The Inter-American Development Bank and the FEMSA Foundation announced the launching of the 2020 IDB-FEMSA Awards, which since 2009 recognize the most innovative solutions in the water, sanitation and solid waste management sectors.
This year the IDB-FEMSA Award will be conducted entirely in a virtual format, on the www.premiobidfemsa.com website. In the current edition, it will bestow a $10,000 prize to each winner in the three following categories chosen for 2020: Water Category, Sanitation Category, and Solid Waste Category.
In addition, there will be recognition to the most innovative solution in water, sanitation and/or solid waste that tackles the coronavirus (COVID-19) issue in an original and unique way.
The IDB-FEMSA Award, bestowed by the IDB’s Water and Sanitation Division and the FEMSA Foundation, recognizes each year the most innovative solutions that provide measurable results to help overcome shortcomings and challenges in the water, sanitation and solid waste management sectors. The prize is awarded since 2009 to ventures, products, initiatives or services that are both creative and innovative and that can show verifiable positive impacts and results in these areas.
All innovations with solutions or products implemented and in execution with a minimum of six months and a maximum of four years counting from the launching of this call qualify for participation.
The prize will be awarded early December 2020 at a live online ceremony where finalists will have the opportunity to present their solutions to the jury and participating public.
As in previous years, all participants must submit, as part of their application for admission, a video of no more than two minutes explaining their innovative solutions.
An initial jury of water and sanitation experts will choose up to seven (7) contesting solutions for the final leg, where entrants will vie for the top place in each category. The selected finalists will then compete presenting their solutions in a “pitch by fire” format in two minutes or less to a final jury of world-class experts and sector leaders. This jury will pick the three winners.
