⏰ Deadline: August 31, 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge. Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge 2026 is designed to give young impact founders a platform; providing grant funding awards, connection to a global community high performing young leaders, and exclusive exposure through some of the worlds biggest brands.
ELIGILITY CRITERIA
To be eligible to apply your social startup must be:
- 100% YOUTH-LED – Founders leading the startup or project must be between 18 and 30 years old at the time of submission and have clear decision making authority.
- IMPACT FOCUSED – Startups and projects must address a clearly defined social or environmental issue and must already be delivering some measurable social outputs and impact.
The Global Innovation Challenge is exclusively open to individuals who:
- Are between 18 and 30 years old on or before the submission deadline
- Can provide official government-issued identification to verify age
- Represent the primary driving force behind their project’s development
BENEFITS
- Grant Funding Awards: multiple awards of up to $15,000 USD for genuinely youth-led, up-and-running projects and startups.
Your Opportunities Gateway: your journey with us doesn’t end with the competition. As you progress, you’ll unlock incremental access to opportunities including paid work, fellowships, networking and learning experiences!
APPLICATION TIMELINE
- FROM 18th MAY: Register Early and Access our Launch Event!
- 1ST JUNE: Submissions Open!
- JULY: Get your submissions in!
- AUG 31ST: Submission Deadline 5pm UTC.
- SEPT: Submission Scoring Begins
- OCT: Submission Scoring Ends
- OCT: 2026 Finalist Founders Announcement
- OCT: Finalist Pitch Coaching Begins
- NOV: FINALS! Pitching Begins
- DEC: Grant Award Winning Founders Announced
