Call for Innovators for the Future

We seek to identify projects that help communities, building on our motto: innovation is the future delivered. You can nominate an initiative you know of, or self-nominate a project you’re affiliated with. We are especially interested in learning about work that may have gone unrecognized on the global stage, whether these initiatives are very recent or more established, provided they are relevant for today and the future.

These are the qualities that we look for in our innovators and their projects:

• Future-oriented & optimistic:
  Believing in our capacity to inspire positive change and build a better world and a better future for all.
• Unorthodox & passionate:
  Bold ideas that show ingenuity, passion and dedication and that move beyond traditional definitions, concerns and binaries.
• Sustainable & responsible:
  Ideas that use resources with care and do not come at the cost of the well-being of others.
• Specific & impact-driven:
  Projects that target clear needs of communities and their environment. Ideas that are meaningful to people.

Semi-Finalists

The Call for Innovators will select the semi-finalists inspiring and impactful projects and recognize them in as part of the UN75 Global Conversation project. These projects will be portrayed online in a digital yearbook as recognition of the Innovators’ work. Their work will be shared through The Futures Project’s network.

Finalists

The Jury of Leaders will select the 2020 cohort of Innovators for the Future, who will join TFP's Social Impact Accelerator in spring 2021.

Step 1 Registration and expression of interest

Register with us and fill out the pre-application form
The pre-application form acts as an eligibility check. We will accept expression of interest forms up to July 3rd and will inform you about selection or rejection as we screen the applications.

Step 2 Full Application Form

Call ends July 31st, 2020

Fill out the full application form by July 15th

Step 3 Screening

Starts July 1st, 2020

Applications will be screened on a rolling basis based on a check for plagiarism and values-alignment with The Futures Project by TFP team.

Step 4 Expert Evaluation

Starts August 17, 2020

Each applications will be reviewed by a panel of 3-6 experts from academia, business, politics, arts and civil society. To the extent possible, applications will be reviewed by Expert Reviewers with knowledge or experience in the same domain as the applicant’s project. The selected semi-finalists inspiring and impactful projects will be recognized as part of the UN75 Global Conversation project. These projects will be portrayed online in a digital yearbook and shared widely through the Futures Project’s networks.

Step 5 Jury Review

Starts October 5, 2020

Our international Jury of Leaders, comprised of CEOs, NGO directors, political leaders, impact fund managers, foundation executives, and leaders from other fields will select the finalists projects based on understanding of the problem, solution and the team behind the projects. The Jury will select the Finalists – TFP's Innovators for the Future 2020.

Step 6 TFP Conference

Dec 8 and 9, 2020

The Innovators for the Future 2020 will be invited to participate at TFP's virtual conference on December 8 and 9, 2020.

Accelerator Programme

Spring 2021

The Finalists will be invited to participate in our highly-customised social impact accelerator programme in Spring 2021. Participants will regularly learn from and work with a broad range of partners and supporters from around the world to deepen and widen their impact.