A moonshot idea addresses a huge problem, proposes a radical solution, and uses breakthrough technology.
What moonshot innovation would you develop to solve the Education Challenge using exponential technology that would impact the lives of a billion people in the next 10 years?
Apply to our Global Impact Challenge to win a spot at Singularity University’s Global Solutions 2017 Program.
2017 Winner
Tonia Casarin
Areas of expertise: Entrepreneur/Intrapreneur, Global Grand Challenge Domain
Winning idea: 4Life Education
4Life Education is a platform to asses, train, coach and certificate teachers to teach social and emotional competencies.
Overview
The purpose of the SingularityU Brazil Global Impact Challenge is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in Brazil with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.
This year, the theme will be “Education for the 21st Century,” and we are looking for projects that will address one or more of these areas: Education Access (distance learning with or without technology); Education for Socio-Emotional Skills (creativity, empathy, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, etc.), Project-Based Education (PBL, gamification, transdisciplinary, etc.), and Education for the Environment (protection remediation adaptation).
We are looking for entrepreneurs, technologists, designers, inventors, scientists, and other experts from ANY discipline with the most innovative ideas for this Challenge.
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: March 14, 2017
Applications close: April 23, 2017
Pitch event & winners announced: May 4, 2017
Sponsored by:
Rules & Criteria
- The challenge is open to residents and citizens of Brazil
- You must be age 21 or older on the first day of the GSP
- You must be fluent in written and spoken English
- You must be able to participate in the entire GSP17 program from June 17 – August 17, 2017
- Applicants selected as finalists will be interviewed by a panel of judges on May 3, 2017
We look for people from all professional backgrounds, but will be really thrilled to find you if:
- You’re an accomplished entrepreneur, technologist, scientist, or change agent
- You have a background in or a passion for addressing education or are working to address any of the Challenge themes: education access (distance learning with or without technology), education for socio-emotional skills (creativity, empathy, problem-solving, entrepreneurship, etc.), and project-based education (PBL, gamification, transdisciplinary, etc.).
- You’re already considering how to leverage exponential technologies to create positive impact in the world
- You’re committed to the long-term journey of launching an impact-focused startup
We will evaluate submissions using the following criteria:
- Degree of the solution’s relevance to the theme of the challenge
- The regional relevance in solving the challenge in Brazil
- Feasibility, viability, and coherence of implementing the idea
- Entrepreneurial and innovative potential, with a focus on technological novelty
- Applicant’s leadership experience and quality, profile, achievements, and potential
- CV or resume
- Summary of accomplishments
- An abstract of the project idea
- Video URL of the project idea
- Applications open: March 14, 2017
- Applications close: April 23, 2017
- Pitch event & winners announced: May 4, 2017
GIC Organizing Team
Gustavo Gonçalves
CEO, MTK4EDU
Frequently Asked Questions
Global Impact Challenges (GICs) are annual incentive competitions held in partnership with sponsor organizations worldwide and organized by geography and theme. These challenges act as a platform to identify outstanding entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists, and engineers with the most innovative ideas for moonshot innovations and startups that can positively impact a billion people in 10 years. The winner of each challenge receives a full sponsorship to attend an SU program.
No, ideas do not have to be at a certain stage to be submitted.
Intellectual property resulting from a GIC belongs to the applicant(s).
The selection process has 2-3 phases, depending on the GIC. The first phase involves a review of all applications to determine 5-10 finalists, and the second phase involves final judging to select the winner at a pitch event.
No, there’s no such obligation from either SU or the GIC Sponsor. The GIC winner can elect to recruit fellow GSP classmates to work on his or her winning project or create an entirely new project during the summer.
The winner is responsible for their own travel expenses to/from SU.
In all cases where a GIC winner cannot attend GSP, the winner forfeits his or her GSP seat to the first runner-up and would then need to reapply for admission in a future year.
Still have questions?
Get in touch with the Brazil GIC organizers by emailing them at brazil@gic.su.org, or contact the Global Impact Challenges team at SU at gic@su.org.