Mumbai: A recent report by McKinsey & Company found that one of the leading barriers to Internet adoption is the lack of relevant, local and multilingual content and services online.
Making sure everyone around the world has access to the Internet, it requires companies, governments and individuals to work together to remove connectivity barriers. Fully realizing Internet.org’s vision of a connected world will require giving people access to apps, websites and services that are relevant to their lives and readable in their own languages.
The Internet.org Innovation Challenge in India, is an effort to recognize those who are working to make the internet more relevant to four populations that are currently underserved in India: women, students, farmers and migrant workers.
These communities face some of the largest structural barriers to going online and the content they find once they are connected is often of little value.
Facebook will be presenting four $250,000 USD Innovation Challenge Award prizes: one to the leading app, website or service or idea that best meets the needs of each of the designated population categories. Two $25,000 USD Impact Award prizes will also be granted in each category.
Winners will be announced at Mobile World Congress in March 2015, and interested individuals, organizations and groups can submit applications through January 31, 2015.
