We are here to celebrate and support exceptional early-stage projects, social ventures, and ideas with the potential to significantly advance society and the environment.
Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), these awards seek innovative and inclusive solutions that tackle today's most critical challenges.
Curated by Moonshot’s panel of judges and partners, these awards focus on specific themes with substantial potential for impact or urgent need for attention.
We are celebrating and supporting exceptional early-stage projects, social ventures, and ideas with the potential to significantly advance communities and the environment.
Benefits of participating
Our goal extends beyond project support; we aim to foster personal growth in young leaders by providing mentorship, integrating them into a vibrant community of peers, and offering grants and funding.
Invitation to the NYC Ceremony
Featuring exclusive UN meetings, seminars at One World Trade Center, and the Moonshot Awards ceremony in Chelsea, Manhattan.
Admission to Moonshot Camp
A transformative experience focused on personal growth, mentorship, new friendships, and venture acceleration.
Financial Support
Winners receive from $5,000 in equity-free grants, with up to an additional $60,000 in follow-on awards or investment, and expert support from development directors and VCs.
Recognition and Network
Gain international recognition and connect with over 100 global partners through announcements across 8 project and provide 100 young innovators and mentors with access to acc. program.
Main Category Award
Moonshot Idea Award
Moonshot ideas are catalysts of change. They have the power to set the course of world history (or rather, the future) in either a better or worse direction. To be on the right side of history, and ensure the prevalence of only the positive value-creating ideas, we seek to support evolutionary developments in natural sciences, humanities, arts, and ethics which are only mental seedlings, awaiting realisation through physical acts.
Main topic
Moonshot Idea advancing fulfilment of SDGs with a working prototype or a proof of concept.
Eligibility
A young person aged 15 to 25 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
Startups are the future of business. Small in company size but massive in impact potential, these mission-driven organisations break moulds, fix problems, and innovate for a more positive future. We aim to help them change a piece of the world in a positive way, particularly those who have yet to receive any formal support or funding.
Main topic
Tech based Youth-led operations advancing fulfilment of SDGs with initial market traction and a path to profitability, looking to scale.
Eligibility
A young person aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024 leading a for-profit organisation that is advancing SDGs. The young leader can be on any C-Level position, or a Founder.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
Exclusion
No startups that have gone through an investment round.
Non-profits are often at the forefront of advocacy, service, and emergency response at the grassroots level. These organisations usually fill in the gaps left by public and private organisations, especially in support of the most vulnerable communities.We aim to provide young leaders in this space with support and funding to scale up their programme delivery and longer-term impact.
Main topic
Youth-led non-profits advancing SDGs with initial success, with a plan for sustainable growth, looking to expand their impact.
Eligibility
A young person aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024 leading a non-for-profit organisation that is advancing SDGs. The young leader can be on any C-Level position, or a Founder.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional grants.
Exclusion
No organisation with secured funding $100k and more.
In a time marked by profound uncertainty about the future, education faces unprecedented challenges. As Yuval Noah Harari points out, we no longer know what knowledge will be essential for the next generation. This age requires new ways to harness technology, spark students’ creativity, provide the services they need to succeed. The Moonshot Learning Award champions grassroots innovations and visionary leaders who are not only pioneering adaptable, future-proof learning techniques but also emphasizing inclusivity to ensure every learner thrives in an ever-evolving world.
Main topic
Proof of concept or more in advancements in educational methods and access.
Eligibility
A young founder or idea-maker aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding..
Healthcare innovations teach us more about ourselves everyday. Ground-breaking advances are bringing solutions to ancient mental and physical wellbeing challenges. Still, intersectional disparities in access to healthcare persist. As emerging technologies are leveraging big data to transform medical research, patient outcomes, healthcare accessibility, remote healthcare and more; in this award category, we hope to discover what young visionaries are prioritising when it comes to healthcare today.
Main topic
Innovations that enhance health outcomes and personal well-being.
Eligibility
A young founder, scientist, or a medical practitioner aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
At Moonshot, we believe in the power of art to transcend boundaries and evoke profound emotions, serving as a catalyst for personal and societal transformation. Whether visual, auditory, or performative - art has the power to challenge perspectives, inspire creativity, create awareness, foster empathy, ignite dialogue and spark change. We invite young Moonshotters to share how their art is bridging divides and fostering unity amidst societal polarisation. This category is intentionally open in its definitions to inspire submissions representing diverse art forms. Written text may be supplemented with videos and/or images in applications for this award category.
Main topic
Artistic endeavor that bridge divides and foster unity amidst societal polarization
Eligibility
A young creator, author, or an artivist aged 15 to 30 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
Exclusion
Only original pieces and productions. No third-party content is allowed except as specified for music backing tracks.
Jury
Revealed soon
Revealed soon
Read before applying
Please have these guidelines open as you go through the application for the Moonshot Art for Peace category. It will help you keep aligned.
Emerging technologies such as AI are redefining human interactions and experiences in our generation. With the challenges of AI come a lot of opportunities and solutions in education, healthcare, commerce and more. We invite young Moonshotters to lead by example and share their innovations to harness the power of AI for good, towards a more ethical digital future for all!
Main topic
Proof of concept or more in use of AI technology to benefit society, support communities, or protect the environment.
Eligibility
A young innovator, an engineer, or a coder aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
Geopolitical challenges across the world adversely affect the lives of billions of individuals, especially those living in conflict-affected areas, many of whom are facing internal and external displacement. Entire ethnic and cultural groups are forced to flee their homes seeking safety, protection, and assistance, exacerbating global trends on refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced people [IDPs] and stateless people worldwide. Indigenous peoples face discrimination, high poverty rates, landlessness, malnutrition and internal displacement globally. Given the scale of humanitarian needs, we look to support initiatives that serve historically and contemporary marginalised minority communities and/or communities in emergency situations on a “for the people, by the people” principle.
Main topic
Proof of concept or more in advancements in educational methods and access.
Eligibility
A young founder or idea-maker aged 18 to 30 by 1 July, 2024.
Award
$5,000 equity-free grant + an opportunity for additional funding.
The Moonshot Awards Competition is designed to encourage self-starters and change-makers around the world learn how to use their ideas to change the world.
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