Hackathon IA World Bank Group 2026 : Appel à projets

Contexte

As of 2025, more than 2 billion people remained offline. Over the next decade, 1.2 billion young people in the Global South will reach working age yet current trends point to only 420 million new jobs being created to meet them. Artificial intelligence is changing what is possible in development. But most AI tools have been built for a world with reliable connectivity, a smartphone in hand, and a user already fluent in how to interact with AI. The Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge is an open call to young innovators worldwide to build AI solutions that work in the real conditions facing developing economies, where the people with the most to gain are the furthest from the tools being built.

Missions et responsabilités

• Build AI solutions that work in the real conditions facing developing economies, focusing on the categories of Agriculture, Health, and Tourism.
• Participate in the hack-a-thon and generate entries to solve development challenges.
• Three winners will be invited to present their solutions at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026 in Seoul, South Korea.

Profil recherché

• Open to applicants aged 18 to 35, in line with the UN definition of youth, across the World Bank member countries.
• Applicants from emerging economies are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Applications may be submitted either by an individual or by a team of up to 4 members.
• Applications to participate and hack-a-thon submissions must be all submitted in English.
• Each team member must register individually, satisfy all eligibility requirements, and be identified as part of the same team before the registration deadline.
• An individual may participate in only one competition entry.
• Team membership may not be changed after the Hackathon begins.

Conditions et avantages

• Three winners will be selected, one from each category (Agriculture, Health, and Tourism).
• Winners will be invited to Seoul, South Korea to present at the Global AI and Digital Summit 2026, co-hosted by the World Bank Group and the Government of Korea from 19 to 22 October 2026.
• Travel expenses will be covered in full subject to reasonable travel costs, accommodation, and designated event-related expenses, in accordance with internal logistics guidelines.
• Awards for team entries will be made to the team collectively.

Dossier de candidature

• Individual registration for each team member.
• Application form submission.
• Referral code: WBGSmallAIGADS.
• All submissions must be in English.

Comment postuler

Register now via the Application form, click “Request to Join” and use WBGSmallAIGADS for your referral code. For more information, visit the official Small AI for Development Hackathon Challenge page.

Date limite : September 26, 2026