.png)
The Better Century Awards are meant to support truly systemic innovation that doesn’t just address issues at a surface level, but instead addresses the root causes, potentially breaking an ongoing cycle or disrupting an ongoing, problematic chain of events. As a global awards program, the Better Century Awards are ideally given for systemic solutions or initiatives that do not operate in isolation, but rather take into account and tackle a multitude of interrelated issues.
CATEGORIES
1.
For Culture & Community, we are looking for systemic innovations that address areas such as (but are not limited to): the democratization of artistic creation; new artistic media/technologies; the economics of art; ethnic, racial and gender identity and equity in culture; cross-cultural communication and cooperation; new social/cultural movements; digital culture; virtual reality/metaverse implications and opportunities; and new or adapted forms of entertainment; issues related to digital community, structural challenges related to crime and justice systems as well as safety and security innovations for communities, and, other issues relating to the structures, traditions, and social innovations of people living and working in groups.
​
​
Culture & Community
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
CreativeTime
Activity region: Global
Creative Time is a non-profit that commissions, produces, and exhibits art that confronts history, explores the possibility, disrupts the status quo, and penetrates the public realm, all while engaging millions of citizens in New York City and throughout the world.
To learn how to become a nominee + nomination form:
For Economics & Employment, we are looking for systemic innovations that address issues such as (but are not limited to): Rising income inequality within and between societies, unequal access to capital, living wages, employment discrimination and inequity technological unemployment, adult vocational education and retraining, access to adequate and appropriate technology (including the implications and opportunities of virtual reality/metaverse).
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
Economics & Employment
2.
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Sama
Activity region: Global
This startup annotates data for artificial intelligence. They are among the first businesses to employ "impact sourcing" to digitalize poverty alleviation. Impact sourcing means that a big part of the organization's personnel structure is based on teaching computer skills to people from disadvantaged countries while giving them a fair wage. Sama provides dignified, internet-based work to people living in poverty.
For Education & Media, we are looking for education-, communications-, and media-related innovations (technology-based or not), as well as other systemic innovations that address problems such as (but are not limited to): antiquated/mismatched/inadequate educational systems and strategies, unequal access to education, the lack of universal standards for education, insufficient prioritization and funding of education, the lack of access to free education, issues related to social media, "manipulated reality" technologies and disinformation, surveillance technologies, and/or other issues related to media.
Education & Media
3.
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Tostan International
Activity region: Global
Tostan global mission is to empower communities to develop and achieve their vision for the future and inspires large-scale movements leading to dignity for all. « Dignity for all » is Tostan’s motto.
Tostan provides for instance human rights-based women's empowerment education to help prevent female genital mutilation and child marriage by empowering African communities to bring about constructive social transformation.
For Energy, we are looking for innovations in areas such as (but are not limited to): renewable energy, non-renewable energy impact mitigation, energy industry employment transitions, energy efficiency, energy storage, nuclear fusion energy and energy infrastructure.
​
​
4.
Energy
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Kosmos Energy Innovation Center
.png)
Activity region: Sub-Saharan Africa
Headquarters: Nouakchott, Mauritania
Kosmos Energy Innovation Center is an incubation center operating in Ghana, Senegal, Mauritania, Côte d’Ivoire. They identify people with energy tech innovations that solve a societal problem then provide them with a full life-cycle of support to generate the ideas into start-ups and small businesses. They provide tailored coaching, skills building, expert mentorship, seed funding, and facilitating connections within and across industries.
For Environment, Food & Water, we are looking for systemic innovations that address areas such as (but are not limited to): industrial changes for lower climate footprints, environmentally focused legislation and policy, environmentally focused finance, environmentally focused public education campaigns, environmentally focused technological innovations, environmental movement building, sustainable agriculture, regenerative agriculture, food and water insecurity, access to clean water, desalination innovation, and lifestyle/cultural change.
​
​
5.
Environment, Food & Water
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
.png)
.png)
Crop Trust
Activity region: Global
Headquarters: Bonn, Germany
Crop Trust's purpose is to "guarantee the protection and availability of crop diversity for global food security." The Crop Trust is working to secure millions of distinct crop types for farmers and plant breeders all around the world. It protects and connects together crop gene banks tasked by the international community with preserving the crop preservation legacy. It also strengthens the worldwide capacity of gene banks and offers long-term funding for the global crop conservation system.
For Health, we are looking for innovations in areas such as (but are not limited to): personalized medicine, unhealthy modern lifestyles, proactive health vs reactive health, healthcare as a right, longevity science, global pandemic responses, mental health innovations and policies, and other systemic solutions relating to human wellness.
​
6.
Health
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Medic
Activity region: Global
Medic creates, distributes, and maintains world-class open-source software for health workers working in the world's most difficult-to-reach communities. They think that equipping communities with smart, human-centered technology is an effective instrument for attaining a more equitable future, one in which universal health care is a reality and health is a guaranteed human right. Founders hope that incorporating software technology can streamline the way that health care is coordinated and delivered.
For Housing, we are looking for systemic innovations in the areas such as (but are not limited to): affordable housing, sustainable and regenerative housing, new forms of living arrangements, housing construction, housing retrofitting, housing as a right, public infrastructure, safety and security for housing and communities, and, architectural innovations with systemic implications.
​
​
7.
Housing
Example of potential nominee for this category:
International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs
Activity region: Indigenous Communities (Costa Rica & Worldwide)
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
IWGIA is a global human rights organisation dedicated to promoting, protecting and defending Indigenous Peoples’ rights. IWGIA has worked with indigenous organizations and international institutions to promote the recognition and implementation of Indigenous Peoples' rights since 1968. On a local, regional, and international level, IWGIA aims to empower Indigenous Peoples via documentation, capacity development, and advocacy.
8.
Policy & Governance
For Policy & Governance, we are looking for systemic innovations that address issues such as (but are not limited to): innovative governance systems, governance reform, corruption, political gridlock, partisanship, misinformation, outdated political structures and institutions, structural challenges to civic engagement (such as voting), apathy and cynicism in the public realm, as well as anti-democratic movements.
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Gapminder
Activity region: Global
Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
Gapminder is a fact tank that fights devastating misconceptions about global development by producing free teaching resources based on reliable statistics. Gapminder promotes a fact-based worldview and collaborates with universities, UN, public agencies, and non-governmental organizations. It is known for creating compelling, interactive visuals that inspire curiosity.
9.
Religion & Spirituality
For Religion & Spirituality, we are looking for systemic innovations that address areas such as (but are not limited to): bridge-building across religions, new forms of spirituality, religious radicalism, religious discrimination, religious freedom, religions and the climate crisis, spiritual awareness vs religious identity, consciousness raising, and digital forms of religious and spiritual expression.
​
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
Religions for Peace
Activity region: Global
Religion for peace is a coalition of different world’s religions that come together to ensure that all people enjoy peace, harmony, and prosperity. Religions For Peace engages religious communities through their own representatives, leaders, and networks at all levels. They have Interreligious Councils established in India, UAE, Japan, Nigeria, Thailand, Peru, etc. that provide a platform for cooperation, dialogue, and trust-building for common action.
10.
Science & Technology
For Science & Technology, we are looking for (but are not limited to): scientific and technological innovations in information technology, communications technology, biotech/health, energy, materials, space, etc.; as well as systemic innovations related to the lack of investment capital; insufficiently educated/experienced or mismatched labor markets; ethical or governance considerations and mechanisms; misinformation and social manipulation via technology; racial/ethnic/gender inequity and geographic inequities/the digital divide.
​
Example(s) of potential nominee for this category:
.png)
e-NABLE
Activity region: Global
e-NABLE is an online global community of 'Digital Humanitarian' volunteers from all over the world who are using their 3D printers to make free and low-cost prosthetic upper limb devices for children and adults in need. The open-source designs created by e-NABLE Volunteers help those who were born missing their fingers and hands or who have lost them due to war, natural disaster, illness or accidents." Their innovative partnerships include Million Waves, which provides ocean plastic to be shredded for volunteers to use in 3D printers.