MIT’s Solve Global Challenges 2024

Deadline: April 18, 2024

Competitions

Creative Ideas Tech & IT

Location(s)

  • Online
  • United States of America
Cambridge, MA

Overview

Anyone, anywhere can apply to our 2024 Global Challenges for over $1 million in prize funding by April 18. 

Details

Open Call For Solutions

Solve’s Global Challenges seek exceptional innovators who are using technology to solve today’s most pressing problems. Submissions are open until April 18.

Those selected become a Solver team and join our nine-month support program, receive access to funding in grants and investments, join a powerful network of impact-minded leaders, receive coaching and strategic advice from experts, and gain exposure in the media, among many other benefits.

Since 2016, over 20,000 solutions headquartered in over 180 countries have been submitted in response to Solve’s Global Challenges. We’re now proud to support a diverse group of 299 Solver teams, who have collectively impacted over 190 million lives worldwide. These teams are 62% women-led and headquartered in 59 different countries.

APPLY TO AN OPEN CHALLENGE 

  • 2024 GLOBAL ECONOMIC PROSPERITY CHALLENGE: How can we harness technology to build and sustain peaceful and prosperous economies?
  • 2024 GLOBAL LEARNING CHALLENGE: How can we make learning more inclusive and equitable, while improving outcomes for all learners?
  • 2024 GLOBAL CLIMATE CHALLENGE: How can communities create a zero-carbon world and adapt to a warmer climate?
  • 2024 GLOBAL HEALTH EQUITY CHALLENGE: How can we use technology to make good health and access to quality care more equitable for all?
  • 2024 INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES FELLOWSHIP: How can Indigenous innovators in the US and Canada build upon traditional knowledge and technology to meet the social, environmental, and economic goals of their communities?

How Challenges Work

Each year Solve seeks solutions from tech innovators around the world for its Global Challenges, and anyone can submit a solution. Finalists are invited to pitch their solutions at Solve Challenge Finals during UN General Assembly Week in New York City in September. Selected Solver teams will join a supportive community of peers, funders, and experts to help advance their work; receive mentorship and strategic advice from Solve and MIT networks; attend Solve at MIT, our annual flagship event in May; and receive access to significant additional prize funding from our partners. 

In the last two years, Solve’s community has committed more than $7 million in funding to Solver teams, in addition to in-kind support such as mentorship, technical expertise, media and conference exposure, and business and entrepreneurship training.

Opportunity is About


Eligibility

Candidates should be from:


Description of Ideal Candidate

Who can apply to Solve's Challenges?

Anyone, anywhere around the world aged 13 and older can submit a solution to Solve's Challenges. You can be an individual, a team, or an organization. You can be an applicant from previous years or already part of our community. If you have a relevant solution, we hope you'll apply.

Solve considers solutions at all stages of development:

  • Idea: We welcome you to submit your solution to participate in the discussion, but please note that solutions that are still only at the concept stage are unlikely to be selected. You have until the submission deadline to prototype and experiment with your idea!
  • Prototype: A venture building and testing its product, service, or business model. Typically described as "Pre-Seed" if For Profit.
  • Pilot: An enterprise deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community. Hybrids and For Profits would typically be in a "Seed" round and generating revenue (whether or not they are cash flow positive).
  • Growth: An enterprise with an established product, service, or business model rolled out, which is poised for further growth in multiple communities or countries. Organizations at this stage should have a clear path to sustainability. For Profits at this stage would be "Seed" or "Series A."
  • Scale: A sustainable enterprise working in several communities or countries and that is looking to scale significantly, focusing on increased efficiency. For Profits in this stage would be "Series A" or "Series B."

The most important thing is that your solution will solve the Challenge posed. And, we’re MIT! So, every solution must include technology -- whether new or existing -- as a key component.

How will my solution be evaluated?

Our judges are experts and leaders from across industries. We’ll announce who the judges are within each challenge.

In the first round, Solve staff will perform an initial screening of all applications for completeness, for coherency, and for whether the solution appropriately addresses the challenge. Then our judges will score the screened applications to determine finalists. Here are the criteria the judges will use to score the applications on the website:

  • Alignment: The solution addresses the challenge that has been set forth using technology.
  • Potential for Impact: The planned implementation of the solution has the potential to impact lives.
  • Scalability: The solution can be grown and scaled to affect the lives of more people.
  • Feasibility: It is feasible to implement the solution, and the team has a plan for the solution to sustain itself financially.
  • Innovative Approach: This is a new technology, a new application of a technology, a new business model, or a new process for solving the challenge

In the second round, each finalist will pitch before the challenge judges and a live audience. The judges will determine which solutions are the most promising. This new Solver class will receive support and partnership from the Solve community.


Dates

Deadline: April 18, 2024


Cost/funding for participants

What will I get if my solution is selected?

There's more than $725,000 of prize funding available for the 2024 Solver Class. If you are selected as a Solver, you’ll receive a $10,000 grant from Solve as well as access to significant additional prize funding.

However, being a Solver is about much more than prize funding.

You'll receive 12 months of personalized support with intentional introductions to members of Solve’s cross-sector community. Through these connections, you'll build the partnerships needed to accelerate your work, validate your impact and business model, and scale your solution.

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