Innovation ChallengeRegister as solver

Local communities across the globe will need to adapt to changing climate conditions over the next years and decades. In doing so, they may be facing rising sea levels, public health concerns, water scarcity, floods, heat waves and more extreme weather, among other impacts.

Communities are facing many of these challenges today and there are several databases and initiatives with information about climate local impacts and needs. However, communication gaps often prevent connections between communities and the private sector and policy makers who can help serve and support community needs.

How could communication tools help collect, aggregate, share, and meet these needs? How could stronger connections help drive new local investments and markets for locally-appropriate goods and services in these communities?

We are searching for ideas of innovative communication platforms that will connect information about local community needs to public and private sector organizations that can provide solutions and support. A successful communication platform will establish the tools and incentives for communities and solution providers to identify, prepare for, and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

This is an Ideation Challenge with a guaranteed award for at least one submitted solution.

The Seeker desires a theoretical method to efficiently find rare errors in a database, without relying on manual case-by-case rules or context-sensitive parameters. 

This Challenge requires only a written proposal.

The Seeker desires suggestions for novel methods to cover silage, the primary forage for cattle on large farms.  The crux of this Challenge is finding a solution that is cost-competitive with the current method (polyethylene tarps and used tires), successfully protects the silage from the elements, and maintains the silage in excellent condition for feeding. 

This Challenge requires only a written proposal.

An effective barrier material for paper packaging is required that is amenable to dispersion coating.

We need your help to remedy the problem of potholes!  Given acceleration and GPS data collected by volunteers running the StreetBump app on Android smartphones, build a computer program that predicts the location of potholes and other street features. 

This is a Reduction-to-Practice Challenge that requires a written proposal and delivery of a working algorithm, source code, and prediction to the Seeker.

Over time, low-fat batter for baked products sticks to the baking surface. The stuck batter burns and must be removed from the baking surface. The Seeker is looking for creative ideas for reducing either the adhesion of batter to the baking surface or of improving the speed and efficiency of the cleaning process. More information is available in the Challenge description. 

This is an Ideation Challenge with a guaranteed award for at least one submitted solution.

The seeker requires methods for rapid, non-destructive analysis of markers of curvature in thin wires of high-carbon steel. 

This Challenge requires only a written proposal.

A method is required for on-line quantification and real-time reporting of ferrous fibers (60 mm x 1mm) in flows of a semi-solid and heterogeneous matrix.

This Challenge requires only a written proposal.

A design is required for a high-throughput filling system that is capable of arraying and filling 3000 small cylinders per minute.