How can communities of color use technology to advance racial equity and access economic opportunity, health, and safety?

Challenge Overview

Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the US have created resilient, culturally rich, and generous communities despite centuries of institutionalized racism, anti-Blackness, settler colonialism, and oppression. The Covid-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the disparities between BIPOC and white communities in the US, including in wealth, education, incarceration, and health. These disparities are primarily a result of the system working as initially intended, whether through current policies, biased enforcement of rules, or a lasting legacy of past programs such as redlining or the allotment of Native lands. Further, a new wave of technologies has added or perpetuated racial bias, expanded predatory surveillance systems, and driven hidden decision-making under the guise of neutral algorithms.

Solutions that help end enduring injustice will take many forms. In addition to policy changes and dedicated resources driven by intersectional advocacy, technology and innovation also have roles to play. Movements like afrofuturism, community-led efforts on digital literacy, indigenous data sovereignty, and the use of data science for positive change all speak to the potential of technology to support, inspire, and liberate BIPOC communities. 

The MIT Solve community is searching for technology-based solutions by and for communities of color that help create antiracist and equitable futures in the US. To that end, Solve seeks solutions that: 

• Provide tools and opportunities for equitable access to jobs, credit, and generational wealth creation in communities of color. 

• Catalyze civic engagement and enable communities to plan and control their own housing and industrial land development and ownership patterns. 

• Create new public safety systems that ensure racial equity and provide alternatives to harmful technologies such as biased facial recognition.

• Actively minimize human and algorithmic biases, particularly in healthcare, education, and workplace settings.

Prizes

Solver Funding 

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.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Prize is open to solutions that directly address the health and well-being of people in the US. The prize is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which aims to raise the health of everyone in the United States by using a health equity lens to place well-being at the center of every aspect of life. Up to $150,000 will be granted to up to four eligible teams from the Antiracist Tech Challenge, the Indigenous Communities Fellowship, and the Health Security & Pandemics Challenge.

The ASA Prize for Equitable Education

The ASA Prize for Equitable Education will award a prize for digital solutions tailored to U.S.-based primary and secondary classrooms that provide career exploration or experimentation. Solutions that are embedded as part of core curriculum, utilize project based learning, ensure equitable access, and have an emphasis on teacher professional development are preferred. American Student Assistance® (ASA) is committed to helping students know themselves, know their options, and make informed decisions to achieve their education and career goals. Up to $250,000 will be granted to or invested in solutions from the Equitable Classrooms Challenge, the Digital Inclusion Challenge, the Antiracist Technology in the US Challenge, and/or Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

The Elevate Prize for Antiracist Technology

The Elevate Prize for Antiracist Technology is open to nonprofit leaders who are helping to create an antiracist and equitable future in the US. This prize is funded by the Elevate Prize Foundation, which aims to elevate humanity on a global scale by funding, guiding, and scaling the platforms of social entrepreneurs. A minimum of $300,000 will be granted to 1 nonprofit Solver from the Antiracist Technology in the US Challenge. This exemplar leader will take part in both the MIT Solver program and the Elevate Prize winners program and receive ongoing support from MIT Solve and the Elevate Prize Foundation. Learn more about the Elevate Prize here.

The GM Prize

The GM Prize is open to solutions that help create smart, safe, and sustainable communities around the world. The Prize is funded by General Motors, which is working toward becoming the most inclusive company in the world, and dedicated to making STEM education more accessible and equitable. Up to $150,000 will be granted to up to six recipients from the Antiracist Technology in the US, Equitable Classrooms, and Resilient Ecosystems Challenges.

The HP Prize for Advancing Digital Equity

The HP Prize for Advancing Digital Equity is open to solutions that advance inclusion, digital literacy, and economic opportunity in communities across the US and globally. Up to $100,000 will be granted to up to four recipients from the Antiracist Technology in the US and Digital Inclusion Challenges.

Innovation for Women Prize

Solutions that use innovative technology to improve quality of life for women and girls are eligible for the Innovation for Women Prize. This prize is funded by the Vodafone Americas Foundation, which supports technology-focused projects that advance the needs of women and girls, and that promote a world where women’s voices can be celebrated. Up to $75,000 will be granted across up to three Solver teams from any of Solve’s current Global Challenges.

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, as well as to those planning to utilize these technologies to amplify their impact. 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 $200,000 in funding will be awarded across several Solver teams from any of Solve’s Global Challenges and the Indigenous Communities Fellowship.

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