The EDB Digital Initiative Fund announces the winners of the competition for the best solutions to counter the spread of COVID-19
Moscow, 30 November 2020. The Digital Initiative Fund of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB DIF) has announced the results of the competition for the best digital solutions to counter the spread and overcome the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tigran Sargsyan, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board in charge of the Fund, said that a total of 163 applications were submitted for the competition from all the Bank’s member countries, including 12 from Armenia, 17 from Belarus, 58 from Kazakhstan, 27 from the Kyrgyz Republic, 35 from Russia, and 14 from Tajikistan.
Sixteen projects were shortlisted, and additional consultations were arranged with the shortlisted candidates.
“We received many exciting digital solutions to the challenges posed by the pandemic. These covered such areas as telemedicine, bringing businesses online, remote work, and contactless customer services, among others. It was not easy to select the winners, but, after a thorough review of the applications, we have made our decision,” commented Tigran Sargsyan.
The winners of the competition for the best digital solutions to counter the spread and overcome the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Eurasia are:
- The B2BCloud Project, SmartStaffing, Russia;
- The ForumVR Project, 10Tech, Kazakhstan;
- The Online Doctor Project, Mobile Medical Technologies, Russia; and
- The OnlineEventSpace Project, TDI PLUS, Belarus.
The award ceremony will take place on 4 December at the First Eurasian Congress.
Tigran Sargsyan also announced two panel sessions to be held as part of the Congress – Digital Eurasia: New Growth Strategy and EAEU Common Financial Market: Opportunities and Risks. The first session is expected to bring together the Deputy Prime Ministers of Russia and Armenia, heads of authorities in charge of digital development from Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as heads of think tanks in the field of digital transformation. The second panel will be attended by representatives of government agencies, major commercial banks, and development banks.
He also noted that the Digital Eurasia: New Growth Strategy panel will host the presentation of the Travelling without COVID-19 app. This project was initiated by the EDB DIF. The mobile app will make it possible for the users to quickly and easily receive the results of tests carried out in trusted laboratories before starting their journey in order to provide them as a QR code at control points in EAEU countries.
All the events of the First Eurasian Congress will be accessible online on the event’s official website www.congress.eabr.org.
Additional Information:
The competition was announced on 4 September. The application period lasted for one month. Any company or expert from the member states who have competencies in the area of digital transformation could take part in the competition. The only requirement for the participants was there sincere desire to add value in this challenging period and be ready to implement their solutions quickly and effectively. An expert group was formed from the Bank staff to evaluate project proposals.
Additional Information:
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) is an international financial institution promoting integration and development in its member countries – Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, and Tajikistan. The EDB's charter capital totals US $7 billion. The Bank was established in January 2006 by Russia and Kazakhstan and is headquartered in Almaty. Transport infrastructure, energy, chemical, mining, and mechanical engineering projects with a high integration effect account for the main part of the EDB’s portfolio.
The EDB Media Centre:
Alexander Savelyev +7 (985) 765 23 59 (Moscow)
Azima Sapargaliyeva +7 (777) 750 00 08 (Almaty)
Sergey Gorbachev +7 (916) 727 22 00 (Moscow)