Social Shifters

We are excited to partner for this year’s Change 100! 🌍

Change 100 celebrates and accelerates the most groundbreaking impact startups 💥

Faced by the urgency of the world’s challenges, we’re searching for startups tackling the toughest issues – from AI-powered tech protecting biodiversity to education platforms empowering remote communities.

This year, Make Change are opening up entries for sustainability and social impact startups to apply.
Change 100 Startups will be connected with the talent, resources and programmes they need to scale. We’re pleased to be lending our support to make that happen.
Why apply?

✅ Get featured among the top startups globally
✅ Receive skilled support from corporate teams
✅ Access exclusive acceleration opportunities

Winners will be announced online and at the ChangeNOW Summit in Paris! 🏆

👉 Apply for free by Friday 20th March: https://www.wemakechange.org/change100 

Get support to scale your solution, today 🚀

We’re happy to announce the Social Shifters x Amazon Global Innovation Challenge 2025 winners.

MUEVETEX from Mexico 🇲🇽 takes 1st place with a USD 10,000 grant. The team makes public transport easier and safer in developing cities by digitising informal routes and providing a trip-planning app with real-time alerts for traffic, safety, and gender-based violence, helping commuters travel efficiently and confidently.

Sonorus from Australia 🇦🇺 wins 2nd place with USD 5,000. Their “Shazam of heart sounds” democratises access to cardiac diagnostics, enabling faster detection of heart conditions and better healthcare for underserved communities.

Dairy Sense from Kenya 🇰🇪 secures 3rd place with USD 3,000. This AI- and IoT-powered solution allows smallholder farmers to test milk quality in 30 seconds, reduce post-harvest losses, increase income, and improve food safety for millions of consumers.

Congratulations to all winners, and we wish you all a great new year filled with continued innovation and impact!

Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty - yet 251 million children and young people globally are not in school. High rates of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality continue to hold millions back from learning.

In 2025 the Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge supported young impact entrepreneurs (18-30 years) innovating to provide better access to free and high-quality education for all.

From 1000’s of submissions (and with the support of 100’s of employee volunteers) x7 outstanding projects were selected to pitch in x3 regional finals (Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific).

Earlier this week the top two projects from each region competed in a Global Grand Final for further grant funding awards and we’re delighted to announce that the global (joint) 2nd place winner of the Global Education Challenge 2025 is… Freenanzas from Peru!

Freenanzas is an edtech-fintech startup democratizing investing in Latin America. Through interactive content and digital tools, it empowers a growing community to invest with confidence, without prior expertise. Stay tuned for more content about this awesome organization.

Learn more about the Fitch Group Global Education Challenge - https://www.socialshifters.co/global-innovation-challenge/education/

Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty - yet 251 million children and young people globally are not in school. High rates of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality continue to hold millions back from learning.

In 2025 the Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge supported young impact entrepreneurs (18-30 years) innovating to provide better access to free and high-quality education for all.

From 1000’s of submissions (and with the support of 100’s of employee volunteers) x7 outstanding projects were selected to pitch in x3 regional finals (Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific).

Earlier this week the top two projects from each region competed in a Global Grand Final for further grant funding awards and we’re delighted to announce that the global 2nd place winner of the Global Education Challenge 2025 is… Cogniti from India!

Cognitii is an AI-human platform helping children with special educational needs, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. It enables personalized learning, automated progress tracking, and caregiver involvement in low-resource schools. Stay tuned for more content about this awesome organization.

Learn more about the Fitch Group Global Education Challenge - https://www.socialshifters.co/global-innovation-challenge/education/

Access to education is a basic human right enabling upward socio-economic mobility and an escape route from poverty - yet 251 million children and young people globally are not in school. High rates of poverty, exclusion and gender inequality continue to hold millions back from learning.

In 2025 the Fitch Group x Social Shifters Global Education Challenge supported young impact entrepreneurs (18-30 years) innovating to provide better access to free and high-quality education for all.

From 1000’s of submissions (and with the support of 100’s of employee volunteers) x7 outstanding projects were selected to pitch in x3 regional finals (Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific).

Earlier this week the top two projects from each region competed in a Global Grand Final for further grant funding awards and we’re delighted to announce that the global winner of the Global Education Challenge 2025 is… OMG Labs from India!

OMG Labs transforms classrooms into hydroponic microfarms, teaching sustainability, nutrition, and climate action. Students grow microgreens, improve school meals, and reduce food waste across 30+ schools. Stay tuned for more content about this awesome organization.

Well done OMG Labs and a massive thank you to all the employee volunteers who supported this incredible challenge throughout 2025!

Learn more about the Fitch Group Global Education Challenge - https://www.socialshifters.co/global-innovation-challenge/education/

And (last but not least) we’re so very pleased to bring you the news of our winning projects from the Fitch Group, Inc. Global Education Challenge 2025 Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA) Regional Finals!

In 1st place (and progressing to the Fitch Group Global Finals next week) is ‘Audread’ from Kenya! Audread is an all-in-one learning app with interactive virtual labs and multilingual AI, deeply integrating African languages. It makes science accessible and engaging for refugees and underserved communities, preparing learners for national and international science fairs and opening doors to further education.

In 2nd place (and also progressing to the Fitch Group Global Finals next week) is ‘Altruistech’ from Sierra Leone! Altruistech Luminary Center provides creative technology learning for out-of-school children in underserved communities. Using LEGO robotics, chess, mental math, and IoT, it equips learners aged 4–17 with practical 21st-century skills.

In 3rd place is ‘Our Youth 4 The Climate’ from the United Kingdom! Our Youth 4 The Climate (OY4C) is a youth-led movement delivering the first-ever climate curriculum built by young people, for young people. It is active in schools across multiple countries, providing action-driven, intersectional climate education where governments have not.

In joint 3rd place is ‘Mobile Credit Computer Labs for Digital Literacy’ from Uganda! This initiative delivers mobile computer labs and hands-on digital education to schools in rural and slum communities. Four additional “credit” labs will serve over 1,000 learners and 80 teachers, with affordable installment payment models.

… and a special mention goes to ‘Azari Women in Tech Africa’ from Nigeria who secured a runners up spot in this region! Azari Women in Tech Africa trains African women in technology and design. Since 2018, their free programs in graphic design, brand design, digital tools, and career readiness have empowered hundreds of women, increasing their representation and impact in the tech industry.

We’re super proud of all our EMEA Region Winners and wish all those projects progressing to the Global finals next week the very best of luck!

We’re excited to tell you about our brilliant winning projects from the Global Education Challenge 2025 Asia Pacific Regional Finals!

In 1st place (and progressing to the Fitch Group Global Finals next week) is ‘OMG Labs’ from India! OMG Labs transforms classrooms into hydroponic microfarms, teaching sustainability, nutrition, and climate action. Students grow microgreens, improve school meals, and reduce food waste across 30+ schools.

In 2nd place (and also progressing to the Fitch Group Global Finals next week) is ‘Cognitii’ from India! Cognitii is an AI-human platform helping children with special educational needs, such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia. It enables personalized learning, automated progress tracking, and caregiver involvement in low-resource schools.

In 3rd place is ‘The Micro-Grant Mentorship Project’ from Laos! The Micro-Grant Mentorship Project equips Lao youth with mentorship and funding to lead community initiatives. Over 150 youth have been trained, supporting 40+ local projects to improve livelihoods.

… and a special mention goes to ‘Eco-STEM Resilience Circles’ from Pakistan who secured a runners up spot in this region! Eco-STEM Resilience Circles equips Afghan refugee and host community youth in Pakistan with hands-on STEM, climate action labs, and eco-innovation challenges. It fosters leadership, eco-entrepreneurship, and practical problem-solving skills.

Huge congrats to our awesome Asia Pacific Region Winners and good luck to those projects progressing to the Global finals next week!

Learn more about the Fitch Group Global Education Challenge - https://www.socialshifters.co/global-innovation-challenge/education/

The Social Shifters x Environmental Sustainability Challenge 2025 winner is… Lir Labs from the United Kingdom!!! 🏆 An AI-powered optical sensor which could revolutionize purification of our drinking water - protecting the environment and reducing the risk of exposure to harmful contaminants.

Access to safe water is one of the defining challenges of our century. While much of the global focus has been on water scarcity, the quality of our freshwater is quietly deteriorating and poses an equally urgent threat. 

Even in highly regulated countries, infrastructure failures, runoff from agriculture and industry, or sudden post-disaster contamination events continue to put communities at risk.

Lir Labs AI-powered optical sensor continuously monitors and characterises particles in water in real time. Unlike conventional sensors, it detects early warning signals of contamination, provides insights into particle type and source, and enables faster, smarter interventions.

The impact of Lir Labs is threefold: protecting public health through timely detection of contaminants, reducing environmental waste by avoiding unnecessary treatments, and strengthening resilience against climate-driven disruptions. 

Lir Labs will receive €10,000 in grant funding from Fieldfisher to develop and scale their new technology.

Congratulations Lir Labs team: Benedikt Huber Doruk , Toto Ozturk , Emile Meunier Diego Muñoz Iglesias ! 👏

This year we launched the TCS goIT Responsible Tech Challenge 2025 - designed to accelerate youth-led (ages 18-30) impact projects in Europe and the UK that are harnessing technology to accelerate the shift to a circular economy.

This unique innovation competition has attracted 100’s of project submissions from ambitious young innovators and entrepreneurs - all leading technology-driven social startups enabling more circular systems of production and consumption in response to the climate crisis.

Huge congratulations to all the x6 finalist projects selected, and wishing each of them the very best of luck on pitch day!

Meet the Americas Finalists of the Global Education Challenge 2025!

These incredible young innovators are reimagining education across The Americas! 🌎

Congratulations to all our finalists advancing to the next stage of the Challenge — we can’t wait to see your pitches in the regional finals pitch event!

Good luck everyone! 👏

Are you (or do you know) a young changemaker (aged 18-30) working to reimagine financial inclusion in underserved communities? If so, you’re not alone!

The Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Global Social Innovation Challenge is backing global and local initiatives that empower young people and underserved communities to move their minds, their bodies, and society.

Our ‘Financial Inclusion & Empowerment’ award category will support youth-led projects that are strengthening financial resilience through quality education, inclusive financial tools, and creating opportunities for underserved communities.

Example project types eligible in this category include, but are not limited to:

* Financial Literacy and Education Platforms
* Mental Wellness and Financial Coaching
* Skill-Building for Economic Opportunity
* Inclusive Financial Products and Services
* Support Systems for Vulnerable Populations

Finalist teams in this award category will pitch for x4 awards - 1) $10,000, 2) $5,000, 3) $5,000 and 4) $5,000 USD.

The Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Global Social Innovation Challenge will prioritize solutions both for and from underserved communities. 

Tag a friend now or visit our website to learn more! Link in bio!

Submission Deadline: Friday 12th December 2025 - 5pm GMT.