GovHack Tokyo

The GovHack Series is an international competition that sets out to identify how technology can help governments solve challenges, with the ultimate goal of benefiting their citizens.

Innovative startups in each of the participating eight cities will compete to showcase their solutions. The winner from each of the cities will be awarded $10,000 USD, and will advance to compete for the grand GovTech prize of $100,000 USD at the World Government Summit 2019 in Dubai.

All eight winning startups will also be invited to be part of Area 2071, an incubation program in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Apply now to win cash prizes, access new customer opportunities, meet investors and make invaluable international connections to advance your startup.

The GovHack Series is run in partnership with Area 2071 and McKinsey, and in collaboration with the GovTech Prize

Rules

- Your business must be a scalable product or service and in-market (MVP or pilots are fine but must fundamentally be beyond "idea stage').
- The startup may be a for-profit business, NGO or public benefit company.
- Your startup must have at least two team members.
- Your startup’s product or service should be possible to implement in the city to which you are applying for from a technical and legal standpoint.

Judging Criteria

Judges will evaluate startups based on the following criteria:

- Novelty: All solutions selected will be assessed on their innovative quality and novelty. Judges will assess how original solutions brought forward are, and how creatively new technology has been leveraged.
- Impact on Society: All solutions must show a clear benefit and positive impact to society. Startups will need to prove how their product, with the help of local government, can help change people’s lives.
- Sustainability: As solutions will serve a public good, they must be financially sustainable and operationally sustainable.
- Scalability: Solutions must be scalable, as the competition aims to serve the wider public.
- Ease of Implementation: Solutions must be reasonably easy to implement as winning startups will potentially be asked to implement their solutions with local governments.
- Commercialization: Solutions will also be assessed on how viable the product is. Can your product go to market, is there sufficient talent in the region to drive this solution, can the solution gain tract