The Young Innovators Competition, an annual ITU Telecom initiative, is aimed at talented young social entrepreneurs creatively using technology to meet a range of real-life developmental challenges. The Young Innovators Competition is looking for young social entrepreneurs using innovative information-and-communication technology (ICT) based ideas to encourage entrepreneurship in communities around the world. The application deadline is May 7.

“We will be looking for the best young social entrepreneurs with startups or ideas for startups that use technology to help other entrepreneurs thrive,” the Telecom World announcement said. “These efforts can encourage entrepreneurs in any field, through incubation, skill building, mentorship, sharing resources and collaboration between small businesses.”

ITU Telecom World said the focus of the challenge is on providing access to resources, education, incubation, startup capital, investment and support to new startups, and on connecting startups with one another, with potential employees and with mentors and experts. Given that the groups in society who tend to be underrepresented in technology are often the same groups who suffer from crises of unemployment and underrepresentation in the economy as a whole, we have a special focus on connecting young people, women, minorities, rural communities and others with tools in the field of technology.

Winners will be invited to attend ITU Telecom World 2015 in Budapest, Hungary, October 12-15, to network, showcase and pitch their ideas, participate in workshops, win seed funding, and benefit from a year of ongoing mentorship.

Apply now! The deadline to receive applications is 1100 UTC on May 7, 2015.