Climate change is leading to more natural disasters around the world, with Asia being considered the “disaster central”. 45% of natural disasters globally happen in the region, and it is home to 3 of the 5 most disaster-prone countries in the world, namely the Philippines, India, and Indonesia (followed by Colombia and Mexico).
With the increasing intensity and frequency of natural disasters due to climate change, the importance of disaster preparedness has become more crucial than ever. As such, Prudence Foundation proudly brings you: The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards. This year’s edition of the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards emboldens the organisation’s mission to build more resilient communities through the use of technology, empowering innovators to come up with solutions that predict, mitigate, and respond to disasters.
Prudence Foundation is a non-profit entity that operates the regional Community Investment programmes of Prudential plc.
This project aims to recognise and promote technology solutions that can help communities become more resilient to disasters by recognising the innovators who are working on disaster resilience technology solutions. The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards hopes to shine a spotlight on these important innovations that can save lives and aid in recovery in the hopes of inspiring more innovators to step up and impart their expertise in life-saving solutions.
The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards is committed to finding and supporting technologies that have the potential to make a real difference. Prudence Foundation believes that by recognising the innovators in the field, we can make a real impact in reducing the negative effects of natural disasters and helping communities recover more quickly.
Why disasters?
In Asia alone, these natural disasters have resulted in a significant human toll, with over 800,000 lives lost and more than 3.2 billion people affected since the year 2000. In addition, Asia has faced more than $1.1 trillion in economic losses.
Disaster preparedness has never been more important as natural disasters and floods continue to affect countries in Southeast Asia and Pakistan. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s major sixth assessment report on the physical science of climate change, released in August 2021, highlighted that many changes due to past and future greenhouse gas emissions are irreversible for centuries to millennia. This means that apart from mitigation and adaptation strategies, we also need to double down on equipping our communities with resilience.
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Moreover, in disaster situations, the most vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected. Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, typhoons, heatwaves, and droughts, among many others — impacting vulnerable communities everywhere. Technology can play a crucial role in reducing the impacts of these disasters and aiding recovery efforts. Innovations such as early warning systems, emergency communication platforms, and disaster management systems can help save lives, protect property, and support recovery.
Innovators are invited to pitch their tech solutions that are aligned with five UN Sustainable Development Goals, namely: No Poverty, Good Health and Well-being, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, and Partnerships for the Goals.
What is the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards?
The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards were created and launched in 2019 with the goal of finding, funding, and supporting innovative technology solutions that can save lives before, during, and after disasters. The organisation believes that technology has the potential to be a disruptive game-changer for good and can be just as impactful in disaster resilience as it has been in other areas such as Edtech, Fintech, and Medtech.
With climate change and COVID-19 wreaking havoc on communities, raising awareness and building resilience against disasters has never been more critical. The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards aims to recognise and promote technology solutions that can help communities become more resilient to these disasters. It also hopes to encourage high-impact partnerships between the private sector, governmental, and non-governmental organisations, and bring their knowledge, capability, and investments to support D-Tech innovations.
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In 2022, Prudence Foundation is happy to partner with e27, leveraging their leading technology summit, the Echelon 2023, to host the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards. Additionally, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) continued as Humanitarian Partner, while Amazon Web Services (AWS) joined as Technology Partner. The skills, experience, and reach of e27, IFRC, AWS, and other key partners can make our communities safer, more secure, and resilient.
For its submission, the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards encompasses multiple categories: early warning systems, emergency communication platforms, and disaster management systems. There are specific criteria for each category, and examples of different tech verticals that can be deployed. Additionally, the organisation is joined by notable judges and sponsors supporting the awards.
One of the most notable innovations helmed by the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards is previous winner Ecoworth, an innovative waste solutions partner that specialises in transforming waste materials into reusable products while delivering social and environmental benefits.
Ecoworth commercialises an innovative, sustainable technology to treat wastewater called ‘Carbon Fibre Aerogel’, developed at Nanyang Technological University. Carbon Fibre Aerogel is a highly absorbent material that is non-toxic, natural, and recyclable. Ecoworth is focusing on worth-creating applications in food waste, Oil & Gas, and other CleanTech & Ecologically responsible programmes. By using innovative filters, wastewater is transformed from waste into water that can be reused or released into the environment safely.
How and why you should get involved
Officially launching on February 2nd, 2023, Prudence Foundation as well as its partners, IFRC, AWS, and e27 proudly open the applications for the SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards from January 12th to March 26th, 2023. Interested applicants may join in and gain insights about how to scale and expand their innovative solutions to reach wider adoption that can impact more lives. Individuals, companies, and organisations working on disaster-resilience technology solutions from all over the globe are encouraged to apply. The SAFE STEPS D-Tech Awards also welcomes non-profit and for-profit companies to apply and participate in the awards.
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This landmark event emphasises the importance of Disaster-Tech and how it can change the game in providing resilience to communities by leveraging the skills, experience, and reach of partners like AWS, e27 and IFRC. The organisation is proud to have supported and recognised past winners such as Ecoworth for their innovative solutions in the field of D-Tech.
For questions or inquiries about the awards, please visit the official event page here or reach out to us at selma@e27.co. The organisers are happy to answer any questions and guide you through the application process. We look forward to reviewing your innovative technology solutions and recognising the individuals, companies and organisations that are working towards building a more resilient future.
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This article is produced by the e27 team, sponsored by Prudence Foundation
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