First-round proposals for the Wilkes Climate Launch Prize [$500,000] from the University of Utah are being accepted

Popular

First-round proposals for the Wilkes Climate Launch Prize [$500,000] from the University of Utah are being accepted

The Wilkes Climate Launch Prize at the University of Utah supports innovative ideas from organizations at all stages, both for-profits and nonprofits – anywhere in the world – to help fund and accelerate solutions to climate change.

As most unconventional or first-of-a-kind projects often have the hardest time getting funding, the Wilkes Climate Prize, one of the largest university-affiliate climate awards in the world, is geared to spur innovation and breakthroughs.

First round submissions of proposed solutions will be evaluated by the Wilkes Center team for scalable impact, feasibility, and potential for co-benefits for communities, economies, or ecosystems.

The process and review timeline includes first round submissions due by February 29, 2024, second round applicant proposals due April 12, 2024, finalists pitch in-person at Wilkes Climate Summit at the University of Utah on May 14, 2025, and the award ceremony taking place in September 2024.

Scroll down for more details and click on the attached email address to apply for this opportunity.

Program Type

Fully Funded

Program Benefits

grand prize of $500,000.

Eligibility Criteria

Key considerations for each criteria.

Scalable impact:

How much greenhouse gases (MT CO2-equivalent) could be avoided from emissions or removed from the atmosphere per year in the immediate future (e.g. 2023-2025) and near-term future (e.g. around 2030)?
What are the potentials for scaling up over the 2030-2050 timescale?
How will the Prize lead to a transformative change in this sector?
What is the estimated permanence of these emissions reductions or removals and what is the confidence for these estimates?
Feasibility:

Are there demonstrations of feasibility existing? At what stage? Where?
What is the current cost per MT CO2-equivalent? What are future estimated costs by approximately 2030?
Explain why your team has the relevant expertise and structure to succeed.
What are key barriers and what plans are in place to overcome barriers, constraints, risks, or trade-offs with scaling up the solution?
Co-benefits

Will the proposed solution lead to co-benefits to communities, economies, or ecosystems?
What is the potential for negative consequences (e.g. on communities, economies, or ecosystems) and what are solutions to mitigate them?

Eligible Countries

All Countries

Official Link

https://wilkescenter.utah.edu/prize/2024-launch-prize/#:~:text=The%20Wilkes%20Climate%20Launch%20Prize,accelerate%20solutions%20to%20climate%20change