Today during CES Unveiled New York, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)® announced a partnership with the World Bank Group to mobilize the tech community and create solutions focused on key development challenges through a joint global challenge.

The Global Tech Challenge, presented by CES and the World Bank Group, will launch at CES® 2020, and focus on three key areas – health, gender barriers and technologies that enable communities to be more resilient in the face of disasters and climate change. CES and the World Bank Group will also collaborate on conference programming opportunities at CES 2020 with content focused on the intersection of technology and development.

“Tech innovation has helped to solve some of the most challenging issues in our global society, from breakthroughs in medicine and healthcare to education, disaster relief, pollution reduction, sustainable agriculture and beyond,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “Our global challenge with the World Bank Group calls on tech companies around the world to create solutions to some of our biggest problems – and we look forward to witnessing their revolutionary ideas that will change the world.”

“Across emerging markets and developing economies, thousands of entrepreneurs are coming up with innovative solutions to solve their countries’ most pressing development issues,” said Makhtar Diop, World Bank VP of Infrastructure. “In partnering with CES, we are calling on the tech community to come up with bold and practical ideas to solve specific challenges such as reducing the digital gender gap. The Global Tech Challenge is an opportunity to bring the voices of entrepreneurs from countries often under-represented to the global tech stage.”

As the world’s largest and most influential technology event, CES 2020 will showcase technology innovation that will change the world for the better, including dedicated Marketplaces focused on Resilience and Health & Wellness. CES will also feature conference programming exploring diversity, product inclusion, culture shifting and hiring and investing in diversity.

More details surrounding the challenge will be announced during CES 2020. Finalists of the Global Tech Challenge will be announced at CES 2021.

Owned and produced by CTA, CES 2020 will run Jan. 7-10, 2020, in Las Vegas and provide access to the most transformative tech across various marketplaces, such as 5G, artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, smart home, smart cities, vehicles, digital health and more. Industry leaders and rising stars will come together again to pioneer future innovation driving the ever-evolving tech industry. Visit CES.tech for all CES updates and register for CES 2020.

Press Contacts

Caroline Finnell

VMD4-CES-PROD-1