Middle East SDG
Entrepreneurship
High School Competition
17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. One planet. A 2030 deadline. Your generation's mandate to find sustainable solutions to the world's greatest challenges. The arena is open.
17
Global Goals
193
Nations United
2030
Deadline Year
∞
Possibilities
About the Competition
Shared Challenges.
Shared Solutions.
The Middle East SDG Entrepreneurship High School Competition is the region's premier student-led innovation challenge. Based in Dubai, it brings together bright, creative young minds from across the Middle East to develop practical, entrepreneurial solutions to the United Nations SDGs. Our countries face many of the same challenges, from water scarcity and food security to inequality and climate change, and when we work together, we solve them together. This is a platform for the next generation of systems thinkers, engineers, designers, and policy architects to build solutions that serve the region and the world. Projects are evaluated by an independent judging panel of leaders from education, entrepreneurship, business, sustainability, and social impact.
The Judging Panel
Selecting Tomorrow's Changemakers.
Nora Al-Jindi
Judge
Nora Al-Jindi, MBA, MS, CHE is the Marketing Program Director at Dar Al-Hekma University in Saudi Arabia and an educator, strategist, and consultant with more than 15 years of experience spanning academia, business, and innovation. A 2021 Yale World Fellow and MISK 2030 Leader, she is also Regional Executive Director at X-Culture and serves on the International Advisory Board of the American University of Beirut. Nora holds an MBA from the American University of Beirut and an MSc in Digital Age Learning and Educational Technology from Johns Hopkins University. Her work focuses on developing young talent, experiential learning, and strengthening connections between education and industry.
Mohamed A. Al Ayed
Judge
A passionate communicator, prominent strategist, experienced advisor, and empowering leader, with deep knowledge and understanding of the MENA Region’s communications industry, Mohamed Al Ayed came to prominence in 1998 when he established TRACCS in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As Chief Executive Officer, he has grown the single operation to become the largest independent and homegrown communications consultancy in MENA, with 11 offices across 10 markets, serving a diversified portfolio of clients including government entities, MNC’s, family run businesses, corporate giants, local companies, and NGOs.
Charlie Wright
Judge
Charlie Wright is the Founder and CEO of Humantra, the UAE-born wellness brand he has grown from a Dubai startup into an internationally recognized hydration company. Incubated by HB Investments, the family office of Huda and Mona Kattan, Humantra has become the #1-selling supplement on Amazon and Deliveroo in the UAE and expanded internationally, including a launch across 1,200 Boots stores in the UK. The company has also attracted investment from JamJar Investments, the venture capital firm founded by the creators of Innocent Drinks. A graduate of the University of Exeter, Charlie previously founded and built other ventures before launching Humantra, giving him extensive firsthand experience in entrepreneurship, consumer branding, e-commerce, fundraising, and scaling businesses across international markets.
Cash Prizes
The top 3 winning teams will receive cash prizes in recognition of their outstanding solutions. Winners will also receive public recognition, with winning projects announced and promoted through participating schools and social media.
Certificates for All
Every participant receives an official certificate recognizing their commitment to the Global Goals.
Judging Criteria
Evidence, root causes and understanding of stakeholders
Relevance, creativity and user focus
Resources, costs, partners and long-term potential
SDG connection and measurable impact
Clarity, visuals, delivery and responses to questions
Winners Spotlight
Celebrating the Champion Teams.
Winning teams will be announced at the close of the competition.
The SDG Atlas
17 Goals.
One Mandate.
Turning Sustainable Development Goals into Sustainable Solutions
In 2015, all 193 United Nations member states adopted the Sustainable Development Goals: a shared blueprint of 17 interlinked objectives to end poverty, protect the planet, and secure peace and prosperity for every community by 2030. From clean water and quality education to climate action and reduced inequalities, the goals translate the world's greatest challenges into a concrete agenda. Explore each one below and choose the challenge your team will take on.
Sample Pitch Deck
Structure Your Pitch.
We recommend following this structure for your pitch deck. Each stage has a specific purpose, and you can include multiple slides for any stage or step.
01
Cover Slide
Team name, project title, chosen SDG goal, school, country & team member names.
- Team / Project Name
- Team Member Names
- SDG Goal Number & Title
- School Name & Country
- Competition Year
02
The Problem
Define the specific real-world problem your project addresses within your chosen SDG.
- Problem statement in 1–2 sentences
- Who is affected & how many
- Local or regional context
03
Why Existing Solutions Fall Short
Show you've researched what's already out there — and where it fails.
- Current solutions in the market
- Their key limitations & gaps
- Cost or access barriers
- The gap your project fills
04
Your Solution
Clearly explain what your project does and how it solves the problem.
- Core idea explained simply
- Key features or components
- What makes it unique
- Visual diagram or sketch
05
SDG Alignment
Show exactly how your solution contributes to the specific UN SDG targets.
- Which SDG targets you address
- Direct & indirect impact
- Connection to other SDGs
- Alignment with 2030 Agenda
06
Impact & Evidence
Back your claims with data, research, or pilot results.
- Measurable outcomes
- Data sources or research cited
- Projected scale of impact
- Assumptions clearly stated
07
Feasibility
Demonstrate that your solution can actually be built and implemented.
- Materials or technology needed
- Timeline to implement
- Estimated cost
- Partnerships or resources required
08
Scalability
Explain how your solution can grow beyond its initial context.
- Pilot → regional → global pathway
- Barriers to scaling & how to overcome
- Adaptability to other regions
- Long-term sustainability
Presentation Format
PowerPoint or PDF · 8–15 slides
Competition Arc
The Path Forward.
Phase 01
January 2, 2027
Registration Deadline
Register your team before this date to secure your place in the competition.
Phase 02
March 15, 2027
Project Submission Deadline
Email your completed pitch deck and project details before this date.
Phase 03
April 15, 2027
Announcement of Winners
Winning teams are announced and notified directly.
