Who can apply?
The Innovation Challenge is open to Bangladeshi students and recent graduates who meet the following requirements:
- Bangladeshi national
- 18–26 years old
- Currently studying in 3rd year or above at a public, private, national or international university in Bangladesh
- Or a recent undergraduate or postgraduate graduate (within one year)
- Students from any academic discipline can apply
- Must apply as part of a team of 3–5 people
The Challenge does not require prior expertise in climate science or Climate Information Services.
Who cannot apply?
You cannot apply if you:
- Are not Bangladeshi
- Are outside the 18–26 age range
- Have an established business
- Are currently doing a professional Master's programme
Build your team
The Challenge is designed for interdisciplinary teams.
Your team should have 3–5 members who can bring different perspectives to the same problem.
Your team must be mixed-gender and cannot consist of only one gender.
Teams may include students or recent graduates from:
- Different academic disciplines
- Different universities
- Different backgrounds and areas of experience
Cross-university teams are welcome. Multidisciplinary teams are encouraged.
Think beyond your own discipline
A climate-related problem rarely belongs to one discipline.
A team might bring together perspectives from areas such as:
Climate / Agriculture
Understanding climate risks, natural systems and livelihoods
Social Sciences
Understanding people, behaviour, communities and systems
Business / Finance
Thinking about viability, financial mechanisms and scale
You can also bring other relevant skills and perspectives into your team.
What should your idea be about?
The overarching lens is exploring how climate and weather information can help people prepare for, respond to and recover from climate risks.
Your idea should connect to a real problem and at least one challenge area.
Your idea can also address more than one area.
What are we looking for?
There is no single type of solution.
Your idea could be:
- A product
- A service model
- A behavioural change initiative
- A financial mechanism
- A business model
- A frugal technology
- A community intervention
- A combination of these
A strong concept should:
Address a clear, real problem
Start with a problem that people actually experience.
Be practical and affordable
Think about what could work within real constraints.
Fit existing realities
Consider communities, institutions, behaviours and systems.
Connect information to action
Show how climate information, resources or services could help people prepare or act.
Have potential beyond one person or place
Think about whether the approach could work in other contexts.
Team guide
Explore Team GuideReady to apply? Here's how.
- 01
Check your eligibility
Make sure you meet the academic and nationality requirements.
- 02
Build your team
Form a multidisciplinary team of 3–5 people.
- 03
Choose your challenge
Explore the challenge areas and identify the problem your team wants to work on.
- 04
Develop your idea
Think through the problem and your proposed response.
- 05
Submit
Complete your application during the application window.
What do I need to submit?
You don't need a finished solution.
Teams will submit an initial concept during the application window.
You do not need:
- An existing business
- A startup
- A prototype
- A fully developed solution
Full submission requirements will be shared at launch.
