering support as they lead the way for generations to come. In doing so, we not only nurture the passion of innovative thinkers and send a message of hope to young women across the world, but we also create a more sustainable and just planet for all.”
Women are often disproportionately impacted by climate change, but have proven themselves to be some of the world’s fiercest advocates for action. Women mayors, entrepreneurs, and leaders across society have been a driving force behind meaningful climate action that is steering cities, businesses and NGOs toward sustainable, long-lasting solutions. The leadership and participation of women is critical to solving this global crisis, and the Women4Climate initiative aims to bring more women to decision-making tables around the world.
Projects submitted for consideration in the Women4Climate Tech Challenge may address a wide range of urban sustainability issues, such as mobility, food, waste, water, buildings, urban farming and air quality. Applications must be submitted by November 30, 2018, and finalists will be announced in January 2019.
For more information on Women4Climate and the Tech Challenge, including how to apply, please visit https://w4c.org/tech-challenge.