Uddog o Uddokta Japan Association Co-organizes Global Youth Innovation Program on Health for SDG #3

The 5th 3ZERO Leadership Challenge (3ZLC), focusing on Health Innovation for SDG #3: Good Health and Well-being, concluded successfully at the 7th SocialTech Summit 2025 in Hiroshima, Japan. The international program brought together more than 465 applicants from 10 countries, offering young innovators aged 12–24 a platform to design and present solutions for global healthcare challenges through entrepreneurship and social innovation.

Jointly organized by Kyushu University, Hiroshima University, and the Social Business Academia Network (SBAN), with the support of QAOS, Kyushu University, and Gigalogy Tokyo, the four-month program featured mentoring sessions on problem framing, design thinking, and pitching. Inspired by the 3ZERO theory of Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, the challenge promotes the vision of a world with zero poverty, zero unemployment, and zero net carbon emissions.

The Uddog o Uddokta Japan Association (UUJP) served as one of the key co-organizers and played an integral role in planning, coordination, and program management. Since 2023, UUJP has been a consistent partner in this initiative, contributing to the overall operational success and fostering collaboration between Japan and other participating countries. The organization continues to advocate for youth-led entrepreneurship and innovation as a pathway to social development.

The 2025 program was coordinated under the leadership of Dr. Ashir Ahmed, Associate Professor at Kyushu University; Dr. Forhad Hossain, Assistant Professor at Sophia University; and Ms. Samira Hossain Mili, Director of Uddog o Uddokta Japan Association. Their collaborative efforts in mentorship, design, and program execution were key to the event’s success.

At the final hybrid pitch event in Hiroshima, 15 finalists presented their innovative healthcare solutions before an international jury. The winners of the 5th 3ZLC 2025 were Chihiro Takahashi (1st place, 100,000 JPY), K. M. Faisal Shariar (2nd place, 50,000 JPY), and Nowshad Nur Sunny (3rd place, 30,000 JPY). In the Poster Presentation Competition, held as part of the SocialTech Summit, Simak Ahmed, Priyam Chakraborty, and Siam Alam secured first, second, and third places respectively, each receiving 25,000 JPY.

The event was graced by H.E. Md. Daud Ali, Ambassador of Bangladesh to Japan, who attended as the Chief Guest, highlighting the growing collaboration between Japan and Bangladesh in promoting youth innovation and entrepreneurship.

The 3ZERO Leadership Challenge continues to stand as a flagship platform for young innovators to address real-world social issues through entrepreneurship, bridging academia, youth, and impact-driven organizations. The 2025 edition reaffirmed the importance of empowering the next generation to build sustainable, inclusive solutions for global well-being — a vision shared and actively advanced by Uddog o Uddokta Japan Association.