As an initiative of MIT, solving is core to what we do. We believe that to build a better future for all, we need new voices and ideas. We launch open calls for brilliant and bold tech-based solutions that solve big problems.

How can communities create a zero-carbon world and adapt to a warming climate?

Climate change is an omnipresent issue marked by another year of record-breaking heat, intensifying extreme weather, and long-term impacts determined by near-term choices. While driven by emissions from energy, industry, and agriculture in a concentrated set of economies, climate change disproportionately impacts the up to 3.6 billion people living in contexts that are under-resourced and highly vulnerable. The climate crisis requires dramatic action from all stakeholders, including rapid technology deployment and further innovation alongside bold policies, financial commitments, and global market shifts.

Technology and innovation have an important role to play in abating the effects of climate change. Technology exists to replace or mitigate all major areas of current emissions but often has minimal deployment in vulnerable communities due to cost and a lack of design for context and scale. Innovation can offer new business models, decreased costs, and ways to deploy known approaches alongside new technologies that can help meet mitigation and adaptation goals at the speed of the crisis.

MIT Solve seeks exceptional solutions that leverage technology to address any aspect of the climate crisis with a particular interest for 2025 in solutions that:

• Drive a shift towards a low-carbon and nutritious global food system, across large and small-scale producers plus supply chains.
• Build zero-carbon and resilient cities, including through better construction or retrofitting of multi-family or commercial buildings, enabling non-car transportation, and managing extreme weather.
• Enable rapid deployment of distributed renewable energy and adaptation measures, such as community-scale solar, ecosystem restoration, or cooling/dehumidification.
• Strengthen a low-carbon blue economy, including sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, marine industry, or ecosystem conservation.

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What funding is available to Solvers?

Each Solver team receives $10,000 in unrestricted funding from Solve and access to additional financing in the form of grants and investments. Last year's Solver teams received an average of $40k each following selection and because once a Solver, always a Solver they will continue to be eligible for funding opportunities during their program year and beyond.

What resources does the Solve program provide?

Funding

• $10,000 prize from Solve
• Access to a pool of +$1.5M in prize funding at selection and additional funding opportunities throughout the program and after.

Nine-month support program

• Tailored capacity-building workshops covering marketing, public relations, monitoring and evaluation, business model, and more;
• Leadership coaching;
• Access to in-kind and pro bono resources such as software licenses and legal services;
• Monitoring and evaluation support to build an impact measurement practice;
• A powerful network of impact-minded leaders across industries and sectors, including MIT, with dedicated spaces to meet year-round;
• Attendance at two flagship events in New York City in September and Cambridge in May;
• Exposure in the media and speaking opportunities at conferences;
• Connections with past Solver teams for peer-to-peer support, inspiration, and guidance

What is the time commitment?

Selected Solver teams should expect to commit ~25 hours to the program over the course of nine months, inclusive of coaching sessions, workshops, virtual events, etc. Additionally, attendance to MIT Solve flagship events is usually four days for Solve Challenge Finals in New York City (September) and four days for Solve at MIT in Cambridge (May).

What happens after completion of the program?

Once a Solver, always a Solver! You will continue to have access to funding opportunities, in-kind and pro bono resources, exposure in the media, and speaking engagements, and you will receive invitations to join Solve in selected virtual and in-person events.

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