Calling Students + Recent Grads • $300,000 in Prizes

How can your new technology solution or service help benefit the economy, society or the environment?

Five hundred billion devices and objects will be connected to the Internet by 2030! 

Things like wells, cars, watches, refrigerators, and more will be connected to the Internet for the first time so that they can transmit and receive information. 

Digitization is about connecting people and things to the Internet so that the information those connections provide can be used to improve processes and decision making. 

With digitization and the Internet of Things (IoT), good ideas can make a difference more quickly than ever before by driving economic development and helping people solve some of our most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Cisco's 1B People Pledge

As part of their work to positively impact 1 billion people by 2025, Cisco seeks to inspire and empower a generation of global problem solvers who will not only survive – but drive innovation and thrive – in our increasingly digital economy. This challenge aims to recognize student entrepreneurs that promote and accelerate the adoption of breakthrough technologies, products and services that drive economic development and/or solve social or environmental problems.

This competition is open to students or recent alumni from any college or university. For detailed eligibility requirements, please click here . 

Areas of impact could include, but are not limited to:  

• local industry/economic development

• critical human needs (food, water, shelter, and disaster relief)

• healthcare

• economic empowerment/financial inclusion

• education

• environment

• connectivity

Digital Technologies that enable these innovations may include, but are not limited to: 

• connected/smart solutions (smart home, smart city, smart energy)

• connected transportation

• wearables

• big data

• analytics

• cloud computing

Cisco is awarding $300,000 to support Global Problem Solvers.

Applications are now open.