Forbes, in partnership with the Aviram Family Foundation, has  announced the second annual Aviram Awards – Tech for Humanity, hosted in Morocco in 2023. The competition provides a springboard for the entrepreneurs of the future to make their ideas a reality. To do this, the Aviram Family Foundation is granting a US$500,000 prize and offering expert mentoring and a showcase on Forbes to the first-place prize winner, as well as a US$100,000 to a second-place prize winner and US$50,000 to a third-place prize winner. Winners will be announced at a ceremony in May 2023 in Morocco.

The Aviram Awards – Tech For Humanity, which first launched in 2021, embodies the Aviram Family Foundation’s mission to combine cutting-edge innovation and technology with social responsibility and positive action to impact the lives of millions for the better. In the first year, the competition attracted over 600 applications from fields as broad as education, health, environment, transportation, sanitation, and community.

Judges for the 2023 competition, which opens for entries today, are searching for trailblazing entrepreneurs across the North Africa and the Middle East region who are dedicated to giving back to humanity through technology, business and innovation.

To qualify for the 2023 Aviram Awards – Tech for Humanity, entrants must be the business owner or team leader of a tech startup—in at least the pre-seed or seed phase—with an established concept that positively impacts humanity, and live in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates. To apply, go here.

Following an extensive judging process, during which semi-finalists will receive coaching from mentors identified by Forbes, the pool of applicants will be narrowed down to five finalists, who will be invited to pitch live on-stage to a judging panel of world-acclaimed business leaders in Morocco in May 2023. Previous finalists have included an AI-powered robotic beehive, a wastewater treatment system that reduces waterborne diseases and turns waste into bio-products, biodegradable polymers, and a solar fridge that extends the shelf life of crops.

The purpose behind the competition, explains Randall Lane, Chief Content Officer & Editor of Forbes, is to connect business and technology to help create a new era of well-being for the Middle East, North Africa and the rest of the world. “With the evolving entrepreneurial renaissance taking place across the MENA region, Forbes alongside the Aviram Family Foundation, are committed to nurturing talent and investing in tech innovation and uncover the next generation of start-ups in the Middle East and North Africa,” said Lane. “Now more than ever we recognize how nurturing talent and investing in tech innovation is critical to solving the biggest social and environmental challenges we all face.”

Founder and President, Aviram Family Foundation ZivAviram commented: “From the moment I was part of an activity that included technology and doing good, I realized that there was no turning back. As a foundation, this became our mission, and we are glad and excited to begin another year of the Aviram Awards competition. I encourage startups that use technology to make a positive impact on humanity to be part of the change. We look forward to getting to know the young entrepreneurs from around the Middle East who are going to lead social technological endeavors.”

Entries for the Aviram Awards – Tech For Humanity will close at midnight on January 30, 2023.