Future Forward: Youth Innovators Win Big for Solving Global Goals

NEW YORK, NY – April 21, 2026 – From fungi that filter wastewater to AI that demystifies government policy, a new generation of innovators is tackling the world’s most complex problems with entrepreneurial solutions. The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) today celebrated these young changemakers, announcing the winners of its 2025-2026 World Series of Innovation (WSI) Impact League. Marking its 15th anniversary, the global competition drew over 1,800 participants aged 13 to 24 from 47 countries, all challenged to build a better future.

Launched in September 2025, the design-thinking competition tasks students with developing business concepts aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results showcase a remarkable blend of youthful ingenuity and a deep-seated desire to drive tangible change in areas from climate action and public health to financial inclusion and economic growth.

Engineering a Better Future: The Winning Ideas

This year’s winners demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of global challenges, creating solutions that were not only creative but also designed for real-world impact. First-place teams in each of the six challenge categories received $1,500 to recognize their exceptional work.

“This year’s World Series of Innovation competitors didn’t just identify problems, they engineered bold, thoughtful solutions with real potential for global impact,” said Dr. J.D. LaRock, president and CEO of NFTE. “These ideas reflect creativity, and a deep commitment to equity, access, and opportunity. That’s exactly what WSI is all about.”

The winning projects spanned a wide spectrum of innovation. In the CBT Tech Climate Solutions Challenge, EcoGrid Solutions from the USA took first place, likely for a project reflecting the kind of bold environmental engineering NFTE highlighted, such as advanced filtration systems. Meanwhile, the EY Responsible AI Challenge saw PoliAccess from California, USA, win first prize for its bilingual AI-powered app designed to make complex government policies understandable and actionable for everyone.

Other notable winners included Wobble Academy (USA) in the Comerica Bank Skills for Success Challenge, SheCounts (USA) in the EverBank Financial Success Challenge, SpinaFlex (Türkiye) in the MetLife Foundation Good Health & Well-Being Challenge, and Bridgr (USA) in the PayPal Opportunity for All Challenge. These projects addressed everything from educational access and financial literacy for women to new tools for physical health and well-being.

Recognizing the depth of talent, NFTE also introduced the Judges’ Choice Awards this year, honoring standout teams from the 60 finalists. EduVators from Afghanistan received the Community Voice Selection for an idea deeply rooted in lived experience, while SatSafe from South Korea earned the Tech for Good Selection for its innovative use of technology. SkillBridge from New York, USA, was awarded the Entrepreneurial Excellence Selection for its clear vision and feasible execution plan.

Cultivating Changemakers: The Power of the Entrepreneurial Mindset

The World Series of Innovation is the flagship event for NFTE, a global nonprofit that has been a pioneer in entrepreneurship education since 1987. Having reached nearly 2 million learners worldwide, the organization’s mission goes beyond teaching students how to start a business. It focuses on instilling an “entrepreneurial mindset”—a powerful combination of critical thinking, problem-solving, resilience, and creativity that prepares young people for any career path.

NFTE’s project-based curriculum guides students through the entire entrepreneurial journey: identifying a problem in their community, brainstorming a solution, developing a business plan, and pitching their idea. This hands-on approach empowers students, particularly those from underserved communities, to see themselves as capable leaders and problem-solvers. Long-term studies of NFTE alumni have shown that they are more likely to pursue higher education, demonstrate stronger leadership skills, and exhibit greater self-efficacy compared to their peers.

The WSI competition serves as a global stage for this educational model, demonstrating its power to unlock potential and turn classroom concepts into catalysts for change. By framing global challenges as entrepreneurial opportunities, NFTE equips young people with the agency and the tools to not just navigate the future, but to actively build it.

Strategic Partnerships for a Sustainable World

The success and scale of the World Series of Innovation are amplified by a coalition of corporate sponsors who see the initiative as more than just philanthropy. Companies like CBT Tech, Comerica Bank, EY, EverBank, MetLife Foundation, and PayPal view their involvement as a strategic investment in the future workforce and a core component of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals.

For sponsors like EY, which champions the Responsible AI Challenge, supporting NFTE aligns with its global “EY Ripples” program, which focuses on developing future skills and fostering inclusive growth. For financial institutions like EverBank and Comerica Bank, sponsoring challenges related to financial success and quality education is a direct investment in the economic vitality of the communities they serve. PayPal’s support for the Opportunity for All Challenge reflects its core mission of fostering economic empowerment and supporting entrepreneurs.

These partnerships are symbiotic. NFTE receives crucial funding, expertise, and a platform to expand its reach, while corporate partners gain access to a pipeline of innovative young talent and a meaningful way to contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This collaborative model demonstrates a growing trend where corporate America is moving beyond passive check-writing and toward active engagement in cultivating the next generation of leaders.

A Generation Answering the Call

The innovations showcased at the World Series of Innovation are not happening in a vacuum. They are part of a global movement where youth are stepping up as critical agents of change. International bodies like the United Nations and the World Economic Forum increasingly recognize that young people are not just the inheritors of global problems but are a vast source of the solutions, ideas, and energy needed to address them.

By directly challenging students to create ventures aligned with the SDGs, NFTE’s competition provides a structured pathway for youth to engage with the world’s most urgent agenda. It transforms abstract goals related to climate, justice, and health into concrete problems that can be solved with an entrepreneurial approach.

The winners of the 2026 World Series of Innovation, from India’s People’s Choice Award winner WasteWise to the USA’s EcoGrid Solutions, are more than just competition victors. They represent a generation that is informed, engaged, and unwilling to wait for permission to start building a more sustainable and equitable world.