YTH Live Global 2026 Innovation Challenge: Up to $5,000 for Youth Health Tech
- Study in
- Worldwide (online)
- Levels
- Youth innovation challenge
- Funding
- $5,000, $2,000 or $1,000 seed funding (not a scholarship)
- Covers
- Seed funding, mentorship and support from ETR, visibility for finalists
- Who can apply
- Teams of 1 to 5 people, every member aged 18 to 29, from any country
- Run by
- ETR (YTH Live Global)
The YTH Live Global 2026 Innovation Challenge rewards young people who are building technology to improve youth health and wellbeing. It is run by ETR, a US nonprofit that organises the YTH Live Global conference on youth, technology and health. The winning team gets US$5,000 in seed funding plus mentorship. It is open to applicants anywhere in the world, so you can apply from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya or India.
Status: Open, closes 1 November 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time. US clocks change that morning, so this is 8:59 am on 2 November in Lagos and 1:29 pm in India. Applications opened on 12 October 2026, and winners will be announced on 10 December 2026 (checked October 30, 2026).
What you can win
| Place | Prize |
|---|---|
| Winning team | US$5,000 seed funding, plus support and mentorship from ETR |
| First runner-up | US$2,000 |
| Second runner-up | US$1,000 |
Three finalists are chosen. Finalists also get visibility, feedback and support for their idea.
Who can apply
- Every team member must be 18 to 29 years old on the day you submit.
- You can live anywhere in the world. The official page lists no country exclusions.
- Teams can have one to five people. You can also apply on your own.
- Your idea must use technology to improve the health or wellbeing of young people.
- Your application must be in English. Your product itself can be in any language.
Key details
| Run by | ETR, organiser of YTH Live Global |
|---|---|
| Top prize | US$5,000 seed funding and mentorship |
| Age | 18 to 29 |
| Where | Open worldwide, online |
| What to submit | Short online form and a 3 to 5 minute video |
| Deadline | 1 November 2026, 11:59 pm Pacific Time |
| Winners announced | 10 December 2026 |
| Contact | yt*****@*tr.org |
How to apply
- Read the rules on the official challenge page.
- Record a video of three to five minutes that explains the problem, your solution, who it helps and what your team has done so far.
- Upload the video somewhere the judges can open it, and check the link works.
- Fill in the official application form and submit before the deadline.
Tips before you apply
- Open with the health problem young people face, in one or two sentences.
- Show real users or testing if you have them, even a small pilot.
- Keep the video simple. A phone recording with clear sound is enough.
- Check every team member’s age before you submit.
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Details are taken from the official ETR YTH Live Global website, checked on October 30, 2026. Confirm the current rules there before you apply.
