27 September 2021
More than 100 people tuned into the BeChangeMaker 2021 virtual final to see the five teams—plus one wildcard—pitch their social business ideas for the chance to win the top spot in this year’s competition.
During the exciting final, the teams had five minutes in which to present their businesses and show their commitment to creating a more sustainable world. A panel of judges evaluated each idea based on relevance and innovation, scalability and impact, and the team’s pitching and presentation.
Integrity Mchechesi, Tsitsi Sifiyali Mchechesi, Diana Mandewo, and Tinotenda—the team behind VaxiGlobal—stood out for the judges and were awarded a well-deserved first place. The entrepreneurs from Zimbabwe are developing a digital vaccination certification system to counter vaccination fraud in Africa.
“This has been such a great opportunity for us to learn. HP LIFE courses and training have helped us as VaxiGlobal so much. Thank you!” said a delighted Diana Mandewo on behalf of the team.
“The teams’ innovative ideas to drive positive social change in areas including healthcare, climate change, and education are truly impressive. On behalf of the HP Foundation, I’d like to congratulate them and thank them all for allowing us to be a small part of their journey. I know they will go on to do great things,” said Stephanie Bormann, HP Foundation manager.
Team VaxiGlobal was joined on the virtual podium by eZ2Code (Taiwan) who took second place with their solution to support the development of coding skills in rural areas via an accessible online training platform, and Paragon (Jordan) who took third place with their idea for developing more effective supply chains to reduce food waste and environmental damage. Runners up were Bumii (Malaysia) for their app to raise awareness and inspire action against climate change, Black & Brown in the Middle (USA) who are working to promote diversity and inclusion for underrepresented and marginalized communities through storytelling, and Craft (Egypt) for their solution to support craftmanship and skills which have been lost due to COVID.
The top five teams will each get €1,000 worth of post-program coaching. The top three teams will each receive an additional cash award of €2,000 to help develop their business ideas further.
About BeChangeMaker
BeChangeMaker is an online social entrepreneurship training program created by WorldSkills International and the HP Foundation. It offers people ages 18–35 a chance to develop their potential as social entrepreneurs. Three hundred seventy-eight teams from 64 countries applied to join the three-month program this year, from which only 30 were selected to participate.
During the summer, the teams took HP LIFE courses covering topics such as how to acquire funding, harness the marketing power of social media, and bring a product to market. They were also supported by 52 HP employee volunteers from around the globe who served as mentors helping the teams hone their business ideas and improve their pitches. Another 17 HP employee volunteers served as judges.