From August 12^th to August 15^th, 2015, youth between the ages of 18 and 32, flooded the World Bank Headquarters for Athgothon 2015, a competition aimed at technology and business startups, which have social and environmental causes – constructive businesses.

With laughter and smiles abound, the three days at the World Bank whipped by in a flash, with a variety of speakers – from Ms. Kathy Calvin, the CEO of the UN Foundation to a Hall of Fame, NBA legend Mr. Dikembe Mutombo– bestowing their knowledge upon participants, in topics ranging from sustainability, funding, innovating ideas, partnering, development and more. As the opening remarks from Ms. Valerie D’Costa of the World Bank poignantly noted: “Young entrepreneurs hold the key to longstanding development challenges.”

But solving those persistent, progressive problems does not come without hard work. In particular, for days two and three of Athgothon, young participants were assigned into startup teams to create a constructive business. Thorough discussions, riddling questions and deep contemplation arose out of teams while they toiled towards fine-tuning their best pitches in hopes of securing 3,000; 2,000 or 1,000 monetary gain as well as potential partnering and investment from forum high-profile observers and Angels.

Dozens of startup concepts were presented, yet only three winners aptly arose: In third place came Team 13’s Amber Alliance, a program combatting human trafficking through GPS-tracking attire; second place went to Team 4’s #RoundUp, a platform which rounds up expenses and uses the extra money for social causes; and finally, first place went to Team 1’s GustoGum, a product eliminating anemia through gum-chewing supplements. Ultimately, regardless of money gain, each and every Athgothon entrepreneur is a winner and is destined to make great global changes.