Climate Innovators Inspire Our Generation

When dealing with climate change, innovative technologies are at the forefront of the search for solutions. But while a few are able to share their ideas with the world, most of them lack the funding to make a difference.

That’s where prizes come in.

Over the last several years, multiple organizations have hosted competitions with generous monetary prizes for the group that has created the most innovative and effective solution to a climate-related problem. I think it’s a novel idea and I wanted to share three of these competitions that caught my eye.

X-Prize

The X-Prize is something I have mentioned once before on this site and I still think it is relevant today. Founded by Elon Musk and the Musk Foundation, the X-Prize (or rather, X-Prizes) covers a wide range of topics - from space exploration to education - with each category having different rules and prizes. There are a variety of important climate change-related competitions and each category has some truly fascinating ideas involved.

Standing out in all of these is the 100-million-dollar carbon removal prize pool with over 5 thousand different teams competing from around the world. Some of the winning ideas were even from college students who are just a bit older than you and me!

The Earthshots

The Earthshots are a fairly recent organization, having been created in 2021. Founded by Prince William and the Royal Foundation, the Earthshots consist of five categories with a new competition each year. The winner of each category is awarded 1 million dollars of prize money.

Each category is related to the earth’s overall health and the most recent batch of winners have some truly fascinating and inventive ideas from edible containers to a greenhouse in a box.

Elevate Prize

The Elevate Prize is a slightly different organization than the previous two with less of a focus on climate change. However, I believe that it is just as important for the world as the Earthshots and X-Prize. With numerous prizes and many previous winners such as Miami Waterkeeper and the Get Loud award (which targets smaller grassroots organizations that protect and help their local environment) The Elevate Prize Foundation is truly a source of good.

So, why is this important for you to know?

By supporting up-and-coming ideas, these organizations empower the solutions of the future. Already, some of these winners have gone on to implement change in their home cities with goals to expand even further.

But more than that, these competitions inspire new ideas.

CALL TO ACTION

What changes can you do at home? What ideas do you have to help the climate?

Your ideas can make a difference for our planet.

So why not start today?

Read more about other innovators on my website page here.

Have an idea? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

Want more information about these competitions? Click here:

Want to go check out these organizations for yourself? Click here:

X-Prize: https://www.xprize.org/

Earthshot: https://earthshotprize.org/

Elevate: https://elevateprize.org/