Youth is a quality, not a matter of circumstances.

Synopsis:- The youth of a nation are its most valuable and dynamic resource, holding the key to a brighter future. International Youth Day is observed annually on August 12.

This year’s theme is “From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.” The focus is empowering young people to leverage digital technologies for positive change and innovation. 🌐💡

Young people play a pivotal role in driving digitalization for sustainable development. Here’s how they contribute:

Innovation and Solutions: Youth are digital natives, using technology to create innovative solutions. They develop apps, platforms, and tools that address environmental, social, and economic challenges.

Advocacy and Awareness: Young activists raise awareness about sustainable practices through digital campaigns. They advocate for responsible tech use, pushing for ethical AI, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Education and Skill Building: Youth-led initiatives provide digital literacy training, bridging the digital divide. They empower marginalized communities with essential skills for the digital era.

Collaboration and Networking: Youth networks connect globally, sharing knowledge and best practices. Collaborative efforts amplify their impact, fostering a sense of shared responsibility.

Policy Influence: Youth engage in policy discussions, urging governments and organizations to prioritize digital inclusion, green tech, and sustainable innovation.

In essence, young people are not just beneficiaries of digitalization; they actively shape its direction toward a more sustainable future! 🌟👩‍💻🌍

Here are some innovative digital projects that contribute to sustainable development:

Waste Ventures India: Waste Ventures India is a Telangana-based startup providing solutions for housing societies and corporate offices by composting organic waste and recycling dry waste.

Founded by Roshan Miranda and Rob Whiting in 2012, this for-profit enterprise is changing paradigms in solid waste management by increasing value to stakeholders across the value chain.

The Waste Venture India team also raises awareness about waste management among residents and employees and helps them learn about composting, recycling and other green initiatives.

The startup was among the first to provide digital doorstep recyclable pickup service in Hyderabad.

Since late 2013, the startup has averted over 3,000 tons of waste from Indian dumpsites.

Beco: Mumbai-based startup Beco is a consumer goods company which was founded in 2018.

The startup manufactures biodegradable and sustainable alternatives to single-use products such as dinner napkins, toilet rolls, facial tissues, tissue rolls and more.

Founded by Aditya Ruia, Anuj Ruia and Akshay Varma, Beco (Be Eco) offers products for kitchen, home care and personal care.

The startup utilizes biodegradable and compostable raw materials like corn starch and bamboo to prepare various SKUs of tissue, straws, toothpicks, and cotton balls, among others.

The company also pays much attention towards its packing as it utilizes recycled and craft paper to package, thus eradicating the need for plastics.

Air Pollution: Nexus Power: Nexus Power leverages nanotechnology to make biodegradable electric vehicle batteries from crop residue. The company uses unburnt crops—one of the major sources of air pollution—and then by applying a unique extraction and filtration process, manufactures rechargeable energy-storing cells. Multiple such cells go into making the Internet-of-Things (IoT) and AI-based sensor-enabled battery pack which is later installed in electric vehicles.

Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue: This initiative, co-created by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Citi Foundation, aims to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.

The 5th Edition of Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue India announced twelve top startups from across 9 Indian states working in agriculture, ed-tech, women’s livelihood, circular economy, and biodiversity as winners.

These startups received seed funding of up to $5,000 to scale up their innovations.

Innovating for Impact: The 6th Edition of the Youth Co:Lab National Innovation Dialogue concluded with six startups emerging as winners. These startups are pioneering solutions to address challenges faced by small-scale farmers through AgriTech, innovative solutions for tribal communities, and advanced assistive technology.

The winners received up to USD 3,000 seed funding to scale up their innovations.

These initiatives demonstrate the potential of the youth in India to drive sustainable development through innovative startups.

They are not only addressing pressing social and environmental challenges but also stimulating economic growth and promoting collaboration.

Banyan Nation: Making our Nation a zero-plastic is becoming an upstanding challenge, that’s why Banyan Nation founder- Mani Vajipey came up with the idea to recycle industrial plastic into better quality plastic than virgin plastic.

Banyan Nation became the country’s first vertically integrated plastic recycling company.

The brand uses eco-friendly detergents in cleaning plastic which removes detrimental contaminants to supply near-virgin quality plastic.

Moreover, it is the first company to use cloud and IoT to integrate thousands of informal sector last mile collectors into its supply chain to recover post-consumer as well as post-industrial plastic waste.

These projects demonstrate how digital innovation can drive sustainability and positive impact! 🌟🌍👩‍💼🚀

The Youth are the architects of its progress, with the potential to drive positive change and resolve challenges.

As future leaders, they shape the nation's trajectory, contributing to economic growth, social change, and a brighter future for the entire society.