Global Education Challenge
Globally 273 million children and youth are out of school, 140 million boys and 133 million girls, and the poorest regions continue to fall behind with around three-quarters of the global out-of-school upper secondary education in Central and Southern Asia (46%) and sub-Saharan Africa (28%). (Source: UNESCO)
The Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge supports young leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs (18-30 years) who are enabling better access to education in their communities.
GRANT FUNDING & FREE SUPPORT FOR YOUNG IMPACT FOUNDERS!
The Challenge in Education
Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty. Yet 273 million children and young people are not in school, with high rates of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality continuing to hold millions back from learning.
Poorer countries are falling behind. In low-income countries, the out-of-school population has increased by 29% since 2015. Around three-quarters of the global out-of-school population in upper secondary education is in Central and Southern Asia (46%) and sub-Saharan Africa (28%)
It’s time to reimagine education in order to better meet the needs of children and young people everywhere.
Despite global efforts, inequities in education access and quality persist and are further perpetuated by conflict and climate change in many developing nations.
Providing Universal Access to
QUALITY EDUCATION
The Global Education Challenge is looking for youth-led (aged 18-30) social startups that support better access to free and high-quality education for all. We are particularly interested in highly innovative solutions that:
We will prioritise lasting solutions that can be delivered on an ever-increasing scale, and which can be replicated in different geographies.
YOUR 2026 CHALLENGE JOURNEY!
WHY ME, WHY NOW?
1) GRANT FUNDING AWARDS
Total grant funding award pot of $55,000 USD, with a maximum allocation of $15,000 per project. You’ll compete in 1 of 4 regional pitch finals, the top two founders from each region will progress to our global finals!
2) FREE FOUNDER & PROJECT SUPPORT
We’ll help founders to develop a strong submission, provide access to exclusive learning materials and a pitch coach to every finalist founder.
3) YOUR OPPORTUNITIES GATEWAY
Your journey with us doesn’t end with the competition. As you progress, you’ll unlock incremental access to opportunities including paid work, fellowships, networking and learning experiences!
The Sustainable
Development Goals
To enter the Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge your idea must contribute to at least one of the United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “shared blueprint” for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
The Global Education Challenge relates in particular to SDG 4 – Quality Education. You can find more information on SDG 4 on the UN’s SDG website.
EDUCATION CHALLENGE
MEET OUR
PREVIOUS WINNERS.
"Growing up, I witnessed a culture of silence around topics like sexual health, consent, and gender equality. That silence wasn't just in my home but in schools, community spaces, and even among peers. It frustrated me because I saw how the lack of open conversations left so many young people confused, misinformed, or even unsafe."
Niyati sharma | 24 | INDIA
Niyati is breaking gender stereotypes in Indian classrooms, ensuring every students voice is heard.
"After the first term, I was shocked to learn that a staggering 70% of high school science students had dropped out. Investigating further, I discovered a pattern - the teaching methods were formal, dry, and
inaccessible to many students."
John Onuigbo | 23 | NIGERIA
John is driving innovation in science education through the development of a 3D virtual science laboratory application for use in Nigerian schools
"Out of 2,144 Sub-Saharan African languages, 97% are communicated orally and only 13 languages are digitally accessible. Even with the recent growth of artificial intelligence, African languages are still largely excluded online."
Oluwatosin SHONA Olalere | 24 | nigeria
Shona works to bridge the digital divide across native African languages, empowering millions of Africans by enabling speech-to-text narration in many indigenous languages.
"My friend was denied healthcare due to her marital status and resorted to consuming a dozen emergency contraceptive pills to terminate her pregnancy. Witnessing her pain and suffering shook me to the core. I knew that I had to act and challenge the deep-rooted shame and stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health."
Priyal Agrawal | 28 | India
Priyal is empowering young people in India to make informed decisions about their bodies, relationships and lives through AI driven sexual health education.
Your 2026 Challenge Journey
From 18th MAY
Register early and access our launch event!
1ST JUNE
Submissions Open
JULY
Get your submissions in!
AUG 31ST
Submission Deadline 5pm UTC,
SEPT
Submission Scoring Begins
OCT
Submission Scoring Ends
OCT
2026 Finalist Founders Announcement
OCT
Finalist Pitch Coaching Begins
NOV
FINALS! Pitching Begins
DEC
Grant Award Winning Founders Announced!
AM I ELIGIBLE?
Social Shifters Global Innovation Challenge 2026 is designed to give young impact founders a platform; providing grant funding awards, connection to a global community of high performing young leaders, and exclusive exposure through some of the worlds biggest brands.
To be eligible for this program your social startup must be:
100% YOUTH-LED – Founders leading the startup or project must be between 18 and 30 years old at the time of submission and have clear decision making authority.
IMPACT FOCUSED – Startups and projects must address a clearly defined social or environmental issue and have measurable social outputs and impact.
Thanks to the continued support of Fitch Group and their incredible employee volunteers around the world, the Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge finds and funds the best youth-led startups supporting improved access to quality education for all.
ABOUT SOCIAL SHIFTERS
We exist to support the next generation of leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs – young people everywhere taking action on the social and environmental issues that matter to them most.
We operate on a non-profit basis to provide unique learning experiences, guidance and grant funding for young impact founders.
Learn more about Social Shifters.
