In the Media

MIT Solve is an initiative of MIT that supports innovators that use tech-based solutions to solve big problems. Its executive director, Hala Hanna, notes that the Gates Foundation has been an important partner for MIT Solve for many years, and “we both share the belief that innovators are critical to solving global challenges and require targeted support to achieve scale.” Together the Gates Foundation and MIT Solve have collaborated on custom philanthropic programs such as the AI-Enabled Assessments Challenge and have secured additional funding for its innovators.

As director of global challenges at MIT Solve, I have the privilege of working with myriad companies tackling global climate change impacts in bold and novel ways. While I mention a few in this piece, countless others — both familiar and yet to be discovered — are doing meaningful work. These organizations offer valuable lessons for anyone committed to the health of our planet and the future of humanity.

Leading social impact platform seeks tech innovators

As the MENA entrepreneurial ecosystem keeps growing—with MENA startups raising US$2.3 billion in 2024—this resilience-driven approach offers valuable lessons for founders everywhere.

For this installment of 5 Minutes With, NationSwell sat down with Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve — an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that advances lasting solutions from tech entrepreneurs to address the world’s most pressing problems.

Artificial intelligence emerges as a beacon of transformative potential, yet its promise comes with a critical caveat: its benefits currently flow primarily to the privileged few.