How can communities around the world prepare for, detect, and respond to emerging pandemics and health security threats?
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the latest in a series of infectious disease emergencies, including cholera, Ebola, SARS, Chikungunya, HIV/AIDS, and influenza. While scientists and drug developers, with support from governments and multilateral organizations, have been rushing to produce, test, and deliver vaccines and treatments, tech innovators also have a crucial role to play, both in the near term and to prevent and mitigate future disease outbreaks.
MIT Solve is seeking tech innovations that can slow and track the spread of an emerging outbreak, for example by improving individual hygiene, developing low-cost rapid diagnostics, analyzing data that informs decision making, and providing tools that support and protect health workers.
At the same time, we cannot solely treat disease outbreaks reactively. Climate change and globalization leave us ever more vulnerable to future epidemics and pandemics, and it’s critical to be prepared. Solve is also seeking solutions that focus on preventative and mitigation measures that strengthen access to affordable primary healthcare systems, enhance disease surveillance systems, and improve healthcare supply chains.
Eligibility:
- Anyone, anywhere around the world can submit a solution to MIT 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 solution, we hope you’ll apply.
Eligible Solutions:
- MIT Solve seeks innovative, human-centered, tech-based solutions to our Global Challenges. Solve’s definition of “tech-based” is broad: in addition to AI, blockchain, and virtual reality, Solver teams have leveraged a plant-based fiber that absorbs oil spills, biodegradable sanitary pads, and user-friendly mobile apps. Learn about all the Solver teams‘ diverse technologies.
- Through open innovation, Solve is looking for a diverse portfolio of solutions across geography, development stage, and team members’ gender and background. We encourage people of all backgrounds to submit applications.
- Solution applications must be written in English.
- Solve will consider solutions at all stages of development, including concept, prototype, pilot, growth, and scale.
Prizes:
- All solutions selected for Solve’s five current Global Challenges will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.
- Solver teams will be selected by a panel of cross-sector judges at Solve Challenge Finals during UN General Assembly week in New York City on September 20, 2020.
- Join a supportive community of peers, funders, and experts to help advance their innovative work through Solve’s nine-month program;
- Receive mentorship and strategic advice from Solve and MIT networks;
- Attend Solve at MIT, our annual flagship event in May.
How to Apply:
Click here to submit a solution.
Application Deadline:
The application portal is open for solutions until June 18, 2020 at 12pm ET.
If you’ve got questions about MIT Solve’s Challenge, get answers here.