Allianz and Social Shifters Launch $90,000 Youth Innovation Challenge
The MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge 2026 offers $90,000 in grants for youth-led projects tackling social and environmental issues.
The Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge 2026 offers $90,000 USD in total grant funding for young innovators. Applications are now open for the 2026 Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge, with a deadline of December 18, 2026, at 5pm UTC.
The $90,000 funding pool is allocated across three distinct award categories. Each category receives $30,000 in grant funding, distributed as one top award of $10,000 and four additional awards of $5,000.
| Award Type | Amount (USD) | Quantity per Category |
|---|---|---|
| Top Award | $10,000 | 1 |
| Additional Award | $5,000 | 4 |
Eligibility and applicant requirements
Applicants must be aged 18 to 30 and can be based anywhere in the world. They must lead a startup, venture, or project with clear decision-making authority. Eligible initiatives must address a clearly defined social or environmental issue.
Solutions must be built for and from underserved communities. They should demonstrate measurable social outputs and impact. The challenge encourages the responsible and ethical use of AI and emerging technologies. Inclusive design principles and digital accessibility for diverse users are also key considerations.
Award categories and their focus areas
The three categories target specific systemic challenges. Financial Confidence in the Digital Economy aims to enable entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, grow, and sustain themselves using digital tools and financial knowledge.
Closing the Health Gap: Equality in Health Ecosystems seeks health solutions that address systemic gaps. This includes tackling the underrepresentation of women and marginalized groups in health research, services, and diagnostics. The third category is Community-Led Climate Resilience. It focuses on helping vulnerable communities prepare for and thrive despite climate impacts through locally-rooted solutions that blend technology and community knowledge.
Support, timeline, and application process
Finalist founders receive significant support beyond funding. This includes access to exclusive learning materials and mentorship from an Allianz business leader. All eligible applicants gain access to a global opportunities network offering year-round grant funding, paid work, and training with Social Shifters.
The application timeline is clearly defined. Submissions opened on October 7, 2026. The first scoring round runs from January 25 to February 26, 2027. Finalists will be shortlisted and announced in March 2027, with mentoring beginning on March 15. Live pitching and the announcement of winning founders will occur in May 2027, with grant awards allocated in June 2027.
"The Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge 2026 for youth-led solutions ($USD90,000 in funding)," noted one announcement. All applications must be submitted by December 18, 2026, at 5pm UTC via the official MoveNow website.
