Recently, the Taco Bell Foundation in partnership with Ashoka, the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs, unveiled the selected 75 Changemakers from both the U.S. and India for the second year of Ambition Accelerator.
Chosen from a pool of more than 550 applicants, the selected 75 Changemakers (50 in the U.S. and 25 in India) will receive seed funding to help accelerate their social impact ideas. In addition to this funding, semi-finalist will get to attend a summit: one at Taco Bell’s headquarters for U.S. participants and another in Bengaluru for participants in India. Prior to each summit, 5 finalists will be selected to share their social impact ideas for a chance to secure an additional $25,000 in seed funding.
Among the selected applicants, several trends have surfaced, highlighting the passion areas of today’s young changemakers. These categories include:
- Improving Food Systems: Through initiatives aimed at addressing food insecurity, reducing waste, and assisting children with food allergies, we’ve seen a recurring theme among participants: a strong commitment to promoting food accessibility and sustainability.
- Climate Conservation: This year’s participants are deeply passionate about the environment, channeling their efforts through programs such as supporting local communities by enhancing sustainable gardening skills, developing an app that works to improve public health through air pollution capturing technology and more.
- Change-Driven Technology: Young innovators are identifying ways to leverage evolving technological solutions for the greater good. These entries span various facets, from algorithms designed to assist small businesses in minimizing waste and enhancing profitability to an AI-based sign language translation app.
- Education For All: Education is the cornerstone for future generations. This year’s entries clearly show the aspiration of young individuals to see their peers not just succeed but excel in their educational pursuits. This sentiment is powerfully echoed in numerous submissions we received for programs focused on enlightening students in areas like STEM, computer science, and biology.
You can now explore the complete list of U.S. and India-based recipients and delve deeper into the inspiring details of the Ambition Accelerator by clicking here!
Check out last cycle’s Ambition Accelerator Summit below!
The Ambition Accelerator is powered in partnership with changemaking organization Ashoka, the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs, and funded by Yum! Brand’s Unlocking Opportunity Initiative. See Terms & Conditions for complete program details.