Youth & Closing the Innovation Gap- Despite the healthcare and economic challenges of COVID-19, opportunities exist for new and innovative ways of thinking about production and manufacturing. Many of the most creative responses are driven by youth. The pressure on the global supply chain forced countries and local producers to rethink production of PPE, use 3-D printing and other means of in-country manufacturing for affordable ventilators, and ramp up production of generic pharmaceuticals. The panel will explore the innovative technology coming out of Africa during the pandemic, ways in which business agility has contributed to rethinking global supply chains, and the role of youth in the pandemic response.