NFTE Crowns 2025-2026 World Series of Innovation Winners Across Six Global Challenges
Event summary
- NFTE announced winners of its 2025-2026 World Series of Innovation (WSI) Impact League on April 21, 2026, celebrating 15 years of empowering young entrepreneurs.
- Over 1,800 participants from 47 countries developed solutions aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- First-place winners received $1,500 across six challenge categories, with additional Judges' Choice Awards introduced this year.
- WasteWise from India won the People’s Choice Award with a $500 prize determined by global community votes.
The big picture
NFTE's World Series of Innovation underscores the growing emphasis on entrepreneurship education as a tool for addressing global challenges. The competition's alignment with UN SDGs highlights the strategic importance of fostering youth-led innovation in areas like climate action, financial inclusion, and public health. With over 1.8 million learners educated since its founding, NFTE continues to position itself as a key player in equitable access to entrepreneurial training.
What we're watching
- Scaling Impact
- How NFTE will leverage these innovations to expand its global reach and deepen its impact on youth entrepreneurship.
- Funding Sustainability
- Whether the organization can secure continued sponsorship and funding to support future iterations of the WSI Impact League.
- Market Adoption
- The pace at which winning solutions transition from conceptual designs to real-world implementations.