Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Solve is accepting applications for the Global Economic Prosperity Challenge to leverage technology to increase peace and prosperity.
Peace and stability are baseline conditions for economic prosperity and a thriving society, and both are at risk of escalating conflicts and economic shocks. Instability and conflict can severely erode economic prospects, reverse years of development gains, and exacerbate vulnerabilities. Poverty and lack of quality jobs contribute to conflict. With 114 million people forcibly displaced due to war, violence, and climate-related disasters, two billion workers worldwide in informal, precarious jobs, and disruptions from AI and other tech, the stakes are high.
Technology and innovation can be powerful tools to promote peace and prosperity. Social media has increased misinformation and polarization, but when well-designed, it also improves cohesion and civic participation and reduced the odds of violent conflict. Similarly, while technology can lead to more precarity, it can also facilitate more inclusive financial systems, new job opportunities, and more resilience. Ethically designing and implementing technology is a key component of building and maintaining more peaceful communities and inclusive economies.
Eligibility
MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions leveraging technology to increase peace and prosperity. Their focus for 2024 centers on solutions that:
Promote and sustain peace by increasing community dialogue, civic participation, reconciliation, and justice efforts; strengthening cyber security, and monitoring or preventing violence, misinformation, and polarization.
Foster financial and digital inclusion by supporting access to credit, digital identity tools, and insurance while securing privacy and personal data.
Generate new economic opportunities and buffer against economic shocks for workers, including good job creation, workforce development, and inclusive and attainable asset ownership.
Awards
MIT Solve – Solver Award: All Solver teams selected for Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship will receive a $10,000 grant funded by Solve.
The GSR Foundation Prize: The GSR Foundation will award a prize to solutions that use technology in an innovative way to address pressing issues in their communities, which have the potential to scale globally. Preference will be given to solutions that remove barriers to financial inclusion, and that place a strong emphasis on learning. The prize is funded by the GSR Foundation, an independent charity founded by GSR, a leading cryptocurrency trading firm. The Foundation seeks to advance education, promote equality of opportunity, and contribute to a sustainable world, emphasizing blockchain and innovative technology-powered solutions. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of Solve’s 2024 Global Challenges.
Morgridge Family Foundation AI Innovation Prize: Solutions that use AI to boldly spark change through innovation, disruption, and transformation are eligible for the Morgridge Family Foundation AI Innovation Prize. The Morgridge Family Foundation invests in leaders and organizations who are reimagining solutions to some of today’s biggest challenges. Up to $50,000 will be granted across up to two Solver teams from Solve’s 2024 Global Challenges or from Solve’s portfolio of Solver teams.
The AI for Humanity Prize: The AI for Humanity Prize is open to solutions leveraging data science, artificial intelligence, and/or machine learning to benefit humanity. The prize is made possible by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a philanthropy committed to advancing AI and data solutions to create a thriving, equitable, and sustainable future for all. Up to $150,000 will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of the 2024 Global Challenges.
