Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FII Institute: 

FII Institute is a global nonprofit foundation with an investment arm and one agenda: Impact on Humanity. Through its THINK, XCHANGE, and ACT pillars, the Institute fosters great ideas, empowers innovators, and invests in scalable solutions across critical sectors, including robotics, sustainability, health, and education. For more information, please visit: https://fii-institute.org/

MIT Solve:

Solve is an initiative of MIT. We believe that to build a better future for all, we need new voices and ideas. We launch open calls for exceptional and diverse solutions to the most pressing global challenges from anyone, anywhere in the world. Selected innovators get the backing of MIT and our community of supporters to scale their impact and drive lasting change. Join us on this mission.

Please refer to the ‘Pitch Eligibility’ tab for more information.

Solutions should be investment-ready, which we believe can be defined by meeting at least one of the following criteria:

Stage of Solution 

• Pilot: The solution has been launched in at least one community, but is still iterating on design or business model. The solution is generally working to gain traction and may have completed a fundraising round with investment capital. (Often 10+ users/direct beneficiaries)

• Growth: An established solution available in one or more communities with a consistent design and approach, ready for further growth in multiple communities or countries. The solution has generally completed at least one formal investment round (Seed stage or later).

• Scale: A standard solution operating in many communities or multiple countries and is prepared to scale significantly by improving efficiency. The solution has likely raised at least a Series A investment round.
  

Stage of Investment-Readiness

• Seed Stage: This is the first official equity stage, typically ranging from $2M to $4M in equity raised, aimed at moving a startup from a prototype to a validated product. It is used to fund initial market research, hire a core founding team, and reach the first meaningful signs of customer traction.

• Series A: These rounds usually raise $5M to $20M and focus on optimizing a business model that has already demonstrated clear product-market fit. At this stage, investors look for consistent revenue growth (often $1M+ ARR) and a strategy to scale the user base and operations.

• Series B/C: These "growth rounds" typically involve $20M to $100M+ and are used to aggressively scale a proven, profitable model into new markets or product lines. While Series B focuses on building the infrastructure to handle mass-market demand, Series C is often about preparing for an IPO, international expansion, or strategic acquisitions.

No, applicants do not need to be incorporated to apply to the FII Innovators Pitch.

No, there is not an application fee to apply to the FII Innovators Pitch.

Sourcing Solutions: Anyone who meets the criteria above can participate in this call for solutions  and submit an application.

Selecting Solutions: Each application will go through a multi-phase selection process that includes screening, review, and judging. Expert panels of judges will use evaluation criteria to assign quantitative scores to each innovation. These scores, coupled with qualitative deliberation discussions, determine the selection of the FII Innovator pitch participants. Judges will evaluate your applications on a variety of criteria including but not limited to alignment, ability to scale, innovation, impact, feasibility and partnership potential.

Pitching in Riyadh: Winners will have the opportunity to pitch onstage at the 10th Edition of the Future Investment Initiative (FII10) in a room of the most influential investors and global changemakers. FII10 is scheduled for October 26–29, 2026, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. . All travel will be sponsored and additional support will be provided for pitch preparation.

Ongoing Support: The winners will also receive exclusive access to the FII Institute ecosystem of partners, masterclasses to further develop their solution, and connection to the FII Institute community to propel their ventures forward.

Some benefits of being selected for the FII Innovators Pitch Include:

• Pitch on stage at FII Institute 10th Edition (FII10), gain global media exposure, and secure exclusive interviews, showcasing their venture to a community of top-tier investors and the wider industry.

• Participate in masterclasses and inspiring programming designed to expand your expertise, sharpen your skills, and provide insights into the latest industry trends and practices.

• Enjoy privileged access to the FII ecosystem, including networking opportunities with experts across various sectors, and use the FII mobile app for strategic connections and personalized scheduling.

• Connect with the FII Investment Community, a network of influential and experienced investors and professionals, fostering relationships that can propel your venture forward.

• Benefit from sponsored travel arrangements, including flight tickets and accommodation, ensuring your focus remains on presenting your venture and forming valuable connections.

• Receive a complimentary FII Institute Membership, offering exclusive benefits and resources tailored to support and accelerate your venture's growth.

Applications to the FII Innovators Pitch will be evaluated on the following criteria:

Alignment: The solution addresses at least one of the key dimensions of the Innovators Pitch or the overall pitch question.

Innovation: The uniqueness and ingenuity of the AI-driven solution in tackling pressing challenges in sustainability, health, robotics, or education.

Impact: Potential for significant positive environmental, social, and economic impact.

Scalability: Potential for scalability and replication in different contexts and regions. The solution has a plan for financial viability.

Feasibility & Team: Demonstrated technical feasibility, effectiveness of the solution, team expertise, and a realistic plan.

Partnership Potential: The applicant clearly explains how the solution would benefit from some of the resources that the FII Institute community is positioned to provide via the support program. Note: only solutions selected as finalists will be assessed on this criterion.

You can use generative AI chatbots to assist in your writing drafts.  However, you are responsible for checking the content and ensuring that it accurately reflects the current status of your innovation. Fabricated or misleading information in your application may lead to the removal of your application.

No, your application materials will not be publicly accessible at any point during the application or review process. All materials submitted will be internally reviewed by vetted judges, reviewers, technical reviewers, and program staff. While your information will not be published publicly, you should not submit any proprietary information in your application. The management and protection of your proprietary information is your sole responsibility, both during the application phase and, if selected as a participant.

The applicant must agree to all terms and conditions, including participating in FII conferences and summits, media and press opportunities, if selected.

FII Innovators Pitch is open to anyone in the world, except where restricted under applicable U.S. laws. In accordance with current U.S. laws, MIT Solve cannot accept applications from individuals ordinarily resident in countries or territories subject to U.S. embargoes or comprehensive sanctions that are listed on the U.S. Department of the Treasury lists.

Since FII Institute is a Saudi entity and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), participation in the final stage is also subject to applicable FATF requirements. Accordingly, companies headquartered in jurisdictions currently subject to FATF sanctions or increased monitoring may face restrictions as well.

All restrictions are subject to change based on updates to applicable laws and international compliance lists.

AI Infrastructure Efficiency- Technologies that reduce the energy consumption and water usage of AI systems.

Grid modernization and renewable energy deployment- Solutions that rapidly deploy localized renewable energy systems for data centers and transform aging grid infrastructure to effectively handle renewable energy distribution.

Nature-based solutions-Technologies that use artificial intelligence to accelerate the development of economically viable ecosystem restoration approaches, improve deployment and monitoring capabilities in low-tech environments, and connect environmental data to outcomes-based financing mechanisms.

Supply Chain Transformation- Solutions that expand AI agent infrastructure to continuously monitor and reduce environmental impact across supply chains while actively developing interventions that address waste, improve efficiency, and advance circularity.

Lifecycle Innovation- Technologies that enable the design of recyclable high-quality chips, facilitate the recovery of rare earth elements from disposed chips, and discover new materials that can transform the chip industry while dramatically reducing e-waste.

Healthcare Data Transformation- Technologies that deploy agentic AI to enable seamless system integration and retrieve patient data across proprietary platforms, while making unstructured data such as physician notes, images, and PDFs readable for AI models and readily accessible to doctors.

Diagnostic Models-  Solutions that ensure doctors worldwide have access to high-quality, specialized diagnostic software, and that develop accurate small machine learning models capable of working effectively across diverse patient populations.

Accelerated Therapeutic Development- Technologies that expand disease and health datasets to improve the identification of cellular targets for therapies, and that use artificial intelligence to test therapeutics before proceeding through full drug development processes.

Digital Health Data- Solutions that improve the accuracy of wearable health technology, integrate multiple streams of digital health data into actionable diagnoses, and utilize wearable data for public health monitoring and pandemic prevention.  

Point-of-Need Solutions- Technologies that support AI models capable of functioning offline and with inconsistent access to electricity and internet, while ensuring these models work effectively despite hardware disparities in under-resourced settings.

Worker safety- Technologies that integrate robotics into hazardous work environments such as mining, chemotherapy preparation, and industrial processing to protect human health and save lives.

Dignity Tech- Solutions that apply robotics to stigmatized but necessary tasks including waste picking, sanitation, and sewer cleaning, while simultaneously creating new training pathways and careers rather than simply replacing workers.

Precision Enhancement- Applications that leverage robotics for tasks requiring extreme precision or those prone to human error, including surgery, repetitive manufacturing, and supply chain logistics.

Training and testing innovation- Solutions that address fundamental industry challenges including simulation environment gaps, physical hallucinations, hardware limitations, and the development of safe real-world testing protocols.

Personalized Learning Pathways- Technologies that ensure all students, from elementary through lifelong learners, have access to AI-driven personalized instruction, with particular emphasis on low-resourced environments and solutions that meet diverse accessibility needs.

AI-Powered Tutors- Solutions that provide students with personalized instruction outside of classroom hours without overburdening teachers, while connecting students with human resources when needed and maintaining rigorous educational standards.

Platform Integration- Technologies that reduce the administrative burden on teachers by enabling seamless platform interoperability, while simultaneously protecting student data and enabling truly personalized education experiences.

Outcomes-based Tools- Solutions that ensure educational tools achieve measurable positive outcomes for students and teachers.