The COVID-19 pandemic is a global socio-economic crisis as much as it is as a global health crisis. We all have a duty of care to help the seven billion people on this planet, especially those most vulnerable, to cope with the immediate and long-term impacts.

The pandemic is moving like a wave – one that may yet crash on infrastructures, individuals and communities least able to cope.

Technology can help us invest in effective responses right now.

Here are some of the key challenges that we are hoping to solve together:

1) Supporting the most vulnerable and at-risk people

How can technology support the elderly and people with disabilities who are quarantined or self-isolating at home? Your ideas and projects can include solutions to make it easier for individuals and groups to obtain food and medicine without leaving their homes, such as platforms to help volunteers organize and provide support in a safe manner throughout the crisis.

2) Tech and health

How can technology help doctors and nurses on the front line of this pandemic? How can tech help in increasing early detection? We invite applicants to share whatever viable tech solutions they can imagine, from thermal cameras to help with detection to apps for contact tracing.

3) Support to SMEs

How can we support small business and informal sector employees stay afloat through the crisis? Could the answer be a pay-in-advance service during the quarantine, online platform ordering systems, shifts and adaptations in business models or something completely different?

4) Physical distancing and social connectedness

How can tech help people deal with prolonged periods of social isolation, lack of access to information and resources, emotional and physical support?We invite solutions to help build resilience and brace for the weeks and months ahead of potential travel restrictions, closure of gathering places, border shutdowns and flight bans.

5) Improving awareness and behavior and getting public advice

With information changing every hour, it is increasingly difficult for people to keep up with advice and regulations they need to know and to ensure they get accurate information from official and reliable channels only. How can we use tech to ensure the public are engaged and informed about the ongoingsituation without causing panic?

6) Tech and education:

How can tech be used to deliver virtual lessons, upload teaching materials and enable effective distance learning for children, students and people with disabilities?

7) Tech and engineering:

We invite applicants to offer any ideas they can come up with to help create physical objects to help detect, prevent or treat coronavirus. Solutions could include infection sensors, hygiene hacks, DIY facemasks and disinfection methods.

8) Tech for everyday lives:

What kinds of tech tools could make people’s everyday lives easier at minimal risk and still allow them to carry out their essential grocery shopping, laundry, etc.?

9) Tech & Tourism

New Social Behavior in Tourism: How to overcome the new social behavior in servicing guests: future impact of social distancing in the light of new health awareness?

Domestic Tourism: New health and safety standards to be part of future travel experiences including the physical distance versus social distance in travel.

Creation of Crisis Management Fund for the Tourism Industry: How to make sure that all tourism stakeholders are covered fairly?

Mitigation Measures: Which mitigation measures are needed to respond to adverse economic effects in tourism sector during and after COVID-19?

Job Platform: Job platform where the tourism industry employees can find jobs in other industries for the short term.

Tools helping the tourism industry (hotels and restaurants) to communicate short-term changes in service and business models to their customers (e.g. open for takeaway, corona-isolation offerings, quarantine availability, etc.)

Implications of Covid-19 in Health Tourism: What will be the shift in mindset and preferences? How the industry will look like? (E.g., shift from wellness to preventive/medical treatments to boost immune system)

Stay-healthy travel App: Save "digital handshake" contacts with people that you meet during the trip, if one of your contacts develops COVID-19 symptoms you get informed. The app works like a contact management system and stops the chain of infections.

10) Tech and Environment

How can tech support a greener and cleaner planet in times of COVID-19? Can we make sure that the economic rescue packages dealing with the impact of the coronavirus will integrate green and digital aspects in the post-pandemic period? What are the ways of making a case for measures to decarbonize economies? How can we reduce single-use plastics that may become a vehicle of virus transmission?

YOU CAN ALSO PROPOSE YOUR OWN CHALLENGE

If you or your neighborhood are facing a specific challenge that could be tackled with tech then we highly welcome your proposed solutions. Submit your idea now by clicking on the “Register Now” button.

DEADLINE:

9 April, 2020 (17:00 UTC)