2025 World Bank Group GovTech Innovation

Deadline: Sep 12, 2025

other

unfunded

Switzerland

To Apply

Please visit the application link below to apply.

Opportunity Overview

📖 About the Challenge

The World Bank Group GovTech Innovation Challenge 2025 invites innovators to partner with the World Bank to develop digital solutions for Ghana Tax Administration this autumn.

Program Objectives

Create a platform for private companies to design and test innovative digital solutions for the public sector to enhance government efficiency, transparency, and citizen services.
Select the Top 3 best proposals globally to address specific GovTech challenges.
Develop a Proof of Concept to demonstrate the technical functionality of the proposal.
Proceed to practical implementation with a specific government.

🌟 This Year’s Challenge: Improving Tax Resource Mobilisation in Ghana

Key Focus Areas

Ghana needs more resources to improve public services and build essential infrastructure. Despite strong public support for taxation (79% of Ghanaians support paying taxes), tax collection remains low due to limited government capacity.

By designing simple, smart tax solutions, participants can help Ghana unlock more domestic revenue and ensure better services for its citizens.

Informal Sector Taxation

Design software solutions to:

Identify, assess, and incentivize sole proprietors to register and comply with their tax obligations.
Focus on identifying new taxpayers and improving compliance among existing ones, particularly regarding income tax.

Proposal Elements:

Innovative methods for identifying informal sector businesses and sole proprietors as eligible taxpayers.
Mobile-first solutions tailored for low-tech environments in underserved remote communities.
Simplification of digital registration, tax education, and tax filing processes.

E-Commerce Taxation

Design software solutions to:

Identify companies operating in the digital services sector and monitor digital transactions to ensure registration and compliance with tax obligations.

Proposal Elements:

Automated identification of domestic e-commerce businesses (digital services provided by non-residents is a plus).
Real-time monitoring of online transactions through payment service providers for upfront VAT deduction.
Comprehensive transaction and compliance verification.

🎁 Benefits

World Bank Partnership

Gain exposure to public sector clients with support from the World Bank.

GovTech Capacity Building

Receive executive-level training in Switzerland on key public-private collaboration aspects.

Public Sector Engagement

Design a proof of concept for specific tax administration issues with the Ghana Revenue Authority.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

The challenge is open to early-stage startups, scale-ups, and SMEs that:

Are legally incorporated.
Have fewer than 75 employees.
Have under $5M USD in annual revenue.
Possess technical, operational, and business expertise relevant to the challenge.
Have the capacity to actively participate in challenge activities.

📅 Application Date and Process

Application Deadline

12 September, 2025

How to Apply

Submit your proposal via the application website.
See Application Guidelines.
Apply for the Challenge.

🌐 Opportunity Details

Date Published: July 29, 2025
Category: Contest, Entrepreneurs
Opportunity Location: Switzerland
Sponsor Organisation: World Bank

For more details, visit the World Bank Group GovTech Innovation Challenge Portal.

Benefits

Get exposure to public sector clients having support from the World Bank
Get executive level training in Switzerland on key public-private collaboration aspects
Design proof of concept for specific tax administration issues with Ghana Revenue Authority

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