The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth Initiative (SDSN Youth) recruits participants for its 2025 cohort of the Local Pathways Fellows. The 10-months fellowship program provides young leaders with a platform, capacity building, training opportunities and contacts of leading development experts and practitioners. The Local Pathways Fellowship is unpaid. Fellows will benefit from global visibility and exposure. Young candidates (18-30 years) working towards achieving any of the Sustainable Development Goals and representing any city or country in the world are encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted until 19 January 2025. Link to Local Pathways
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Hult Prize Foundation — Hult Prize Challenge
The Hult Prize is a start-up accelerator for social entrepreneurship which brings together college and university students to solve the world’s most pressing issues. In 2025, participants can pitch any idea for a social enterprise, as long as it is world-changing and aligned with at least one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Hult Prize runs regional competitions around the world, campus events, a national competition, and online for the chance to join the Global Accelerator Program. The winning team will be awarded US$1 million in seed capital. Hult Prize
Science Park Graz — Startup Idea Competition 2025
The Science Park Graz invites young inventors to submit their business ideas to the Startup Idea Competition in one of six categories, including Energy & Environment. The winners in each category will be invited to the award ceremony in Graz, Austria and receive €2 thousand each. The deadline for idea submission is 28 February 2025. Find the start-up idea competition
Cultural Survival — Indigenous Community Media Fund
The Indigenous Community Media Fund provides opportunities for Indigenous community radio stations and media outlets to strengthen their broadcast infrastructure and systems. Indigenous community radio stations can apply for a grant of up to US$8 thousand. Radio networks represented by at least three or more Indigenous radio stations can apply for funding of up to US$12 thousand. Proposed projects must be completed within a period of 6 to 10 months. Indigenous communities in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, India, Philippines, Indonesia, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand are eligible to apply. The application deadline is 26 January 2025. Indigenous Community Media Fund
Union for the Mediterranean — Mediterranean Youth Water Hackathon
The Mediterranean Youth Water Hackathon invites young innovators aged 18 to 35 to collaborate and create game-changing solutions addressing the challenges and opportunities within the Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus. The first-place team will be awarded €3,000, and the two runner-up teams will receive €1,000 each. Teams of 2-3 members can apply. Applications have to be submitted by 13 December 2024. Water Hackathon
Vienna Biocenter — Summer School
The Vienna Biocenter Summer School provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to work side by side with leading researchers in a dynamic scientific environment. Each fellow will be allocated a faculty member, with whom they will work closely. The research project will focus on a current topic in the allocated lab. Selected fellows receive free student accommodation, a stipend of €1400 euros, medical insurance, and other benefits. The Vienna Biocenter welcomes applications from students from all around the world who are undergraduates/master students and have completed at least two years of university study in a Life Sciences related study. The application deadline is 15 January 2025. Vienna Biocenter Summer School
Biomimicry Institute — Youth Design Challenge 2025
The Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge (YDC) is a project-based learning experience for middle and high school teams. Participants are asked to design bio-inspired ideas that can provide solutions to the climate crisis. The Youth Design Challenge follows an academic calendar which means that teachers can teach the biomimicry project at any time. The challenge is open to schools from all around the world (US equivalent grades 6th-12th). Schools have to register teams that consist of up to eight student team members and an official teacher coach. Each team has the chance to win multiple prizes. The registration deadline for student teams is 31 January 2025. Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge
World Food Forum — Young Scientists Group
The World Food Forum accepts applications for the Young Scientists Group (YSG). YSG provides scientific evidence and technical knowledge to the various initiatives of the WFF, including, but not limited to, the Youth Assembly, Innovation Lab, and Education Program. Participants of the YSG play a critical role in providing the WFF with the necessary science-based direction and have a formal scientific opinion related to documents, statements, or action-oriented proposals generated by the participating youth. Applications have to be submitted by 22 February 2025. WFF Young Scientists Group
Climate Investment Funds — Youth Fellowship
The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) supports young climate professionals with a career-focused fellowship program. The CIF Youth Fellowship is a professional capacity-building program focused on providing hands-on experience to young leaders in global climate action. CIF Youth Fellows will work with Multilateral Development Banks on real-world projects in areas related to nature-based solutions, clean energy, adaptation and climate resilience, energy access, and gender and social inclusion. Candidates must be between 18 and 28 years old and reside in Brazil, Ghana, India, Papua New Guinea, or Turkey. The application deadline is 18 December 2024. CIF Youth Fellowship
Action for Nature — International Young Eco-Hero Awards 2025
This program honors the work of young people between the ages of 8 and 16 who have completed successful projects in environmental advocacy, environmental health, research, or protection of the natural world. The selected individuals are awarded a cash prize (US$500) and certificate, as well as public recognition. The annual competition is open internationally. The application deadline is 28 February 2025. Become an Eco-Hero