Grants, Prizes & Challenges
MIT Clean Energy Prize - New Developing Economies Track
The MIT Clean Energy Prize is a multi-stage, student-organized business plan competition. In 2016, student entrepreneurial teams competed for a $100,000 Grand Prize and $125,000 in category prizes, among other awards. Student teams enter their business ideas
in one of four categories: Generating Energy, Delivering Energy, Improving Energy Usage, and Energy for Developing Economies. CEP is open to any student, anywhere, who has a clean energy start-up
idea. Learn more
here and apply by February 17.
DIL Explorer Travel Grant
The
Development Impact Lab (DIL) at UC Berkeley invites eligible researchers and graduate students to apply for the Spring 2017 DIL Explore Travel Grant competition (up to US $5,000 in direct costs). The grant supports a) early-stage exploratory research
that combines technology innovation with social and economic research to solve international development challenges (i.e. the emerging field of development engineering); or b) travel to developing countries that supports development engineering projects through
research, fact-finding or new partnerships. Open to students, faculty, and post-docs from
select universities including the entire UC system and Makerere University. Learn more and apply
here by February 20.
Saving Lives at Birth Grand Challenge
USAID invites global problem solvers to identify and develop transformative approaches that integrate scientific and technological advancements, better service delivery models, and improved "demand side" innovations that empower pregnant women and their families
to practice healthy behaviors and access healthcare during pregnancy, childbirth, and the early postnatal period--especially the first 2 days after birth. Learn more and apply
here by February 24.
Bay Area Global Health Innovation Challenge
The Bay Area Global Health Innovation Challenge will be held on May 20-21, 2017 in San Francisco, California. An annual competition hosted by the University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University, and the HealthRoots Foundation for Global Health, it offers
student teams from universities worldwide the opportunity to present ideas for low-cost, high-impact, scalable global health innovations. Teams will compete for the grand prize of $10,000 in seed funding, and will have the opportunity to engage a high-level
cohort of judges and speakers. Open to all currently-enrolled university students and postgraduates. Learn more and apply
here by February 28.
Apply to Attend Clinton Global Initiative University 2017!
Join President Bill Clinton and more than 1,000 students, policy makers, topic experts, and leaders from the public, private, and NGO sectors for the annual
Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) convening at Northeastern University on October 13-15, 2017. CGI U challenges young leaders and entrepreneurs to become agents of positive social change by developing a
Commitment to Action: a new, specific, and measurable plan to address a challenge in one of CGI U’s
five focus areas. Accepted students will have the opportunity to attend, where they will hear from experts in the field, develop practical skills, identify potential partners, and formulate concrete plans of action for
the months ahead. More than $750,000 in funding is available for select students, and travel stipends to attend are available. Learn more
here, early deadline is March 1.
Citi Tech for Integrity Challenge
The Citi Tech for Integrity Challenge (T4I) is an open innovation challenge to source solutions that promote integrity, accountability and transparency in the public sector. Solve for real-life problem statements that are relevant to government organizations
globally. The accelerator program will run from March to April, when finalists will be selected to participate in Demo Days with cash prizes. Learn more
here and apply by March 6.
Global Competition for Hardware-Led Social Innovations
ASME’s
ISHOW is seeking sustainable and scalable hardware-based solutions and technologies that can have a transformational economic, environmental and social impact in underserved communities around the world. The global competition invites the best and
brightest engineers, entrepreneurs, students, and innovators to enter their prototype solutions that focus on energy, health, agriculture, clean water, and sanitation. Designers are invited to enter one of three ISHOW competitions in Bangalore, India; Nairobi,
Kenya, and Washington, D.C - 3 winners at each ISHOW can win up to $50,000. Learn more
here and apply by March 15.