Global Innovation Challenge offers +$1M to conserve the Amazon
‘The Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon’ aims to accelerate solutions to transform artisanal and small-scale gold mining practices
The Challenge will award more than $1,000,000 in prizes for solutions to make artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) more environmentally responsible and socially equitable in the Amazon rainforest.
The call is open to research centers, scientific institutions, technology and mining companies, and civil society organizations
from around the world, with a special focus on Latin American countries. No specific experience in mining is required to participate.
Applications can be submitted until November 10, 2021. Shortlisted applications will be announced in January, 2022.
Washington, D.C. — Conservation X Labs (CXL), in partnership with USAID, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Microsoft and ESRI, is currently running the Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge: The Amazon, a global call for solutions to conserve the Amazon, protect communities, and transform artisanal and small-scale gold mining practices. The Challenge offers more than $1,000,000 in prizes and seed grants and the chance to participate in Amazon CoLab, a 6-month acceleration program. Organizations and teams of innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs from around the world, especially from Latin American countries, are invited to submit technical applications by November 10th, 2021. No specific experience in mining is required to participate.
This is the second round of the Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge. The first round of the Grand Challenge ran between 2019 and 2020 and searched for solutions that could be applied to mining of any metal or mineral, anywhere in the world. 90 applications from 42 countries were submitted, 11 were chosen as finalists, and 5 of them received prizes summing up to $750,000.
The 2021-2022 edition of the Grand Challenge focuses on finding and developing solutions for the Amazon – a region that is home to many indigenous communities, contains the world’s largest tropical rainforest, and is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. The Challenge seeks innovative solutions for the following categories:
(1) Safeguard ecosystems and human health from potential harmful effects;
(2) Optimize responsible supply chains to increase transparency and accountability;
(3) Promote and sustain formalization and good governance of the gold mining sector.
A global panel of experts will evaluate applications based on their value proposition for users; solution design; scaling and sustainability potential; environmental and social impact; feasibility, and considerations for gender and social inclusion.
Shortlisted applicants will be announced in January 2022, and will be invited to submit ambitious and feasible work plans and budget for a six-month field-testing plan and innovation seed grant. Challenge administrators will then select 10 to 20 finalists, who will receive seed grants ranging between $30,000 and $60,000 and will be invited to participate in Amazon CoLab, a six-month acceleration program that will provide them access to potential users and customers, technical training and assistance, and other services to advance innovation and business development from March through August 2022.
At the end of the program, third party evaluators will review Challenge finalists’ environmental and technical performance and user validation demonstrated through the implementation of their grant and participation in Amazon CoLab. The best performing solutions will be awarded additional prize money of $100,000 each during the closing ceremony to take place in October, 2022.
“By holding a Grand Challenge, we are looking for aspiring innovators to bring their talent and ingenuity to the problem at hand,” said USAID/Peru Mission Director, Jene Thomas, at the launch event.
“It’s not only about generating innovations, it’s making sure they work for people on the ground. And that’s what I’m really excited about,” says CEO and Co-Founder of Conservation X Labs, Dr. Alex Dehgan.
For more information visit:
Artisanal Mining Grand Challenge official website: www.artisanalminingchallenge.com
About the Global Development Alliance:
Conservation X Labs is a technology and innovation company that builds ventures and empowers innovators to revolutionize conservation and prevent the sixth mass extinction.
This project was made possible through a Global Development Alliance with the generous support of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Microsoft, ESRI, and people of the United States of America through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Contact:
Maria Fernanda Larrea
Communications & Outreach Specialist
Conservation X Labs - Peru Field Office
+511 940 298 411
mariaf@conservationxlabs.org
www.conservationxlabs.com
