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Overview

The 2017 SingularityU San Francisco Global Impact Challenge (SF GIC 2017) is an open call to entrepreneurs, technologists, designers, inventors, scientists and other experts from all disciplines with the most innovative ideas for moonshot innovations that have the potential to positively impact millions of people within 10 years. The winner of the challenge receives a full sponsorship to attend the transformational Global Solutions Program (GSP).

This year, for the first time, we are ideally looking for applicants who have the skills and passion to develop a moonshot idea and launch a startup company that addresses climate change, although we will also accept outstanding applicants who have other areas of expertise or choose to innovate in other fields.

Climate change is a broad focus area that includes many areas ripe for innovation. For example, if you’re developing sustainable food sources or alternative energy sources, developing governance models for policy, or focused on issues such as biodiversity or water access, you already fall within the climate change theme and should definitely apply.

Again, we welcome entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, and other experts from all disciplines to apply, and we will not require participants to innovate in the climate change space.

What moonshot innovation would you develop to solve a global grand challenge (environment, energy, water, food, health, disaster resilience, governance, learning, space, security, prosperity, or shelter) using exponential technology that would impact the lives of a billion people in the next 10 years?

The finalists will be invited to attend a pitch event at Singularity University on Moffett Field on April 14, 2017 and present their idea to the panel of judges.

New for 2017

This year, the GSP has two big changes: (1) climate change is the overarching theme, and (2) we have a new collaboration with XPRIZE.

We selected the climate change theme because it has consequences for every industry, geographic region, and way of life. Even if you don’t consider yourself a climate change authority or innovator, your skill set can probably help mitigate the effects of climate change. If you’re already passionate about impact or working in the impact space, you can create a moonshot innovation to address this urgent global problem.

We will not require participants to innovate in the climate change space, and welcome people from all disciplines to apply, but this theme will inform the program curriculum. We are looking for applicants from ANY technology or science discipline because we know a challenge as huge as climate change can only be solved within the convergence of multiple disciplines and exponential technologies.

The prize

The winner of this challenge will secure a full sponsorship to attend the prestigious Global Solutions Program at Singularity University. The program runs from June 17 to August 17, 2017.

Dates and timeline

Applications open: February 15, 2017

Applications close: April 4, 2017

Notification of finalists: April 7, 2017

Grand finals pitch & winners announced: April 14, 2017