Dear contestants and supporters,
BE OPEN thanks everyone who submitted their initiatives and thus contributed to this programme in an array of meaningful, innovative and passionate ways. We also thank everyone who has taken time and effort to review the submissions and cast their votes in the public vote section.
Thanks to hard and elaborate work by our amazing jury panel, and to the precious votes of the public, we are now able to announce the winners of the First, Second and Third prizes, as well as the Public Vote prize.
First Prize Winner
The 5000 euro grant goes to Norah Kimathi, a 2026 graduate from Strathmore University, Kenya. Norah is BA of Science in Informatics, Computer Science and Robotics Engineering. Her project Zerobionic. is an AI-powered robotic exoskeleton designed to improve access to STEM education for deaf and hard-of-hearing girls.
Second Prize Winner
The Second Prize of 3,000 euro goes to Victress Igboanusim from the Imo State University, Nigeria for her Calyx-Probe, a handheld AI-powered diagnostic device designed to improve access to non-invasive reproductive healthcare.
Third Prize Winner
The Third Prize of 2,000 euro to Lennox Omondi and his team members Dullah Shiltone, Keylie Muthoni and Brian Ndung'u, 2024 graduates from St. Paul's University, Kenya. Their submission Ecobana is a circular manufacturing project that transforms banana agricultural waste into biodegradable sanitary pads for women and girls in underserved communities.
Public Vote Winner
The Prize of 2,000 euro goes to Akshat Shah, Harshavi Patel, and Aryaa Bhagwat, graduates from the Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University, India for their project Samvaad Saathi: Service Enabling Financial Inclusion for Women Daily-Wage Construction Workers.
Samvaad Saathi provides guided, step-by-step facilitation to managing women’s financial autonomy: helping gather necessary documents, open bank accounts, register for pension and welfare schemes, and understand their earnings and savings options.
Founder’s Choice Winner will be announced shortly.
2025 is the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action accepted by all 189 UN countries unanimously at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women. It is an agenda for women’s empowerment and the key global policy document on gender equality.
Inspired by these 30 years of commitment and hard work, BE OPEN’s Design Equality with Innovation programme hopes to mobilize urgent and sustained action to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and support the achievement of the SDGs.
In a rapidly evolving world, global challenges are becoming increasingly complex and interlinked. Innovative approaches are needed in order to improve the way we respond and adapt to this changing environment, where established methods do not always ensure impact. Achieving the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals – and notably the goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment – requires transformative shifts, integrated approaches and new solutions.
BE OPEN will focus the competition on innovative solutions that:
- advance gender equality,
- integrate gender issues within innovation,
- promote women as innovators and entrepreneurs,
- promote technology-driven innovative solutions that meet the needs of women and girls,
- remove the barriers to the advancement of women and girls in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship.
Design Equality with Innovation is an international design competition, developed and held by BE OPEN and our partners. It is open to students and recent graduates/young professionals internationally.
“Equality for women and girls is a human right. It is a matter of justice. It is the foundation of sustainable development and lasting peace. And it is essential for humanity. By ensuring access to quality education for girls, and opening the doors of opportunity to decent work for women, we kick-start economic growth and we forge stronger economies. And by giving women and girls their rightful seat at the table, we boost our chances of solving immense challenges – from climate to conflict… In these perilous times for women’s rights we must rally around the Beijing Declaration. Recommit to the Platform for Action. And stand firm in making the promise of rights, equality and empowerment a reality for every woman and girl around the world.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, 10 March 2025
BE OPEN strives to make the competition programme more beneficial for students and graduates:
- the participants can expand their knowledge in sustainable practices and action plans
- the participants can compete for money prizes ranging from €2,000 to €5,000
- the participants can get international publicity as talented creatives and innovators
- the winners will go on a trip to a major international UNSDG-related event and pitch their ideas to international audiences
DESIGN EQUALITY has three categories for the submissions to relate to, to help contestants choose their approach to the challenge:
- Solutions to advocate and advance gender equality
- Solutions that meet the needs of women and girls
- Solutions to promote women as innovators and entrepreneurs
PRIZES
- First prize — €5,000
- Second prize — €3,000
- Third prize — €2,000
- BE OPEN Founder’s Choice prize — €3,000
- Public Vote prize — €2,000
TIMELINE
- Open for submissions — September 15, 2025
- Deadline for submissions — February 28, 2026
- Announcement of winners — March to April 2026
- Celebration of winners — TBC