Counter-Disinformation Innovation Challenge Launch

Jul 21, 2022, 2:00 – 5:00 PM

The USAID Information Integrity Program together with Startup Grind Tbilisi has taken a pioneering approach in involving Georgia’s emerging tech sector in the fight against disinformation, founding and launching the Counter Disinformation Innovation Competition. The Competition sees tech companies work with CSOs to build powerful tools to design solutions to specific Challenges.

In-person event

About this event

Join us at the launch event of the 2nd Counter-Disinformation Innovation (CDI) Competition where we'll announce this year's challenges, hold panel discussions with 2021 competition winners, and tell you more about the opportunities that come with participation. 


This time CDI Competition will focus on the problems of: 

1.  identifying hidden connections between actors using OCR tools to read online documents in Georgian

2. Monitoring "Coordinated Inauthentic Behavior" where disinformation is pushed out in social media and

3. Wildcard ideas which show strong promise to help tackle this issue


Registration will open after the launch event and for participation you'll be able to register by August 1st, 23:59 GET. 


Background

The Georgia Information Integrity Program, funded by USAID and implemented by Zinc Network is an ambitious, experimental program that aims to build resilience to disinformation and propaganda at all levels of Georgian society. It brings together a range of stakeholders to design solutions that disrupt the disinformation ecosystem and change people’s attitudes and behaviors. Where these solutions demonstrate success, we help to scale and adapt them – through funding, hands-on support and access to our network – so that they have maximum impact.

The Georgia Information Integrity Program has taken a pioneering approach in involving Georgia’s emerging tech sector in the fight against disinformation, founding and launching the Counter Disinformation Innovation Competition together with our partner Startup Grind. The Competition sees tech companies work with CSOs to build powerful tools to resist disinformation, with teams competing to design solutions to specific Challenges. The first Competition resulted in the creation of three powerful tools: a social media analysis tool, Georgian language speech-to-text transcription, and a public database aggregator platform that provides speed and reliability to researchers and journalists fighting disinformation and corruption. As well as a unique example of private sector/CSO collaboration, the tools already have the potential to become internationally successful.

Check out what happened

Moderator

  • Colin Donohue

    Startup Grind

    Tbilisi Chapter Director

When

When

Thursday, July 21, 2022
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM UTC

Organizers

  • Colin Donohue

    Vinocorn & Georgian Wine Finder

    Tbilisi Director

  • Giorgi Tukhashvili

    Startup Grind Tbilsi

    Co-director

  • Nia Basaria

    Startup Grind Tbilisi

    Project Manager

  • Tamar Tukhashvili

    Startup Grind Tbilisi

    Team Member

  • Merab Tevdorashvili

    Team Member

Partners

Zinc Network logo

Zinc Network

Bank of Georgia Business logo

Bank of Georgia Business

USAID logo

USAID

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