USA Pavilion @ Expo 2020 Fellows Program
As the world came together at Expo 2020 Dubai to deliver real-life solutions to real-life problems, the USA Pavilion @ EXPO 2020 Fellows Program brought together 38 outstanding young women and men from 19 countries and regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) for a unique eight-month virtual and in-person program. The cohort represented an eclectic and inclusive group of young leaders and entrepreneurs from multiple disciplines across business, media, government, and civil society.
The program, which took place from August 2021 - March 2022, was designed to promote cultural understanding across the region and beyond, and help the fellows hone their leadership and problem-solving skills around areas of entrepreneurship, economic opportunity, regional integration, gender equality, and public policy. In addition, fellows learned practical skills to help build communities, networks, and solutions to respond to some of the world’s pressing challenges. Hosted at the USA Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai, this was the first exchange program hosted in conjunction with a USA Pavilion at a World Expo.
Highlights include:
Five virtual sessions
Two in-person weeks in Dubai, as well as a day trip to Abu Dhabi
Eight-month entrepreneur boot camp
Six social impact group projects
One winning team, Veggies R Us
The winning group - Veggies R Us – was comprised of fellows from Tunisia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The team developed an AI-powered hydroponic urban gardening system providing urban consumers in Pakistan and Bangladesh with access to clean and affordable produce. The program enabled this diverse team to leverage their collective expertise and experience to bring a tangible product to the market that is creating real impact. The winning team was awarded $15,000 to continue the development of their product. Other groups developed apps for helping migrant workers with financial literacy, platforms for managing human resources across borders, encouraging recycling with NFTs and a project to build an exclusive pavilion at Expo 2025 for entrepreneurs to showcase their progress on SDGs.
U.S. diplomatic missions from participating countries nominated exceptional young leaders in the fields of technology, entrepreneurship, policy, culture, and media. The final 38 were chosen through a competitive application and selection process.
PepsiCo, the Global Food and Beverage Company, and its charitable arm – the PepsiCo Foundation partnered with the Observer Research Foundation America (ORF America), Observer Research Foundation (ORF), the USA Pavilion at the Expo 2020 Dubai, and AstroLabs to establish, design, and facilitate the USA Pavilion @ EXPO 2020 Fellows Program.