• The Challenge is open to Contestants (‘Contestant”) from member countries of the World Bank. Contestants may be individuals or organizations (profit, non-profit organizations, academic). Contestants are responsible for compliance with legal requirements of their country.
• The Innovation challenge has two categories for submission: Individual vs. Organizations
  1. Individual Category
     1. For individual category, an individual or a team of maximum three (3) individuals may submit entries. Individuals who join teams must meet the eligibility requirements for Individual Contestants.
     2. All entrants must be of minimum of 18 years old as of August 30, 2020.
     3. Any national from a Bank member country can participate.
  2. Organization Category:
     1. Organizations must be legally established entities (profit, non-profit) in their respective countries.
     2. Organizations can join the challenge individually or form up to two teams.
     3. In case of an organization registered outside Bangladesh, to be able to participate, it must form a team with an entity registered in Bangladesh.
     4. Staff, contractors and vendors  of the World Bank Group (The World Bank Group consists of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, the International Finance Corporation, the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes.), the members of the Evaluation and Finalist  Judging Panel or any company or individual involved with the design, production, execution or distribution of the Challenge and their immediate family members (spouse, parents and step-parents, siblings and step-siblings, and children and step-children, aunt, uncle, niece and nephew) are not eligible to join the Challenge.
     5. Contestants who are ineligible to receive Bank funds under the Bank’s Anti-Corruption Guidelines, procurement rules, and other rules such as on anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism are ineligible to receive cash or any prize under this Challenge.
• Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification from the Challenge, which decision shall be final All shortlisted Submissions are subject to verification by the World Bank whose decisions are final and binding in all matters related to the Challenge.

Final date of submission: February 15, 2021 Midnight (Dhaka Standard Time)

This window seeks for innovative solution which helps increase circulation of plastics through increasing recycling rate and promoting up cycle. It can be innovative technologies/systems to increase the rate of plastic waste collection and could be technologies/behavior change to facilitate the segregation of the wastes or to promote segregation at source. It will also include innovative solution to better manage problematic plastics such as single use plastics (SUPs) and multi-layered plastics (MLPs) through reuse and recycling.

This window seeks for digital technology which help facilitate the efforts to address plastic pollution (e. g. Behavior change, reduction of use of plastics, collection/sorting, recycling). An example is software to track the plastic wastes to facilitate waste collection.

• Winners will receive BDT 80,000 each.
• Finalists will present their solutions at an international event with multiple stakeholders
• Winning entries will be featured on World Bank Group websites and social media channels

• 1^st Evaluation: Submissions which meet the Eligibility criteria and comply with Submission Rules will be screened by an Evaluation Committee composed 3 members. The committee will be comprised by 1) Cyrill Gutsch, CEO, Parley for the Oceans 2) Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, CEO, PRAN-RFL Group and 3) Marina Tabassum, Principal Architect. A short list selection of 10 applications from each window (5 individuals and 5 organizations) will be then be evaluated/ranked based on:
  • Solution applicable for Bangladesh
  • Scalability/replicability
  • Innovativeness/creativity
  • Impacts – Already having demonstration is a plus
  • Affordability/Cost effectiveness
  • Evidence based – Use of available data
  • Inclusiveness - Collaboration with the government, private sector, as well as a community
  • Co-benefit – COVID-19 response, climate change, and SDGs
• The committee will select 4 finalists from each window (2 individuals and 2 organizations) to proceed to the final selection.
• Panel Decisions, Award Ceremony: The final decision of the innovation challenge will take place in March 2021, with all 3 judges present. 8 finalists will be notified and will be invited to a public event (Dhaka or via webinar depending on international rules of travel) to make a presentation in front of judges. Panel of judges will comprise of leading industry experts, government officials, and representatives from the private sector interested in addressing the industrial/marine pollution. The international event will be broadcasted where 4 winners (one from each window category) will be announced at the end of the event followed by the award ceremony.
• The Evaluation Committee members and Judging Panel will be determined by the World Bank. The World Bank reserves the right to substitute or modify the Evaluation Committee members and Judging Panel at any time for any reason.
• Decisions of the Evaluation Committee and Judging Panel are final and not subject to negotiations or appeal.

• Topic of the challenge: “Plastic circularity innovation challenge for Bangladesh”
• Submission Period begins September 22, 2020 and ends on February 15, 2021 (the "Challenge Submission Period").
• Submissions must be in the format provided.
• The Submission should be a solution to plastic issues applicable to Bangladesh. The applicant must choose one from the following windows which is most applicable to proposed solution.
  • Window 1: Innovative solution (technologies/systems) for collection/sorting, recycling of low valued plastics (SUPs, MLPs) wastes or to promote segregation at source
  • Window 2: Digital technology in coping with plastic pollution
• The information to the application form can be in the form of a video, a power point providing more details of solutions to plastic pollution listed above.
• All participants name, age, email address and mobile number should be clearly mentioned in the submission.
• Submissions can be in English or Bangla and will be judged based on the following Criteria:
  • Solution applicable for Bangladesh
  • Scalability/replicability
  • Innovativeness/creativity
  • Impacts – Already having demonstration is a plus
  • Affordability/Cost effectiveness
  • Evidence based – Use of available data
  • Inclusiveness - Collaboration with the government, private sector, as well as a community
  • Co-benefit – COVID-19 response, climate change, and SDGs
  • Operational safety and environmental safeguards
• Submissions must a) be original; b) be solely owned by Contestant, who represents that no other party has any rights or interest, whether known or unknown; and 3) Contestant represents that it has obtained the license or permission to use materials owned by third parties granting Contestant the right to use such third party or proprietary materials for the Submission and 4) does not violate the privacy rights of other parties. The World Bank disclaims any liability for violations of privacy, or infringements or other violations of intellectual property rights based on claims of ownership by Contestant; Contestant, by entering the Challenge, agrees to hold harmless and indemnify the Bank against any third-party claims.
• There is no fee payable to enter the competition.
• The last date of submission is February 15, 2021 Midnight (BST- Bangladesh Standard Time)
• Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification from the Contest, which decision shall be final.
• Each Contestant will be required to provide to acknowledgement that the entrant(s) have read and agree to be bound by these Official Rules. If Contestants do not agree with these terms, please do not submit an entry.

• Intellectual property rights of Submissions are owned by the Contestants. By joining this Challenge, you grant the World Bank the right to publicly disclose the Submissions for public display, informational or awareness purposes. You acknowledge that any public disclosure of a new, inventive technology by the World Bank may affect its patentability under applicable law and agree to say public disclosure. The Bank may at its sole discretion, decide not to expose any Submission on its website.
• Individual/Organization Contestant declares, represents and warrants that Contestant is the rightful owner of the Submission, and of all the patents, copyrights, and/or trademarks associated with the Submission. By entering this Challenge, Contestant further declares, represents and warrants that Contestant has not (a) infringed on any third party rights, including copyrights, trademarks, industrial property, trade secrets, confidentiality obligations and rights of privacy and publicity, and that Contestant has obtained the necessary written release(s) or permission(s) to use any third party rights or intellectual property, including any trademarks appearing on Contestant’s Entry, or (b) violated any applicable law(s) in any countries. By entering this contest Contestant further agrees that the panel of judges has the right to verify the ownership and originality of any entry and that upon request, Contestant shall submit a written copy of any release or permission Contestant has received from a third party granting Contestant the right to use such property. Contestant understands that in the event a submission is selected as a winning entry, and Contestant’s ownership rights and the originality of Contestant’s entry cannot be verified to the satisfaction of the Judge Panel or is in any other way ineligible, the Judge Panel may select an alternate winner from the Shortlisted Submissions.
• Contestant shall not do any of the following:
  • Defame abuse, harass, stalk, threaten or otherwise violate the legal rights (such as rights of privacy and publicity) of others.
  • Publish post, distribute or disseminate any defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent or unlawful material or information.
  • Upload or attach files that contain software or other material protected by intellectual property laws (or by rights of privacy of publicity) unless Contestant owns or control the rights thereto or have received all necessary consents.
  • Upload or attach files that contain viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may damage the operation of another's computer.
  • Delete any author attributions, legal notices or proprietary designations or labels in any file that is uploaded.
  • Falsify the origin or source of software or other material contained in a file that is uploaded.
  • Advertise or offer to sell any goods or services, or conduct or forward surveys, contests, or chain letters. Download any file posted by another Contestant that Contestant knows, or reasonably should know, cannot be legally distributed in such manner.
• The World Bank is not responsible for: (1) any false, incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Contestants or MIT Solve; (2) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the submission process or the Competition; (3) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Competition or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Contestant’s participation in the Competition or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. No more than the stated amount of prizes will be awarded.
  • Except where prohibited, participation in the Challenge constitutes winners’ consent to the World Bank’s use of winner’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions and/or hometown and state for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without payment or consideration.
• Verification. If after announcing the winners the Judging Panel finds and/or determine that a winning Contestant has misrepresented, misstated, or mischaracterized Contestant’s entry in any way or Contestant is not the rightful owner of the Submission, the Submission is automatically disqualified from the Challenge, and , and any privileges received by winning this Challenge shall be rescinded. Any determinations made by the Judging Panel in withdrawing and disqualifying any Submission are final and confidential. By entering this Challenge, Contestant agrees to keep any controversies between Contestant, the panel of Judging Panel and/or the World Bank, confidential.
• Winners are responsible for all applicable taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use. No transfer or substitution of a prize is permitted except by the World Bank. If a team of individuals or an organization is selected as a prize winner, the prize will be awarded to the team/organization and it will be up to them to split or appropriately allocate the prize.
• No Recourse to Judicial Procedures. To the extent permitted by law, the rights to litigate, to seek injunctive relief or to any other recourse to judicial procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this Challenge are hereby excluded, and Contestant expressly waives any and all such rights. The World Bank can cancel the Challenge at any time and for any reason
• Preservation of Immunities. Nothing herein shall constitute or be considered to be a limitation upon or a waiver of the privileges and immunities of the World Bank, or any other member of the World Bank Group, which are specifically reserved.