Is your government institution developing an AI solution to improve public services, governance or public administration?
The World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp, organized with the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS) and the National Information Society Agency (NIA), invites government institutions in eligible low- and middle-income countries to submit proposals for a five-day technical bootcamp in Korea.
Quick Eligibility: World Bank GovTech AI
- Opportunity Type: Fully Funded Government AI Bootcamp
- Applicant Type: Government institutions / government agencies
- Eligible Countries: Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to the World Bank income classification
- Individual Applications: Not accepted
- Team Required: Yes — exactly 2 people
- Team Member 1: Policy leader with genuine decision-making authority over the AI initiative
- Team Member 2: Technical practitioner directly involved in implementing the AI solution
- AI Project: Concept, prototype, pilot or deployment stage
- Focus Areas: Public financial management, civil service/HR, citizen services, civic tech, procurement, anticorruption, transparency and other public-sector applications
- Age Limit: 18+
- Education Requirement: No specific degree requirement stated
- Work Experience: Must be actively involved in the relevant government AI initiative
- Application Fee: $0
- Location: Korea; primary venue tentatively Seoul
- Duration: 5 days
- Bootcamp Dates: December 7–11, 2026
- Application Deadline: October 2, 2026
- Results: October 16, 2026
- Application Method: Official World Bank submission form
What Kind of AI Projects Are Eligible?
The government institution should be working on an AI initiative addressing a specific public-sector challenge.
Examples include:
- Public financial management
- Tax/public administration
- Civil service and HR management
- Citizen services
- Civic technology and citizen engagement
- Public procurement
- Anticorruption
- Transparency
- Other government/public-administration applications
Projects can be at the concept, prototype, pilot or deployment stage. However, proposals with strong institutional backing, technical feasibility and a realistic implementation pathway are prioritized.
Two-Person Team Required
Each selected country gets two participation slots.
The team must include:
1. Policy Leader
A senior official with genuine decision-making authority over the AI initiative.
2. Technical Practitioner
A technical specialist directly involved in designing or implementing the AI solution.
An NGO, private company or individual cannot apply on behalf of a government institution.
What Does the Program Cover?
For selected teams:
- International travel
- Accommodation
- Five-day bootcamp in Korea
- Technical workshops
- Exchange with Korean government and technology practitioners
- World Bank and Korean expert guidance
- Development of an AI implementation roadmap
The programme is fully funded for the two selected team members.
What Happens During the Bootcamp?
The programme combines:
Korean AI ecosystem exposure → technical workshops → implementation planning
Participants will examine practical issues around:
- Algorithms
- Data
- Infrastructure
- Governance
- Institutional coordination
- Implementation risks
- Scaling AI in government
They will then develop a technically grounded AI implementation roadmap for their own initiative.
Important Dates
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Call launched | August 12, 2026 |
| Application deadline | October 2, 2026 |
| Results announced | October 16, 2026 |
| Seoul/Korea Bootcamp | December 7–11, 2026 |
| Final roadmap | January 2027 |
| Follow-up support selection | February 2027 |
Important
Participation in the post-bootcamp support is not guaranteed.
All participating teams are expected to submit a final AI implementation roadmap after the bootcamp. Up to three countries may subsequently receive additional technical support, depending on the strength and viability of their initiatives and available resources. No direct financial support is provided through this follow-up phase.
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