The Global Freshwater Innovation Challenge seeks innovative solutions to conserve and restore freshwater ecosystems. HCL has committed $15 million over five years to support water focused entrepreneurs. The first year’s challenge will focus on water quality restoration and ecosystem resilience. Eligibility extends to impact-oriented start-ups with pilot projects, social enterprises with sustainable business models, and businesses ready to scale. The last date to apply is 08 November 2022. Find information about the challenge
awards/prizes
Trust for Sustainable Living — Schools Sustainability Challenge
The Trust for Sustainable Living (TSL) Schools Sustainability Challenge is a video contest for schools around the world. Schools are invited to create a short video (max. 1 minute) showcasing their best messages on ‘My Local Sustainability Challenges’. Schools have to register a Teacher Champion to participate. The deadline for video entries is 16 November 2022. Sustainability Challenge Video Competition
Olympus — Global Life Science Light Microscopy Award
The Olympus Microscopy Award recognizes the best in life science imaging worldwide. Olympus invites photographers and researchers worldwide to submit up to three microscopy photographs. Participants can win professional microscopy and photography equipment. One global winner and one regional winner from three world regions (Asia, Europe, Americas) will be selected. Deadline for entries is 28 February 2023. Know more
Women4Biodiversity — Biodiversity Photo Contest
The She Shapes Biodiversity photo contest aims to celebrate women’s contributions to the environment. Participants can submit a maximum of 3 entries under the “she shapes biodiversity”, showing women’s role in protecting or restoring biodiversity. The top 5 photographers will receive €200 each. Deadline for submission is 24 October 2022. Link to She Shapes Biodiversity
SVG Ventures – Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge
The Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge seeks to identify and support innovators who are driving the global transformation to climate-smart agriculture practices. Winners will receive up to US$100 thousand in funding to develop a proof of concept and will be considered for investment from Shell Ventures. The challenge is open to start-up and scale-up businesses located around the world. Applications close on 11 December 2022. Link to the challenge
Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Solved Youth Innovation Challenge
The MIT Solve program seeks passionate young innovators aged 24 and under who implement solutions that have positive impacts in their communities and the world. The Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge is an opportunity to submit tech-based solutions that address one of four thematic areas: Learning, Health, Sustainability and Economic Prosperity, for example, innovations that can reduce the effects of climate change. 10 winners will receive prize funding and mentorship from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Anyone anywhere around the world can submit a solution to the Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge if they are aged 24 and under. The deadline to submit solutions is 24 January 2023. Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge
Garden Club of America — Awards in Tropical Botany and Horticulture
The Garden Club of America (GCA) offers several grants, prizes, and fellowships for students enrolled at universities in the USA, including some awards that have a tropical focus. The GCA Awards in Tropical Botany are open to PhD candidates (application deadline is 15 January). The Anne Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany is open to PhD students and recent PhD graduates (deadline is 31 January). The Lou McCandless Marks Scholarship in Tropical Horticulture is restricted to U.S. citizens who are graduate students or advanced undergraduate students (deadline is 01 February). Applicants should review all programs, criteria, and deadlines. Botany and Horticulture Scholarships
The Youth Consortium — Youth Champion in Nutrition
The Youth Consortium launches a call for applications to identify a champion in Nutrition. The challenge is open to African early-career professionals (under 35 years) who work along the value chains of Agro-Food Systems or expertise in Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Security. The winner receives US$1,000 and a fully funded trip to the main event “Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security 2022”. The deadline for submitting complete applications is 26 September 2022. Details here
ONE International — ONE Africa Award
The ONE Africa Award honors the exceptional work of individuals and organizations based in Africa to help Africa achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The amount of the award is US$100 thousand, which may be split into more than one prize. Eligibility for the award extends to civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other groups based in Africa that can demonstrate commitment and success in advocacy to promote the attainment of one or more of the SDGs. The application deadline is 30 September 2022. ONE Africa Award
AstraZeneca — Lead2030 Challenge for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being)
The Young One World Lead2030 Challenge for SDG 3 seeks youth-led projects which tackle the causes of air pollution and focus on the long-term health of young people. Projects should focus on individual behavior change, new technologies, or multi-stakeholder advocacy approaches to change laws/policies. The challenge welcomes solutions from young innovators (18-30 years old). The winner will receive a US$50 thousand project startup grant and 12-months of mentorship from a team of AstraZeneca Young Health Program professionals. The application deadline is 30 November 2022. Lead2030 Challenge Good Health and Well-Being