Global Grand Prize Winners
Celebrating the future of work
The MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy has announced the four Global Grand Prize Winners – and for the first time ever, a People’s Choice Award – for the 2019 MIT Inclusive Innovation Challenge.
Press inquiries and requests for interviews can be sent to Shannon Farrelly, Director of Communications & Media Relations, at farrelly@mit.edu.
Global Grand Prize Winners
Congratulations to our four Global Grand Prize Winners! We look forward to seeing them change the world for good.
Financial Inclusion
Income Growth & Job Creation
Skills Development & Opportunity Matching
Technology Access
Financial Inclusion
2019 Grand Prize Winner
TiendaPago
Latin AmericaTiendaPago is an online lender that provides small "mom and pop" stores with short-term (one week) working capital loans.
Visit TiendaPago
2019 Regional Winners
Asia Initiatives
AsiaSoCCs is an innovative community currency that people earn for doing social good, and redeem for education, skill empowerment, micro credit, enterprise funding and more.
Learn More
Beam
EuropeBeam is the world’s first online platform that crowdfunds employment training for homeless people and supports them into long-term work.
Learn More
Center for Family Life in Sunset Park (CFL)
US & CanadaUp & Go is the first booking app in the US owned by domestic workers, empowering them to increase wages, build assets, and compete in the digital gig economy.
Learn More
Social Lender
AfricaSocial Lender bridges the gap of immediate fund access for people with limited access to formal credit by harnessing a proprietary algorithm using social reputation on mobile, online, and social media platforms.
Learn MoreIncome Growth & Job Creation
2019 Grand Prize Winner
JobGet
US & CanadaJobGet is an efficient, mobile platform that enables millions of low-income jobseekers to find their next career within seconds and get hired within hours.
Visit JobGet
2019 Regional Winners
Jetty
Latin AmericaJetty technology improves the financial sustainability of the struggling quasi-informal transit industry in Mexico by dignifying work for drivers and enhancing passenger safety and comfort.
Learn More
NaTakallam
AsiaNaTakallam delivers high-quality translation, language teaching, and cultural exchange programming to individuals, schools, universities, and organizations—all delivered by refugees through the gig economy.
Learn More
Padlock
EuropePadlock is an online platform that connects businesses with freelance cybersecurity consultancy, powered by ongoing, iterative, and free upskilling of single parents in marketable cyber skills.
Learn More
Tiny Totos – 2019 People’s Choice Award Winner
AfricaTiny Totos transforms service standards across Nairobi's informal childcare market through innovative technology to benefit underserved preschool children and working mothers in slums.
Learn MoreSkills Development & Opportunity Matching
2019 Grand Prize Winner
Reaktor Education
EuropeReaktor Education is revolutionising online education, empowering all people to participate in a rapidly-evolving globalised society. Our award-winning first course collaboration, Elements of AI, has become a global phenomenon.
Visit Reaktor Education
2019 Regional Winners
Skillist
US & CanadaSkillist is a skill-based, identity-blind hiring platform that connects companies seeking entry-level talent to relevant, often-overlooked jobseekers, such as the millions of Americans without four-year college degrees.
Learn More
Talentu
Latin AmericaTalentu is an AI and e-learning-driven platform that helps unskilled job-seekers and companies improve job matching, save time, and develop the skills of candidates.
Learn More
Taskty
AfricaTaskty is Egypt's largest online marketplace for home services, connected workers with work and increasing economic opportunity.
Learn More
Youth4Jobs
AsiaYouth4Jobs provides youth with disabilities access to work opportunities while simultaneously co-creating pathways within companies for successful employment of these youth, at scale.
Learn MoreTechnology Access
2019 Grand Prize Winner
AGROS
Latin AmericaAGROS applies remote sensing and precision agriculture technologies to reduce small farmers financial exclusion.
Visit AGROS
2019 Regional Winners
Aira
US & CanadaAira employs a humans + machines approach, harnessing artificial intelligence and remote human agents to facilitate employment success for the blind with instant access to visual information.
Learn More
Innovision
AsiaInnovision aims to leverage innovation to develop assistive technology solutions for the empowerment of persons with disability with a special focus on affordability.
Learn More
Organise
EuropeFor working people who want a better life at work, the Organise platform provides the tools, network, and confidence to bring workers together to make change happen.
Learn More
Shopit
AfricaShopit digitizes informal grocery stores in low-income communities and links them to the formal economy to create local business opportunities and positive social impact.
Learn MoreFinancial Inclusion
2019 Grand Prize Winner
TiendaPago
Latin AmericaTiendaPago is an online lender that provides small "mom and pop" stores with short-term (one week) working capital loans.
Visit TiendaPago
2019 Regional Winners
Asia Initiatives
AsiaSoCCs is an innovative community currency that people earn for doing social good, and redeem for education, skill empowerment, micro credit, enterprise funding and more.
Learn More
Beam
EuropeBeam is the world’s first online platform that crowdfunds employment training for homeless people and supports them into long-term work.
Learn More
Center for Family Life in Sunset Park (CFL)
US & CanadaUp & Go is the first booking app in the US owned by domestic workers, empowering them to increase wages, build assets, and compete in the digital gig economy.
Learn More
Social Lender
AfricaSocial Lender bridges the gap of immediate fund access for people with limited access to formal credit by harnessing a proprietary algorithm using social reputation on mobile, online, and social media platforms.
Learn MoreIncome Growth & Job Creation
2019 Grand Prize Winner
JobGet
US & CanadaJobGet is an efficient, mobile platform that enables millions of low-income jobseekers to find their next career within seconds and get hired within hours.
Visit JobGet
2019 Regional Winners
Jetty
Latin AmericaJetty technology improves the financial sustainability of the struggling quasi-informal transit industry in Mexico by dignifying work for drivers and enhancing passenger safety and comfort.
Learn More
NaTakallam
AsiaNaTakallam delivers high-quality translation, language teaching, and cultural exchange programming to individuals, schools, universities, and organizations—all delivered by refugees through the gig economy.
Learn More
Padlock
EuropePadlock is an online platform that connects businesses with freelance cybersecurity consultancy, powered by ongoing, iterative, and free upskilling of single parents in marketable cyber skills.
Learn More
Tiny Totos – 2019 People’s Choice Award Winner
AfricaTiny Totos transforms service standards across Nairobi's informal childcare market through innovative technology to benefit underserved preschool children and working mothers in slums.
Learn MoreSkills Development & Opportunity Matching
2019 Grand Prize Winner
Reaktor Education
EuropeReaktor Education is revolutionising online education, empowering all people to participate in a rapidly-evolving globalised society. Our award-winning first course collaboration, Elements of AI, has become a global phenomenon.
Visit Reaktor Education
2019 Regional Winners
Skillist
US & CanadaSkillist is a skill-based, identity-blind hiring platform that connects companies seeking entry-level talent to relevant, often-overlooked jobseekers, such as the millions of Americans without four-year college degrees.
Learn More
Talentu
Latin AmericaTalentu is an AI and e-learning-driven platform that helps unskilled job-seekers and companies improve job matching, save time, and develop the skills of candidates.
Learn More
Taskty
AfricaTaskty is Egypt's largest online marketplace for home services, connected workers with work and increasing economic opportunity.
Learn More
Youth4Jobs
AsiaYouth4Jobs provides youth with disabilities access to work opportunities while simultaneously co-creating pathways within companies for successful employment of these youth, at scale.
Learn MoreTechnology Access
2019 Grand Prize Winner
AGROS
Latin AmericaAGROS applies remote sensing and precision agriculture technologies to reduce small farmers financial exclusion.
Visit AGROS
2019 Regional Winners
Aira
US & CanadaAira employs a humans + machines approach, harnessing artificial intelligence and remote human agents to facilitate employment success for the blind with instant access to visual information.
Learn More
Innovision
AsiaInnovision aims to leverage innovation to develop assistive technology solutions for the empowerment of persons with disability with a special focus on affordability.
Learn More
Organise
EuropeFor working people who want a better life at work, the Organise platform provides the tools, network, and confidence to bring workers together to make change happen.
Learn More
Shopit
AfricaShopit digitizes informal grocery stores in low-income communities and links them to the formal economy to create local business opportunities and positive social impact.
Learn More