PublicSpaces / Conference

Open Social Awards

New_ Public, PublicSpaces and Waag Futurelab are launching the Open Social Awards for projects for open social media, shaping the future of social media. Apply before May 1st!

The open social web is here to stay! Despite the significant challenges, we know that independent teams around the world are building exciting and compelling products for decentralised social media with open social principles at heart. We aim to celebrate and lift up those efforts, and show people that healthy, sustainable, and sovereign online social spaces are possible. To highlight these promising developments, and inspire people around the world to become part of the solution to centralised social media, we’re launching the Open Social Awards.

Principles

The underlying principles of the Open Social Awards are:

  • Inclusivity: all submissions that run on open protocols are welcome
  • Originality: all ideas are welcome, but originality* is precious
  • Viability: there must be at least a working and publicly accessible prototype and active usage

(*we’re interested in products that push the envelope, new use cases, instances that address underserved communities and solve real problems for real people.)

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants to the Open Social Awards must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  1. Anyone can apply [people from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply]
  2. Projects must have been launched in the last  three years and demonstrate user traction [this can include downloads, active engagement, monthly user data]
  3. Projects should be at least at a publicly available prototype stage
  4. Products should use / implement at least one protocol for federation or interoperability.
  5. The underlying technology is open source and reviewable

Submission Requirements

  1. Product name and url: Identify product category/characteristics, status of development and year of launch, where you and your team members are based
  2. Elevator Pitch: In no more than 100 words , explain why your product will catapult ordinary people into the future of open social;
  3. One-page description (in English) of the product including: Concept description, analysis of audience /needs, data on performance to date, and what funding or support is needed to achieve the next stage of growth;
  4. Open social alignment: Share a paragraph explaining why and how your product builds on open social principles and platforms, and how you are solving a problem to improve online digital spaces;
  5. Bio’s and background on the team: Tell us about you and your colleagues. Max 100 words per bio.

Timeline

The deadline for submission entries is May 1st. On June 5th, during the PublicSpaces Conference, winners will be announced during the Award Ceremony.

Awards & Jury

Sponsored by Germany’s national public broadcaster, ZDF, and Bluesky Social, PBC, the awards will grant 10,000 euros to a Grand-Prize winner and 5,000 euros to two Excellence Award winners. The Open Social Awards welcome submissions from developers with products at MVP stage which are built on any of the open social protocols such as ATProtocol and ActivityPub.

Jury members of the awards, fully independent of all three partnering organisations, include well-known digital pioneers Audrey Tang and Mike Masnick, along with Laurens Hof, an active European analyst of the open protocol sector, Johannes Ernst, founder of the Fediforum, Melanie Bartos, Science Communicator at the University of Innsbruck, Elena Rossini, filmmaker and writer, and Robin Berjon, Board Director of the Modal Foundation.

Submit your application

Submit your application latest May 1st through the application form.