When will finalists be announced?

The Horizon Prize: 2022 received over 170 solutions from around the world! Judges will evaluate these solutions in July, and finalists will be announced on August 4, 2022.

Who can apply to the Horizon Prize 2022?

Applicants can be an individual, a team, or an organization. Solutions can be any type of organization, including but not limited to non-profit, for-profit, or hybrid organizations. However, US law prevents MIT Solve from awarding funds to persons ordinarily resident in Iran, Cuba, Syria, North Korea, or Crimea and to parties subject to economic sanctions by the US Treasury Department.

The Horizon Prize encourages and actively seeks solutions led by people with rare diseases and underrepresented groups and identities.  

Applicants to previous Solve Challenges, including the 2021 Horizon Prize, are invited to apply for the 2022 Horizon Prize.

Winning solutions for the 2021 Horizon Prize are not eligible to participate in the 2022 Horizon Prize.

What type of solutions are eligible? 

Solution applications must be written in English. We are welcoming both early-stage and growth-stage solutions to submit their applications.

Early-stage solutions include:

• Concept: An idea being explored for its feasibility to build a product, service, or business model based on that idea. 

• Prototype: A solution or organization that is building and testing its product, service, or business model. If for-profit, a new company getting off the ground that has raised little or no institutional capital (less than $500,000) in pre-seed fundraising.

• Pilot: A solution or organization that is deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community. If for-profit, a young company that is working to gain traction and that has raised less than $2 million in institutional capital in seed funding.

Growth-stage solutions include:

• Growth: A solution or organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth in multiple communities or countries. If for-profit, an early-stage company that has established a track record and is seeking to raise a round of roughly $2 million to $15 million in institutional capital in a Series A or potentially B round.

• Scale: A solution or organization that is working in several communities or countries. It is looking to scale significantly, focusing on increased efficiency. If for-profit, a successful company that is scaling its operations and seeks to raise a round of more than $15 million in institutional capital.

The most important thing is that your solution addresses the focus of the Horizon Prize 2022. Through open innovation, this Prize is looking for a diverse portfolio of solutions across stages of development and teams. We believe that there is no one solution to the world’s most complex challenges—and encourage people of all backgrounds to submit their applications.

How are we CrowdSolving the Horizon Prize 2022?

1. Sourcing Solutions: Anyone who meets the criteria above can participate in this Prize and submit a solution. Whether you’re working on a concept or scaling your program or product, we’re looking for innovators and entrepreneurs with the most promising solutions who can have an impact on improving the qualify of life of people who have been diagnosed with a rare disease.

2. Selecting Solutions: Once the submission deadline passes, judging begins. After an initial screening by Solve staff and community reviewers, Challenge judges will select the most promising solutions as Finalists. These Finalists will be invited to pitch their solutions at a pitch event, where judges will then select the winners.

How will my solution be evaluated?

The judging panel for this Challenge will be comprised of leaders and experts with experiences in the rare disease space and public health, and advocacy. After an initial screening by Solve staff and community reviewers, the judges will score the screened solutions based on the following criteria. All criteria will be given equal weight:

• Alignment: The solution addresses the key dimensions of Horizon Prize 2022.

• Potential for Impact: The planned solution implementation has the potential to impact the lives of people who have been diagnosed with a rare disease, their caregivers, and healthcare providers. 

• Feasibility: The team has a realistic, practical plan for financial sustainability and implementing the solution, and it is feasible in the given context.

• Innovative Approach: The solution includes a new technology, a new application of technology, a new business model, or a new process for solving the Prize.

• Human-Centered Design and Inclusion: The solution is designed with and for underserved communities, and the solution team demonstrates proximity to the community and embodies and addresses diversity, equity, and inclusion through their solution. 

• Scalability: The solution can be scaled to affect the lives of more people living with rare diseases.

• Partnership Potential: The applicant clearly explains how the solution would benefit from the resources that the Horizon Prize and MIT Solve is positioned to provide.

What is the Prize Timeline?

• April 19, 2022: Challenge Opens

• June 29, 2022: Deadline for Applicants to Submit a Solution

• August 4, 2022: Finalists Announced

• August 16, 2022: Virtual Pitch Event for Finalists

• September 19-21: Winners Announced

What will I receive if my solution is selected?

Finalists will be invited to a pitch event to present their solutions in front of distinguished judges. $150,000 in prize funding is available for up to two solution teams selected for the 2022 Horizon Prize.

Pre-selected winners will be invited to pitch their solutions at the Concordia Annual Summit 2022 on September 19-21 where the winner announcement will be officialized.