Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge 2026 — Win Up to $10,000 in Grants

About the programme

The Allianz x Social Shifters MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge is a global competition designed to support young entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to important social and environmental problems.

Organised by Social Shifters in partnership with Allianz, the challenge aims to help youth-led ventures grow their impact, strengthen underserved communities and develop practical solutions to challenges affecting people's lives.

The competition offers a total of US$90,000 in grant funding across three categories. Successful applicants can receive a grant to help develop and expand their projects. Finalists also benefit from pitch coaching, learning resources and mentoring from an Allianz business leader.

The competition welcomes applications from around the world, including eligible applicants in African countries. Projects may be for-profit ventures, nonprofit organisations or unregistered initiatives, provided they meet the competition's eligibility requirements.

Applicants should have a clear social or environmental mission, evidence of impact or measurable outcomes, and a project that aligns with at least one United Nations Sustainable Development Goal.

Who can apply

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Age: Be between 18 and 30 years old on or before the December 18, 2026 submission deadline.
• Leadership: Be the founder, co-founder or primary leader of the project, with clear decision-making authority.
• Youth ownership and control: Young people aged 18–30 must hold at least 51% of the group or startup's stake, and eligible young people must have clear decision-making authority.
• Social or environmental impact: The project must address a clearly defined problem and demonstrate positive impact or measurable social outcomes.
• Global reach: Applicants and projects may be based anywhere in the world, except for countries excluded under the official rules.
• English proficiency: Applicants must be able to communicate their project's purpose, plans and impact in English.

Both registered and unregistered initiatives can apply. However, if the organisation is legally registered, it must have been incorporated no earlier than five years before the submission deadline.

Applicants do not necessarily need to run a large company. A qualifying project may be an early-stage venture or community initiative, provided it meets the competition's requirements.

The official guidelines exclude submissions from Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela. Applicants should check the current rules before applying.

What you get

1. Grant funding

The challenge offers US$90,000 in total grant awards, divided equally among three categories.

Each category has:

• One award of US$10,000.
• Four awards of US$5,000.

This means five projects can receive awards in each category, for a total of 15 grant awards across the competition.

The maximum grant an entrant can receive is US$10,000. Applicants submit one project and may be considered for the applicable award opportunities under the competition rules.

Grant money must be used to advance the project described in the application and approved grant agreement. Permitted costs can include project development, equipment, materials, technical resources, marketing, communications and team capacity building. Personal expenses are not permitted, and no more than 10% of the grant may be used for travel.

2. Founder and startup support

Registered entrants can access guidance documents, FAQs, support webinars and technical assistance to help them prepare their submissions.

Shortlisted finalists receive additional support, including one-to-one pitch coaching and opportunities for greater visibility.

3. Mentoring

Finalist founders receive support from an Allianz business mentor. This can help them strengthen their project plans and prepare to present their ideas to judges.

4. Global Opportunities Network

Eligible applicants can gain access to Social Shifters' wider network and may be considered for additional opportunities over the following 24 months. These opportunities may include mentoring, online learning, skills workshops, leadership programmes and peer support.

Additional support is subject to availability and is not guaranteed to every participant.

5. Free participation

There is no application or participation fee. The challenge is conducted online, so applicants do not need to travel to take part.

Award categories

Applicants must choose the category that best matches their project.

Category 1: Financial Confidence in the Digital Economy

This category supports projects that help entrepreneurs, small businesses and underserved communities participate more confidently in the digital economy.

Potential solutions may improve access to financial knowledge, digital tools, business resources or services that help small businesses start, grow and remain sustainable.

Examples include digital financial education platforms, accessible business tools for small traders and solutions that help underserved entrepreneurs manage their finances.

Category 2: Closing the Health Gap — Equality in Health Ecosystems

This category supports solutions that address gaps in healthcare access, research, services and diagnostics.

The challenge particularly welcomes community-led and technology-enabled approaches that address the underrepresentation of women and marginalised groups in health research and services.

Projects should demonstrate how they improve access, inclusion or health outcomes for the communities they serve.

Category 3: Community-Led Climate Resilience

This category focuses on helping vulnerable communities prepare for and adapt to the effects of climate change.

Projects may combine technology, local knowledge and community participation to strengthen resilience, improve early warnings, protect livelihoods or help communities respond to climate-related risks.

Solutions should be grounded in local needs and demonstrate how they can produce measurable benefits.

How to apply

1. Visit the official MoveNow Social Innovation Challenge page.
2. Read the official competition guidelines and FAQs to confirm that you meet the requirements.
3. Open the official application portal.
4. Register an account and start a new entry for the MoveNow challenge.
5. Select the award category that best matches your project.
6. Describe the problem you are addressing, the people affected and how your solution works.
7. Explain your project's social or environmental impact, including measurable results where available.
8. Describe how the project can be implemented, sustained and expanded.
9. Complete every required section and provide the requested supporting materials.
10. Disclose any use of generative AI in preparing your submission, as required by the official guidelines.
11. Review the entire application and submit it before December 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. UTC.

Only complete submissions received before the deadline will be considered. Late or incomplete entries may be disqualified.

Important AI rule: The organisers permit AI tools to help with tasks such as improving grammar, brainstorming and organising ideas. However, the application must reflect the entrant's own original thinking and experience. The rules prohibit using AI to generate most of the submission or copying substantial amounts of AI-generated text. Applicants must disclose their use of AI tools.

Documents required

The official portal provides the submission form and details of the materials required. Applicants should be ready to prepare:

• Project description: Explain the problem, your proposed solution and the community you serve.
• Impact evidence: Provide available results, measurable outcomes or other evidence demonstrating the project's impact.
• Implementation plan: Describe how the project operates and how it can achieve further results.
• Supporting project information: Include any additional information requested in the online application.
• Pitch materials: Prepare to present your project if selected as a finalist.

The official rules require all written submissions, pitch decks and videos to be in English. The exact fields and supporting materials should be confirmed in the application portal before submission.

Applicants must also be able to verify their age and leadership role if requested.

Important dates

• Applications opened: October 7, 2026.
• Application deadline: December 18, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. UTC.
• First scoring round begins: January 25, 2027.
• Submission scoring concludes: February 26, 2027.
• Finalist announcements: March 2027.
• Finalist mentoring begins: March 15, 2027.
• Finalist pitching begins: May 3, 2027.
• Winners announced: From May 10, 2027.
• Grant awards allocated: June 2027.

Dates for finalist announcements and award allocation may be subject to updates from the organisers. Check the official website for the latest information.

Official links

• Programme details: https://www.socialshifters.co/allianz-movenow-social-innovation-challenge/
• Application portal: https://globalinnovationchallenge.awardsplatform.com/
• Official competition guidelines: https://www.socialshifters.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Guidelines-Allianz-x-Social-Shifters-MoveNow-Social-Innovation-Challenge.pdf
• Official FAQs: https://www.socialshifters.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/FAQS-Allianz-x-Social-Shifters-MoveNow-Social-Innovation-Challenge.pdf
• Contact email: hello@socialshifters.co