- Overview
- Agenda
- Speakers
Celebrating Innovation: GovTech Challenge Awards 2025
On December 2, 2025, the World Bank, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland (SECO), and Trust Valley celebrated the outcomes of the GovTech Innovation Challenge—awarding the selected proposals for innovative digital solutions developed for the Ghana Revenue Authority. The ceremony was livestreamed as part of Trust Valley Day.
Six companies from Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore and South Africa received the GovTech Innovation Challenge Award for digital solutions to modernize tax administration and improve resource mobilization in the Ghana Revenue Authority. Read the announcement.
A total of 136 proposals were submitted by startups and small and medium-sized enterprises from around the world. The challenge attracted submissions using various technologies— ranging from digital identity platforms and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Payment Service Provider (PSP) monitoring to geospatial mapping and municipal integration.
| Please Note: Session timings are in CET (Geneva Time) | |||
14:00 |
Opening Remarks |
Guy Parmelin, Swiss Federal Councillor |
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14:05 |
Welcome Remarks |
Arturo Herrera, Global Director for Governance, World Bank Group |
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14:10 |
Lightning Talk: GovTech and Innovation |
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14:20 |
Session 1: Panel discussion on Government & Startup Collaboration – The Relevance of Public-Private Partnerships
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Moderator: Roby Senderowitsch, Manager, Governance Global Department, World Bank Panellists:
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15:05 |
Session 2: Innovation Challenge
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Presenter:
Remarks:
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15:15 |
Presentation of Proof of Concepts by Finalists
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Informal Sector Income Tax Identification and Registration
E-Commerce Taxpayer Identification and VAT Compliance
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15:45 |
Award Giving |
Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) Arturo Herrera, Global Director, Governance Department, World Bank |
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15:50 |
Closing Remarks |
Ambassador Pietro Lazzeri, Head of the Economic Cooperation and Development Division at the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) |
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15:55 CET |
End |
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Date: December 02, 2025
Time: 03:00 AM - 10:30 AM ET
Location: Geneva International Conference Centre (CICG), Geneva, Switzerland | Event will also be Livestreamed from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm CET (Geneva time)
Hybrid:
We will stream live the event on this page, on December 2, 2025 at 8:00 am ET; 2:00 pm Geneva local time.