Choose A Language

Terms and conditions

This website is translated using a plugin. There may be errors or inconsistencies.

If in doubt or have questions, please refer to the  Entrant Handbook  for the correct information:

Entrant Handbook (English) |  Entrant Handbook (French)  |  Entrant Handbook (Indonesian)  |  Entrant Handbook (Portuguese)  |  Entrant Handbook (Spanish)

For downloadable versions of the Challenge terms and conditions, please click on the links below:

Any translated content (being content that is provided in a language other than English) published via this website, including any terms and conditions, policies or any other documents, is provided for informational purposes only. We exclude all representations or warranties as to accuracy and completeness of the translations and we shall not be liable for any inconsistencies, mistakes or mistranslation arising in connection with the translations. Please note that the English language versions of any such content and documents shall prevail. Any translations are not legally binding on us. In particular, we note that the translations of in-website text have been provided via an automatic plug-in tool and as a result there may be some inconsistencies between such content and the information included in the Terms and Conditions, the Privacy Policy and the Entrant Handbook which have been translated separately via an external service.

The Good Start Challenge (the “Challenge”) is delivered by Challenge Works, part of Nesta (“Challenge Works”) on behalf, and with the support, of the Bernard van Leer Foundation (“Van Leer Foundation”), and with further funding support from region-specific funders as identified in Annex 1 (each an “In-market Funder” and together the “In-market Funders”). 

These terms and conditions are formed of this introductory section, the General Terms and Conditions section and any annexes. Please read these terms and conditions (“Terms and Conditions”) and all additional information on the Challenge webpages carefully before registering or submitting an entry to the Challenge. Please note that these terms and conditions apply at all stages of the Challenge, from its opening on 22 May 2025 through to when funded projects have concluded and an evaluation of the Challenge is completed. By registering or submitting an entry, you accept these Terms and Conditions and agree to comply with them. If you are registering or submitting an entry on behalf of one or more organisations or a team, you undertake to Challenge Works and the Van Leer Foundation that you have the authority to bind each of them and that you will be responsible for ensuring that they comply. 

Please note that Challenge participants may be required to sign additional terms and conditions with relevant delivery partners, as required from time to time, in order to access or use certain additional services in connection with the Challenge.

In these Terms and Conditions:

  1. “you” refers to the individual representing the entity or team registering/submitting an entry to the Challenge;
  2. “entrant”, “participant” and “participants” refers to the entity that has registered/submitted an entry to the Challenge;
  3. “finalist” refers to the entity that has been selected to participate in the Challenge; 
  4. “winner” refers to the entity that has been selected to win the Challenge; and
  5. references to “we”, “us” and “our” are references to Challenge Works. 

The Good Start Challenge is a global challenge to accelerate the innovation of accessible, cost-effective solutions that promote the wellbeing of parents and caregivers of children aged 0-6 years across Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.  Specifically, the Challenge is being delivered in the following countries:

  • In respect of Southeast Asia:
    • Indonesia; and
    • Philippines.
  • In respect of Sub-Saharan Africa:
    • Ethiopia;
    • Kenya;
    • Senegal; and
    • Uganda.
  • In respect of Latin America:
    • Colombia;
    • Brazil; and 
    • Mexico.

In some instances entrants will only be assessed against other entrants in their region, and in other instances entrants will only be assessed against other entrants in a particular country. A specified number of finalists and winners will be selected either per region or per country, as applicable. Please refer to the Entrant Handbook for further details. 

Subject to the terms in this document, for you to be eligible to enter the Good Start Challenge, you must meet these requirements:

  • Nature of solution: Proposed solutions must be focused on improving the wellbeing of parents and other caregivers of young children aged 0-6 in disadvantaged circumstances.
  • Geographic scope of solution: Depending on the country/region you are applying for, proposed solutions must be tailored specifically for and implemented to the benefit of parents and other caregivers in one or more of the relevant target countries. Please refer to the eligibility criteria in the Entrant Handbook for further detail.
    • Entrants may apply with the same solution to multiple regions, provided they complete a separate entry form for each region (e.g. two entries for the same solution: one in Latin America and one in South East Asia) and that they meet all other eligibility criteria. 
    • Entrants may apply with different solutions within or across regions, provided they complete a separate entry from each region (e.g. two entries for different solutions: one in Colombia and one in Brazil) and that they meet all other eligibility criteria.
    • Notwithstanding that entrants may submit multiple entries in accordance with the above, an entrant shall not receive more than one finalist award. 
  • Legal status of entrant: Entrants must be established as a legally registered organisation as set out below: 
    • For entrants applying in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Indonesia, the Philippines or Senegal, the Challenge is open to: non-profit organisations (including charities or other foundations); educational or research institutions; private company/enterprises. 
    • For entrants applying in Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia, the Challenge is open to: non-profit organisations (including charities or other foundations); educational or research institutions; and Social Enterprises (as defined below). 
    • Government entities are not eligible to apply for the Challenge in any country or region.  
  • Legal registration in specific region: Depending on the country / region you are applying for, entrants must demonstrate legal registration in certain countries. Please refer to the eligibility criteria in the Entrant Handbook for further detail.
  • Operational presence: Entrants must be able to legally operate and implement their proposed solution in the relevant target country(ies) identified in their application. You must satisfy yourself of this before applying. Challenge Works is not responsible for providing specific legal advice in respect of this matter.  
  • Consortia: Entrants can be single organisations or consortia. 
    • Teams that enter as a consortium must nominate one organisation as the lead entrant. The lead entrant must meet all eligibility criteria.
    • All other organisations within the consortia must meet the eligibility criteria outlined above in respect of “Legal status of the entrant”. Other organisations within the consortia are not required to meet the criteria relating to operational presence or legal registration in the relevant region. 
    • The lead entrant will enter into contracts and receive funding.
  • Intellectual property: Entrants must own or be licensed to use relevant intellectual property relevant to their entries and solutions.
  • Currency requirements (excluding Brazil): Excluding entrants applying in respect of Brazil, the lead entrant must be able to receive funds in Euros to a bank account in the name of the lead applicant located in the country in which they are legally registered for the purposes of the application.
  • Currency requirements (Brazil only): Lead entrants applying in respect of solutions to be implemented in Brazil must be able to receive funds in Brazilian Real to a bank account registered in the name of the lead applicant in Brazil.

Please note that the core focus of the Good Start Challenge is to source ideas from around the world on caregiver wellbeing. As a result, we wish to emphasise that while for-profit businesses may apply for the Challenge in accordance with the criteria set out above, the proposed project must have a clear and explicit social impact purpose that aligns with this Challenge, as well as Challenge Works’ and Van Leer’s focus areas, and to the greatest extent possible, you must be willing for the solutions developed under this Challenge to remain accessible and affordable for the relevant target population.

Full details can be found in the Entrant Handbook.

For the purposes of the above eligibility criteria, “Social Enterprise” is defined as an organisation that: (i) is prohibited from paying out dividends, or utilising other methods of distributing profits, to its owners,  shareholders and/or investors; and (ii) is obligated pursuant to its governance documents to reinvest all profits back into its mission to foster sustainable solutions. 

General Terms and Conditions

1. Participating in the Challenge

1.1 These terms and conditions apply to you and to any partners in relation to your entry to and participation in the Challenge. All entry information is available at [Challenge webpages]. 

1.2 To enter the Challenge, you can register and submit an entry between 22 May 2025, 9:00 AM UTC and 17 September, 1:00PM UTC. Entries to the Challenge and all information relating to your entry must be in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Indonesian, must be legible and complete, and must comply with all applicable provisions on the Challenge website and these terms and conditions. We reserve the right to reject any entries that are incomplete, illegible or in the wrong format. 

1.3 Late entries will not be accepted and Challenge Works or the Van Leer Foundation are not responsible for entries which are lost, damaged, or late due to computer, network, or telecommunications failure or third-party telephone or data networks. Please see the detailed timetable included on the Challenge website for further details.

1.4 Entries will be assessed on submission against the eligibility requirements to enter and judging criteria set out on the Challenge webpages and must continue to meet the eligibility requirements at all stages throughout the Challenge. Entries may be shortlisted and asked to complete further challenges as described in the promotional materials. All members of the entrant teams must be over 18 to participate in Challenge activities.  Challenge Works and the Van Leer Foundation’s decision about eligibility and shortlisting, the Judges’ decision on selection of the finalists and the Challenge grants (including in each case the validity of any claims and data submitted) is final. 

1.5 Participants must meet the defined eligibility criteria for the Challenge. Participants may submit multiple entries to the Challenge (subject to any and all defined eligibility criteria). Notwithstanding that a participant may submit multiple entries, no participant is permitted to lead more than one finalist team. 

1.6 Challenge Works and the Van Leer Foundation shall have sole discretion in assessing the eligibility of the entry both at the entry stage and throughout the Challenge. The lead organisation shall be responsible for making sure all joint entrants are aware of and comply with these terms and conditions and all relevant entry information on the Challenge webpages. The grant amounts distributed as part of the Challenge will remain the same regardless of the size of any partnerships.

1.7 We will use the contact details provided to contact you about the Challenge.  Communication between us about the Challenge shall be predominantly provided in English but we will also endeavour to communicate in French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Indonesian. If you do not respond to any communication within 14 days, we may at our sole discretion to treat you (and your organisation or team, if applicable) as having withdrawn from the Challenge and, where relevant, select an alternative entry in your place.

1.8 Employees of Challenge Works (Nesta, or any company within the same group), the Van Leer Foundation, the In-market Funders and/or other individuals working on the project (“Interested Parties”), and their immediate families, are not eligible to enter. Should any conflict of interest, or perceived conflict of interest, between an entrant (including their consortia partners or team) and the Interested Parties, assessor or judge exist, this must be declared and a mitigation agreed with Challenge Works, the In-market Funders and the Van Leer Foundation. Where a conflict cannot be avoided and/or where Challenge Works or the Van Leer Foundation or the In-market Funders determine (in their sole discretion) that a conflict cannot be appropriately managed, you may be disqualified from participating in the Challenge.

1.9 Unless otherwise stated, all participants’ costs of entering and participating in the Challenge are borne by the participant. 

1.10 As a part of your entry, you are asked to identify one individual as team leader from the lead organisation. The team leader is responsible for making sure that all other members are aware of and comply with these terms and conditions and all relevant entry information on the Challenge website. You must notify us in writing if the team leader changes, and provide us with up to date contact details via goodstart@challengeworks.org.

1.11 We reserve the right at our sole discretion to refuse any entry, and/or to make no award if none of the entries meet our required standards. We reserve the right at our sole discretion to remove you from the Challenge if you do not comply with these terms & conditions, if you cheat or behave in a way which is disruptive, inappropriate, or potentially dangerous, or if you fail to participate fully or do anything which may damage the reputation of any of Challenge Works, the Van Leer Foundation or the Challenge partners. Please notify us in writing if you decide to withdraw from the Challenge for any reason.

1.12 We reserve the right to vary the form or substance of the Challenge (including without limitation the information on the Challenge webpages, the criteria and requirements for success, event dates, the number of entries selected for each phase, these terms and conditions and any deadlines) as we deem appropriate in the circumstances, taking into account the aims of the Challenge. If you are not happy with the changes, you should withdraw from the Challenge; your continued participation will indicate your agreement to all and any changes.

1.13 We also reserve the right at our sole discretion to suspend or terminate the Challenge if:

1.13.1 funding for the Challenge is reduced materially or withdrawn; 

1.13.2 we determine in our reasonable opinion that the Challenge will no longer achieve its aims or is no longer relevant or useful; or

1.13.3 there are changes or developments outside our control that affect the Challenge.

1.14 No compensation will be paid to participants if the Challenge is changed, suspended or terminated by us in accordance with these terms and conditions.

1.15 Finalist and/or winning teams will be invited to sign a standard grant agreement setting out the terms of Challenge funding. The grant agreement may impose further conditions and requirements on entrants. The terms of the grant agreement are final and not subject to negotiation. 

1.16  Acceptance of the grant agreement and funding is a condition of participation as a finalist in the Challenge, and of being selected as winner of the Challenge.

1.17 Subject to the terms within the grant agreement, finalist teams will be awarded €50,000 each and the winning teams will be awarded €200,000 each. 

1.18 Any funds awarded by the Challenge must be used for purposes related to your proposal. You must comply with all reasonable monitoring requirements (including ongoing reporting requirements and timeframes) specified by Challenge Works, the applicable In-market Funder and/or the Van Leer Foundation to verify the proper use of such funds, and you consent to the sharing of all monitoring information with Challenge Works, the applicable In-market Funder and the Van Leer Foundation and any third party the Van Leer Foundation may in future appoint in respect of the monitoring of the Challenge. 

1.19 Without limiting clause 1.18, the funds should only be used in ways that will improve the wellbeing of parents and caregivers of children aged 0-6. Challenge Works reserves the right to impose additional conditions if appropriate in its reasonable opinion (or the reasonable opinion of the applicable In-market Funder or the Van Leer Foundation), if the Challenge has not resulted in sufficient public benefit in line with any relevant charitable objects, or to comply with other legal requirements. 

1.20 Any funds awarded by the Challenge may be clawed back in circumstances defined within the grant agreement, including if used for improper purposes.

1.21  Neither Challenge Works nor any of their respective partners in the Challenge shall have any responsibility or liability to anyone, however, arising for the non-payment or delay in payment of any funds awarded through the Challenge.

2. Your promises to us

2.1 To participate in the Challenge, you represent and warrant, and shall ensure that:

2.1.1 each Participant member satisfies the relevant eligibility requirements to enter the Challenge;

2.1.2 the proposal submitted in connection with this Challenge is your own original idea and is not copied from anyone else. All information submitted by you is true, accurate and complete. We reserve the right to ask for additional evidence of claims made by you, to validate claims by any means we see fit, and/or to reject claims at our sole discretion;

2.1.3 each Participant shall provide promptly any additional information Challenge Works and/or the applicable In-market Funder and/or the Van Leer Foundation reasonably request within 14 days, and shall participate promptly in the activities required as part of the Challenge;

2.1.4 each Participant has, or shall timely obtain, all authorisations, consents and permissions necessary to submit your entry, carry out your proposal, and comply with these terms & conditions;

2.1.5 your entry does not and will not infringe or misappropriate any intellectual property or other third-party rights, or breach any contractual obligation (specifically, though without limitation, please see Clause 4 below). We may withdraw your entry if we receive notice that your entry infringes or misappropriate any third-party rights, or breaches any contractual obligations;

2.1.6 each Participant shall make no attempt to undermine the Challenge, cheat, or behave in any way which is in our reasonable opinion unfair, disruptive, inappropriate or potentially dangerous, or which damages or may damage the reputation of the Challenge or of any Partner;

2.1.7 each Participant shall always act lawfully, ethically, and in good faith and comply with the rules of the Challenge and any relevant laws, regulations, guidelines and codes of practice; and

2.1.8 each Participant shall comply with our reasonable instructions while participating in the Challenge, including in relation to safeguarding and health, safety, and security.

2.2. You agree that if we determine that any of the above has been violated, we may at our sole discretion withdraw your entry, and/or rescind or recover any Challenge grants awarded to you.

3. Information and Publicity

3.1 You will retain your intellectual property rights in your entry to the Challenge.

3.2 We will use the information which you provide, including personal details of you and your team members, to process your entry to the Challenge, to administer the Challenge, to let you know about other events and activities run by Challenge Works or the Van Leer Foundation or to evaluate the Challenge. We may share it with our partners and anyone helping us to run the Challenge, subject to appropriate obligations of confidentiality and data protection. We will only share personal details of team members with partners and contractors, as necessary, for administration of the Challenge subject to appropriate obligations of confidentiality and any relevant data protection regime. Some of these organisations may process your information outside of the UK. For more information on how we use your personal data please see our Privacy Policy.

3.3 Challenge Works, the Van Leer Foundation, the In-market Funders and our other partners may carry out publicity and promotion for the Challenge and publish our research and evaluation in relation to the Challenge. You agree that your organisation will participate in publicity for the Challenge and you consent to the use of your organisation’s name, logo, a summary of your proposal, and photographs/recordings of your organisation’s participation in the Challenge in promotion and publications in any media and online.  Any public statements made by a shortlisted entrant or winner in relation to the Challenge during the Challenge and for the following calendar year must acknowledge the support of Challenge Works, the Van Leer Foundation, and our partners and must be approved by Challenge Works and the Van Leer Foundation in advance.

3.4 By registering for the Challenge, you, the team members and the participant expressly and unequivocally agree to the conditions of these Terms and Conditions, especially as established in items 3.2 and 3.3 above.

4. Exclusion and Limitation of Liability

4.1 To the extent permitted by applicable law, Challenge Works, the In-market Funders and the Van Leer Foundation exclude all liability for any direct or indirect loss or liability, costs, claims, taxes, charges or expenses arising from your participation in the Challenge or your reliance on statements made or advice given by us, our partners or contractors. If you submit any materials or items as part of your entry to the Challenge, this is at your own risk. Challenge Works and the Van Leer Foundation give no undertakings to keep safely, maintain or return any materials or items.

4.2 Without prejudice to Clause 4.1, our maximum liability to you in connection with the Challenge (if any) is limited to £500. Nothing in these terms and conditions excludes or limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence or fraudulent misrepresentation made by us or our partners.

5. Force Majeure

5.1 Neither Challenge Works, the In-market Funders, the Van Leer Foundation, nor their partners shall be in breach of these terms and conditions, nor liable for any delay in performing, or failure to perform, any of its obligations pursuant to these terms and conditions if such delay or failure results from events, circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control.

6. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

6.1 These terms and conditions shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales and you hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts. For the avoidance of doubt, notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing shall prevent or otherwise hinder us from enforcing our rights, any award or any judgement of competent jurisdiction in any geography, location or base.

7. English to prevail 

7.1 We may, at our sole discretion, provide French, Spanish, Portuguese or Indonesian translations of these terms and conditions and any other official policies or documents related to the Challenge (“Translations”). The Translations shall be provided for informational purposes only and the English language versions of any such documents shall prevail. We exclude all representations or warranties as to accuracy and completeness of the Translations and we shall not be liable for any inconsistencies, mistakes or mistranslation arising in connection with the Translations.

Annex 1 – In-market Funders

Region-specific funding shall be provided by the following organisations in respect of the following locations:

    • In respect of Mexico and Colombia, FEMSA Foundation.
    • In respect of Brazil, Fundação Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal.
    • In respect of Kenya, Uganda and Ethiopia, LEGO.
    • In respect of Senegal, Indonesia* and the Philippines*, the Van Leer Foundation. 

*Additional funding partners may be sought in respect of the Indonesian and Filipino strands of the Challenge. In the event that new funders are engaged, Challenge Works shall update this Annex and these Terms and Conditions to incorporate and acknowledge new In-market Funder(s).

Follow the journey of the Challenge

Good Start Challenge Newsletter Signup

Name(Required)
Consent(Required)