MIT Solve Awards $1 Million to 10 Innovators, Marking a Decade of Open Innovation

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The 2026 Solver Class was named at Solve Challenge Finals during Climate Week in New York. Applications for Solve's 2027 Global Challenges are now open.

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 22, 2026 / In New York City, amidst global leaders convening for the United Nations General Assembly and Climate Week, MIT Solve awarded $1 million in funding to scale ten world-changing solutions to intractable global challenges during its annual event, Solve Challenge Finals.

The 2026 Solver Class was selected as part of a special 10th Anniversary Global Challenge, in celebration of ten years of Solve. This year's ten winners were selected by Solve's panels of judges from over 1,000 applications across 110 countries.

Each Solver team is awarded $100,000 to scale their solutions, along with the network and resources within the Solve ecosystem that would help them scale.

"After a decade of running open innovation challenges, we know that finding exceptional solutions is only the beginning," says Hala Hanna, Executive Director of MIT Solve. "For innovation to create lasting impact, it must be trusted, funded, adopted, and embedded in the institutions, markets, policies, and infrastructure that shape people's lives. That's our mission at Solve, and it is what these bold solutions represent: the potential to change systems and improve the lives of billions around the world."

The $1 million in prize funding announced includes:

• The AI for Humanity Prize, supported by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation ($200,000), awarded to Karya and Rocket Learning
• The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize, supported by Citizens ($100,000), awarded to Making Space
• The Collegium Prize for Innovation, supported by Collegium Pharmaceutical ($100,000) as part of its larger commitment as Health Anchor Supporter, awarded to Screening Linked to Care by the Rural Behavioral Health Institute
• The E Ink Innovation Prize, supported by E Ink ($100,000), awarded to Flint Paper Battery
• The Heifer Prize for Smallholder Agricultural Transformation, supported by Heifer International ($100,000), awarded to Lersha: Easy Agriculture
• Philips Foundation Social Impact Award for improving health access, supported by Philips Foundation ($100,000), awarded to Rapid Care by Muso
• The Schmidt Marine Wavemaker's Prize, supported by Schmidt Marine Technology Partners ($100,000), awarded to BlueGea Group
• The Seeding the Future Prize for Climate-Positive and Equitable Food Systems, supported by Seeding the Future Foundation ($100,000), awarded to BioIQ by Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies
• The Solver Prize, supported by MIT Solve ($100,000), awarded to Kara Solar

Learn more about the 2026 Solver Class and their solutions.

On the heels of Solve Challenge Finals, Solve also launched its 2027 Global Challenges, seeking innovative, human-centered, tech-based solutions from anyone, anywhere. The selected Solvers will share over $1 million in available prize funding and receive ongoing support from the MIT and Solve community to help scale their work. Applications close on November 2, 2026.

The 2027 Global Challenge prize funders include:

• The Collegium Prize for Innovation, supported by Collegium Pharmaceutical ($100,000) as part of its larger commitment as Health Anchor Supporter
• The AI for Humanity Prize, supported by The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation ($150,000)
• The Citizens Workforce Innovation Prize, supported by Citizens ($100,000)
• The Crescent Enterprises AI for Social Innovation Prize, supported by Crescent Enterprises ($100,000)
• The E Ink Innovation Prize, supported by E Ink ($25,000)
• The Morgridge Family Foundation Innovation Prize, supported by the Morgridge Family Foundation ($50,000)
• Philips Foundation Social Impact Award for improving health access, supported by Philips Foundation ($100,000)
• The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation Ocean Innovation Prize, supported by The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation ($100,000)
• The Schmidt Marine Wavemaker's Prize, supported by Schmidt Marine Technology Partners ($100,000)
• The Seeding the Future Prize for Climate-Positive and Equitable Food Systems, supported by Seeding the Future Foundation ($150,000)

Learn more about the 2027 Global Challenges.

About MIT Solve:

MIT Solve is the global engine that moves capital to innovators solving humanity's greatest challenges. We source and scale proven solutions to change systems, benefit billions, and improve futures for all. Join us: solve.mit.edu

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SOURCE: MIT Solve