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Meet the ten innovators under 24 transforming their communities
March 28, 2022 (Cambridge, MA) — Solve, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a mission to drive innovation to solve world challenges, announced its inaugural class of Solv[ED] Innovators at the Solv[ED] Solutions Event, a two-day virtual event designed to inspire and support young entrepreneurs on their social innovation journeys.
Ten innovators were selected from over 800 applicants to the inaugural Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge, which called for young people aged 24 and under to present solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, particularly those related to learning, economic prosperity, health, and sustainability.
The 2022 class of Solv[ED] Innovators range from ages 16 to 24 and represent six countries. From aiding the visually impaired in Nigeria to improving water safety in Bangladesh, these youth innovators are tackling a diverse array of challenges in their communities and in the world:
Cropfix by eAgro, based in Harare, Zimbabwe, is a Whatsapp chatbot that helps smallholder farmers detect crop pests and diseases through images.
Etana, based in Illinois, USA, is a cost-effective device that enables women in developing countries to create a unique identity without having access to the internet or electricity.
Hydroquo+, based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, is focused on delivering water intelligence to drive water safety and availability with actionable insights.
In-Sync, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is a mobile application that provides mental health care to people who have mental illness or emotional needs so they can live happier lives.
JusticeText, based in California, USA, improves criminal justice outcomes for indigent Americans by expediting the review of body camera footage, jail calls, and more.
Karpolax, based in Kampala, Uganda, uses green nanotechnology to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
KLAW Industries - Pantheon™, based in New York, USA, is a partial replacement for cement made from landfilled glass that reduces the embodied carbon of concrete to eliminate high-carbon infrastructure.
Sprxng, based in Connecticut, USA, is a reusable menstrual product that includes therapy for menstrual pain.
Tripple P, based in Kericho, Kenya, upcycles food waste into fertilizer and animal feed.
Visis, based in Ibadan, Nigeria, is an assistive-reading application that makes use of artificial intelligence to help the visually impaired read printed books and educational materials independently and conveniently.
“We believe young people everywhere have the power to solve problems in their community and the world,” says Alex Amouyel, Executive Director of MIT Solve. “It is our responsibility to encourage and support their social impact journeys, particularly for those in underserved communities who may not typically have access to social impact and entrepreneurship opportunities.”
Each solution will receive a minimum grant of $5,000, along with mentorship and support from the MIT and Solve communities to help scale their solutions. The Pozen Social Innovation Prize will also grant an additional $80,000 across three solutions—Etana, Sprxng, and Karpolax—for their work to improve the quality of life for women and girls. Follow-on funding from a pool of $60,000 will be made available to all ten Solv[ED] Innovator teams.
Solv[ED] Youth Innovators will reconvene to share their solutions at Solve at MIT, a three-day flagship event on May 5-7, 2022 taking place on the MIT campus. The event brings together the Solve community to celebrate, announce and continue to develop partnerships and innovations across Solve’s Global Challenges. If you’re interested in joining Solve as a Member to advance your social and environmental goals, work with innovators, and attend the full Solve at MIT event, see here. To request a media invite, contact Maya Bingaman.
In addition at the Solv[ED] Solutions Event, HP in partnership with the Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge, revealed the 10 finalist teams selected to participate in the Girls Save the World Camp in May, where they will be mentored by sustainability experts from HP and program partners to help turn their solutions into reality–with the winning team receiving the top prize of $10,000. In addition, the teams will receive microgrants and technology packs including an HP Dragonfly computer, an HP ENVY Inspire printer, and an Instant Ink subscription.
The Solv[ED] Youth Innovation Challenge is supported by the Morgridge Family Foundation, HP Inc., The Rieschel Foundation, the Pozen Social Innovation Prize, and EY (EYGS LLP), as well as our inaugural Solv[ED] Members.
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About MIT Solve:
MIT Solve is an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a mission to drive innovation to solve world challenges. Solve is a marketplace for social impact innovation. Through open innovation challenges, Solve finds incredible tech-based social entrepreneurs all around the world. Solve then brings together MIT’s innovation ecosystem and a community of Members to fund and support these entrepreneurs to help them drive lasting transformational impact. Solve has catalyzed over $50 million in commitments for Solver teams and entrepreneurs to date. Join Solve on this journey at solve.mit.edu.
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