It is a non-monetary award system with a focus on sustainable knowledge transfer through a worldwide network. Winners benefit not from a one-time financial reward, but a lifelong partnership and integration.

Award Categories

• Government & Citizen Engagement
• Health & Wellbeing
• Learning & Education
• Environment & Green Energy
• Culture & Heritage
• Smart Settlements & Urbanization
• Business & Commerce
• Inclusion & Empowerment
• Young Innovators Award

Benefits

• WSA offers applicants global recognition, mentorship, and networking opportunities with industry leaders in 182 countries.
• Winners gain access to the WSA Global Congress, pitching sessions, tailored workshops, and exclusive promotion.
• Nominees also benefit from increased media exposure and expert feedback. More than an award, WSA provides lifelong integration into a global innovation ecosystem.
• Invitation to the WSA Global Congress including:
  • Pitching seminars
  • Pitching session in front of an international audience during the Congress
  • A program of specially crafted workshops for the winners
  • Invitation to the prestigious award ceremony
  • Board and lodging for the duration of the Congress (only on-site events)
  • Eye to eye exchange with speakers, jurors and international guests.
• Nominees' Benefits:
  • More coverage of your product. WSA provides nominees with press templates to help them to gain the attention of national media with support of the WSA national experts
  • WSA nominee seal to use on websites, social media channels and publications
  • Opportunity to receive feedback from the jurors.
  • Being nominated for the WSA means to be the best in the respective country in one of their 8 categories. Experience has shown that this qualification can immensely improve outreach.

Eligibility Criteria

• Companies, organizations, and individuals from any UN and UNESCO member state are eligible to participate in the WSA.
• Only projects nominated by a WSA National Expert can enter the Global competition.
• Applicants must register and submit their solution details online through the WSA contest database.
• Only fully filled out and submitted applications will be considered complete and considered by the WSA Jury.
• Eligibility for Young Innovators Award:
  • Participation in the WSA Young Innovators award is open to entrepreneurs, companies, student groups, and project teams with at least one founder and the majority of the team members under the age of 26 (born on or after January 1, 1998). Applicants must be from any UN or UNESCO member state.
  • Applicants must register and submit their solution details online through the WSA contest database.
  • Submitting a solution for evaluation and selection process does not guarantee any benefits to the producer. The decision is final and cannot be legally challenged.
  • Only applications that are fully completed and submitted will be considered by the WSA Jury.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Submissions that are incomplete or do not adhere to WSA guidelines will be removed from the selection process without notification. No legal challenges can be made against disqualification decisions. The WSA organizers reserve the right to reject any submission without further explanation or notice.
• A solution that malfunctions during the jury evaluation may be disqualified. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their solutions function properly throughout the evaluation process.
• Additional reasons for withdrawal include: lack of ownership of creative rights, copyright infringement, providing false registration information, or failing to comply with the contest guidelines.

Evaluation Criteria

• Technical Criteria:
  • Content: Quality and comprehensiveness, content richness, local language
  • Functionality: Ease of use, user experience, appropriate interactivity and functions
  • Design: Navigation/Orientation and visual appeal, appropriate design for target group
  • Technology: State of the art in technology and quality of technical realisation, appropriate use of technology (local context/target group)
  • Innovation: Originality and newness to targeted users, society and market, local ecosystem, financial sustainability.
• Strategic Criteria:
  • Impact: Local Impact/Impact on community & society
  • Value: Addressing UN SDGs, narrowing digital divide, global relevance, potential.

For more information, visit WSA.