MIT Solve, an MIT initiative aimed at fostering innovation to solve the world’s challenges, has announced the launch of its 2022 Global Challenges and Indigenous Community Fellowships.
Solve seeks technology-based solutions from social entrepreneurs around the world that address specific challenges. The program invites anyone, anywhere, to submit solutions to this year’s challenges by March 31st. Finalists will be invited to present their solutions to the Challenge Leadership Group, a diverse panel of cross-sector judges, ahead of the Solve Challenge final on 18 September. -19 in New York City. The event will bring together over 400 members of the Solver community and welcome 40 of the most promising tech-based innovators as new Solver teams and Indigenous Community Fellows by 2022. Selected teams will share more than $1.3 million in available funding, and participate in a nine-month Solver Program, which includes coaching, mentorship and networking opportunities to grow their solutions.
Solve’s 2022 global challenges are:
Resolve in the US Challenge 2021 Building on antiracist technology and striving to become a culturally diverse and anti-racist platform, Solve is integrating American racial equity solutions into its 2022 global challenges by launching the Black and Brown Innovators Program. The program will include one or two solutions from each 2022 global challenge led by Black and Brown innovators in the United States. In addition to the Solver program, these teams will receive culturally responsive support and partnership opportunities, and participate in the annual Indigenous and Antiracist Innovators Summit.
In addition to the global challenges, Solve is also opening applications for the 2022 Indigenous Community Fellowship, which seeks original innovators in the United States and its territories.
“We continue to see turmoil around the world as a result of the global pandemic, the ongoing climate crisis, centuries of institutional racism and rising inequality. Through our 2022 global challenges, we are looking for people facing these big issues,” says MIT Solve Executive Director Alex Amouyl. “We want to hear solutions from every corner of the world and every community that disproportionately experiences the impact of these problems.”
Interested applicants can get more details and apply online at solve.mit.edu/challenges.
Solve’s 2022 funders include General Motors, Vodafone America Foundation, Living Proof, GSR and Elevate Prize Foundation.
To date, funds available to selected solver teams and peers include:
- Solver Funding – $330,000 for Solver Awards and Community Awards
- Indigenous Community Fellowship – $160,000 in initial awards and follow-on funding
- GM Awards (supported by General Motors) – Up to $150,000 for up to six solutions from the Re-Engaging Learners Challenge, the Climate: Ecosystems and Housing Challenge, and the 2022 Indigenous Community Fellowship
- Innovation for Women Prize (supported by Vodafone America Foundation) – $75,000 for three solutions that empower and enrich the lives of women and girls
- Elevate Prize (supported by the Elevate Prize Foundation) – $300,000 (from the 2022 class or any prior category) for a non-profit solver team that will participate in the Elevate Rewards program in addition to the solver program.
- GSR Prize (supported by GSR) – $200,000 for solutions to any of the 2022 global challenges, with a focus on innovative technology and, in particular, blockchain solutions to address pressing issues in communities of solver teams and in the world
- The Living Proof Prize: Women’s Leadership Solutions (supported by Living Proof) – $100,000 for any four solutions to the 2022 global challenges with a focus on women-led teams
The Solve community will convene May 5-7 on MIT’s campus for its flagship event, Solve at MIT. The Solver team, Solve members, and Solver champions will be invited to participate and engage in three days of inspiration, connections, and partnerships. Press interested in participating in the event should contact [email protected].
Solutions is a marketplace for social impact innovation. Through open innovation challenges, Solve finds incredible tech-based social entrepreneurs around the world. Solve then brings together MIT’s innovation ecosystem and a community of members to fund and support these entrepreneurs to help drive a lasting transformational impact. Solver has catalyzed over $50 million in commitments to Solver teams and entrepreneurs to date.
