Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2022 Winners
Read our official winner announcement, and watch the awards show.
- $250,000 USD
Grand PrizeVacciBoxDrop Access
A portable,IoT-enabled, solar-powered vaccine refrigerator.Morehttps://dropaccess.org/
Globally, 3 billion people are at the risk of contracting a Vaccine Preventable Disease, because their healthcare facility does not have a cold chain to effectively and efficiently store vaccines. VacciBox is a portable, low-cost solar-powered fridge for use in the healthcare industry. It is coupled with an online application for remote monitoring and sensing, online troubleshooting, and data collection. The fridge utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) to enable the easy and swift provision of data-driven technical support through online, remote monitoring, and troubleshooting. VacciBox is a versatile solution that eases vaccine distribution, stock management and enables access to real-time and accurate data for planning. - $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: AmericasBeamlinkBeamlink
Reconnects people after natural disasters strike using advanced mesh networks and cellular technology.Morewww.beamlink.io
Natural disasters can cause up to $1 Billion in cell infrastructure damages and cripple country-wide cell networks, but the true cost can't be measured in dollars. It's measured in how many survivors trapped under a fallen building can't call first responders in the area, or how many worried mothers can't call their children. Worst of all, these outages don’t last for just a couple days; In some areas it can take months for coverage to return. Beamlink tackles this problem by deploying mesh networks of small, portable cell towers that are affordable, power-efficient, easy-to-setup, and automatically connect to one another, providing an alternative to bringing in cell towers on trucks or flying in engineers to repair existing towers. - $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: APJCPowerWellsPowerWells
Repurposing electronic waste to tackle energy poverty.Morewww.powerwells.org
PowerWells is a social enterprise that addresses the dual global problems of electronic waste management and lack of access to basic electricity. PowerWells does this by repurposing electronic waste as the materials for constructing small-scale solar power systems, which are then used for basic electricity provision in communities that don’t otherwise have electricity - effectively leveraging each problem as part of a solution for the other. PowerWells is strongly purpose-driven and sustains substantial impact across the entire triple bottom line, in both Australian and overseas operations. Born out of a Startup Weekend, we are a passionate team of Aussies ready to expand our operations. - $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: EMEAPurCityPurCity
Turning new or existing buildings into large-scale carbon capture air purification systems.Morehttps://PurCity.com/
40% of global energy consumption and Co2 emissions originates from buildings. By 2050, 3.5 billion people will shift into urban areas, which means more construction/buildings, more traffic, less space leading to a lot more air pollution. PurCity's solution is a patented, sustainable, and highly efficient self-cleaning air purification system (GapS) that directly captures carbon (CO2), cleans air and produce sellable CO2 byproducts. Each 3 m2 of GapS panels is estimated to directly capture 22 Tons of CO2/building (equivalent to 1013 mature trees carbon capture/year) as well as contributing to saving 10-20% Energy Consumption in the building annually. - $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpWonderTree GamesWonderTree
Affordable and accessible augmented reality games that help children with specials need develop their motor, cognitive, and educational skills.Morehttps://wondertree.co/
Around 15% of the global population lives with a disability (WHO, 2021). 7 out of 10 children with disabilities are out of school (UNICEF 2019) because there aren’t enough human resources & infrastructure to cater to these children. In Pakistan, there are only 550 special education institutions to cater to more than 1.5 million children with special needs. In order to give these children their basic right of education & development an innovative approach needs to be taken. WonderTree transforms physiotherapy, education, and cognitive development exercises into interactive games that can be played with just a computer. Our affordable & accessible solution works in schools and home settings and doesn't require skilled operators. - $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpPositive CarbonPositive Carbon
Provides businesses with food waste monitoring technology to half their food waste, saving them hundreds of thousands, all while helping the planet.Morehttps://www.positivecarbon.org/
Food waste is fueling the climate crisis. One third of all food produced globally is wasted, costing $1 trillion, directly contributing to food shortages, water stress, biodiversity loss contributing to 10% of all greenhouse gases emissions. If we could save even just one-fourth of the staggering 1.3 billion tons of food waste every year, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world. At Positive Carbon, we tackle food waste in the foodservice sector. Using our food waste sensors, we monitor all of a kitchen's food waste, showing them exactly what food they’re wasting and how to reduce it, allowing them to cut their food waste in half, reducing their food bills all while helping the planet! - $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpM-SCANM-SCAN
Develops portable ultrasound devices that are compatible with laptops, tablets and mobile phones for use especially in Sub-Saharan Africa.Morehttps://www.mscanug.com/
16 mothers die every day in Uganda due to complications related to maternal health, a worrying statistic, further exacerbated by challenges presenting with Coronavirus. Some of the complications leading to maternal death include post-partum hemorrhage, obstructed labor, and abortion. The contributory causes of such complications such as placenta previa, severe oligohydramnios can be detected early on ultrasound and timely interventions done with the mother and the baby saved. However, the traditional ultrasound machines are very expensive, use a lot of power and are sophisticated to use. As such, we have developed M-SCAN, a portable power-efficient ultrasound device that can work on laptops, tablets, and mobile phones to fill this gap. - $10,000 USD
People's Choice AwardAfriagrimarkAfriagrimark
Geo-location marketplace that combines distributed ledger and Machine Learning to connect farmers, truck drivers and vendors.Morehttps://afriagrimark.com/
83% of small and middle-holder farmers in Africa lack access to ready markets and face rampant exploitation by intermediaries and post-harvest losses, undercutting their income by 225%. On the other end of the value chain is 84% and 71% vendors experiencing post-harvest and problems sourcing for fresh produce. Afriagrimark is a Geo-location marketplace connecting truckers to vendors for immediate vegetable delivery from farmers cutting transport costs by 40%, delivery time by half and post-harvest losses to 3%. Combining distributed ledger and AI to synchronize information in real-time ensures traceability and quality. Our target is 100,000 farmers from our current 1,500 and 12,000 vendors from our current 35 with a revenue of $311 million. - $15,000 USD
Cisco Employees’ Choice AwardAsbahAsbah
Provides clean drinking water to underprivileged communities at affordable rates by setting up community water filtration plants.Morehttps://www.asbah.org.in/
Nearly 163 million Indians do not have access to clean drinking water. With 70% of India’s water being contaminated, it ranks 120 among 122 countries in the water quality index. Presently, people in India are coping with this problem by purchasing cans of water from local suppliers. These cans are priced at an average price of USD 0.49. This leads to the consumers spending a major part of their earnings just to have access to clean drinking water. Project Asbah aims to provide clean drinking water to underprivileged communities at just USD 0.06 for 20 Litres by setting up community water filtration plants. The water is dispensed with the help of rechargeable digitized Asbah cards and the plant is handled by our two women entrepreneurs. - $100,000 USD
Climate Impact & Regeneration PrizeCarbon2ClimateA2P Energy Solution Private Limited
An AI-based platform for identifying biomass burning and making a market for un-utilized biomass while connecting farmers, manufactures and buyers.Morewww.A2PEnergy.com
India produces 750 million tons of crop residue every year. Farmers in northern India burn stubble due to lack of alternative ways for its disposal. The smoke from the straw burning becomes one of reasons for creating smog which causes heavy pollution in Delhi-NCR before the onset of winter. “Delhi kids have smaller lungs compared with children in US due to air pollution”. Our AI based platform is first identifying biomass burning points across India and then we use our platform for market making of un-utilized biomass connecting farmers, manufactures and buyers of biomass-based fuel. The platform also gives an impact through satellite images by showing the biomass collected instead of getting burned and the resultant carbon impact. - $50,000 USD
Climate Impact & Regeneration Prize Runner-UpPrecision Fish HarvestingKatchi Technologies Inc.
A replacement fish net system that eliminates contact with the ocean floor and reduces greenhouse emissions and ghost gear.Morehttps://katchi.tech/
The ocean industry challenges this project will address are inefficient and destructive nature of conventional trawl equipment, and attracting targeted species and reducing bycatch by deterring other species. Our net design eliminates bottom contact, which reduces unwanted species from catches (that are otherwise wasted) and eliminates unnecessary damage caused by dragging the seafloor. By eliminating bottom contact, we also reduce the fuel expended by the vessels and the instances of lost (or 'ghost') gear which entangles other sea life. Fishers are able to harvest more sustainably with less impact on the environment and untargeted species, allowing fish habitats to recover and less fish to be unnecessarily killed and wasted. - $50,000 USD
Climate Impact & Regeneration Prize Runner-UpUnergyUnergy
A decentralized platform that allows anyone to invest and consume clean energy.Morehttps://unergy.io/
Unergy cuts the investment, access, and information barriers in energy. We unite people who want to invest in sustainability with those who want to control their energy and reduce costs through our collaborative platform. In addition, we offer between 20% and 35% more economical energy rates. We achieve this by providing a comprehensive energy offer from a solar energy system installed on a customer's roof without requiring debt or investment costs. Also, we provide real-time energy tracking services to allow companies to track and reduce their energy consumption. These solar energy projects are for people who want to invest from approximately $US270.00 with annual interest profitability ranging between 8% to 13%. - $50,000 USD
Climate Impact & Regeneration Prize Runner-UpFarm to Flame EnergyFarm to Flame Energy
Provides power purchase agreements to commercial buildings using unique biomass electricity generators that use biomass waste as fuel.Morehttps://ftfenergy.com/
Farm to Flame (FTF) builds electricity generators that use biomass waste as fuel. The team is comprised of Carnegie Mellon graduates and has recently raised the funding required for further demonstration projects. This innovation challenge is the ideal platform to showcase the role FTF generators can play in providing a global solution than can enable grid decarbonization. - $50,000 USD
Climate Impact & Regeneration Prize Runner-UpWorking TreesWorking Trees
Makes it possible for farmers to get paid for the carbon stored in the trees they plant on their land.Morewww.workingtrees.com
Incorporating trees into agricultural land (a practice called agroforestry) has been demonstrated to have numerous agricultural production benefits while storing significant carbon. Carbon markets have the potential to provide an economic incentive which could catalyze the transition to agroforestry. However, costly carbon measurements required for market participation have limited market access to large landowners - small and average sized farmers aren’t yet able to make use of these new markets. Working Trees’ approach changes this paradigm. We have developed a technology platform that leverages smartphone camera and LiDAR, satellite data, and machine learning models to democratize access to carbon markets for farmers of all sizes. - $50,000 USD
HBCU Startup PrizeTyroneSalveo Innovations
An mHealth application helping people access critical health information by simplifying complex health terms into easily understood info.Morewww.salveoinnovations.com
We build patient centered solutions to improve health literacy and reduce barriers to important health information. The pandemic exacerbated the worldwide challenge of health literacy. People accessible health information in easily digestible formats that allow them to make the best choices for themselves and their families. In the US, roughly 80 million adults have low health literacy and 9 out of 10 adults struggle to use personal and public health information when filled with unfamiliar and complex terms to make everyday healthcare decisions. Tyrone bridges this communication gap. Using AI and adaptive language, Tyrone grows smarter with usage and integrates into existing healthcare platforms to simplify essential health information.
Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2021 Winners
Read our official winner announcement here, and watch our Awards show.
- $250,000 USD
Grand PrizeEradicating MalariaZzappMalaria
An artificial intelligence-based system for planning, executing, and monitoring of large-scale, cost-effective malaria eradication operations.MoreMalaria is one of the world's biggest solvable problems, annually killing over 400K people. Many countries eliminated it decades ago via massive treatment of stagnant water bodies. However, similar attempts in Sub-Saharan Africa have generally failed to detect and treat a sufficient percentage of often small water bodies. Zzapp has developed an artificial intelligence-based system for planning, executing, and monitoring of large-scale, cost-effective malaria elimination campaigns. It has been working in several countries, providing protection for more than 200K people, and is now launching an operation in São Tomé and Príncipe to fully eliminate the disease–if successful, this will be an unprecedented achievement in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: Americas4G Community NetworkTelecomunicaciones Indígenas Comunitarias, A.C.
Implementation of 4G mobile community networks along with local content intranets in indigenous communities.MoreMeaningful access to communications and connectivity has never been more important. However, many rural and indigenous people around the world are unable to access the online world and are therefore left out of the benefits of connectivity such as economic development, access to information and emergency response. Since 2015, TIC has developed an innovative approach that combines open-source technology, community participation and ownership and regulatory advocacy, which has brought thousands of people cellular service in previously uncovered places. This network is now looking to provide 4G/LTE services paired with a novel local content sharing platform, allowing community users to get the most out of their online experience.
- $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: APJCVirtualahan Inc.Virtualahan
We equip Persons with Disabilities with mindset & skills to become competitive employees & entrepreneurs using the equalizing power of technology.MoreVirtualahan started in 2015 when our Founder, Ryan, experienced employment discrimination because of his chronic disease; an everyday experience by thousands of People with Disabilities. This is also evident for single mothers, out of school youth, among others. The two root causes of this problem are the outdated labor practices & inaccessible training programs in the Philippines. Virtualahan is solving this using an impact formula that combines digital skills training, employment & entrepreneurship support, life-coaching & community building through our inclusive, cost-effective, & transferrable virtual platform. Our community have always been left behind; the impact of COVID-19 & 4IR could push us further down unless we act now.
- $75,000 USD
Regional First Runner-Up: EMEARWaterScope, enabling simple, rapid bacterial testing for drinking waterWaterScope
WaterScope is developing a rapid, simple, digital, bacterial testing kit for drinking water to enable anyone to conduct a test in any location.MoreGlobally, over 2.2 billion people lack access to a safe water source in which more than 2000 children die each day from diarrheal diseases. Existing field testing methods are complex, prone to error, and slow. WaterScope is developing a rapid, simple, digital, bacterial testing kit to enable anyone to conduct a test in any location. The WaterScope kit consists of a disposable cartridge to allow for easy sample collection and preparation, and a testing system which includes a microscope and uses machine learning to quantify bacterial microcolonies. Data is automatically uploaded for real-time mapping and intervention. Our approach enables data-driven decision-making while empowering communities to bring about sustainable change.
- $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpThe Blue Tap Chlorine DoserBlue Tap CIC
Blue Tap has developed a simple chlorine doser which inserts the correct amount of chlorine into water supplies to make them safe to drink.More30% of the world still don’t have access to safe drinking water. Globally, diarrheal disease is the 2nd leading cause of death in children under 5. Many people now have access to “basic water services” but can’t drink their water as it contains pathogens. This means people become ill, boil their water, or buy bottled water. Blue Tap has designed a simple Chlorine Doser. It inserts the correct amount of chlorine into a piped water system to make it safe to drink in line with WHO guidelines. The simplicity of the design makes it easy and cost-effective to produce, install and maintain. Our rigorous training and monitoring process (enabled by IoT, conducted by local plumbers) ensures consistent, high-quality water.
- $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpRADIFYEnvisionit Deep AI
RADIFY is an AI Platform used as a clinical decision support tool to assist doctors in the diagnosis of diseases on medical imaging.MoreHealth care services in Africa are under-resourced & overused. There are only 20 pediatric radiologists in Africa, where pneumonia is the #1 cause of death in children under 5. Covid-19, tuberculosis and cancer are an increased burden on doctors globally and is another threat to our already fragile healthcare system. Misdiagnosis is common and human error can result in increased medical legal exposure to doctors. RADIFY, our AI solution, addresses these challenges in medical imaging diagnosis. RADIFY for chest x-rays detects 20 different pathologies including Covid pneumonia. RADIFY AI for mammography assists with early detection of breast cancer. Radify AI for ultrasound is a point of care solution for detection of chest & breast diseases.
- $50,000 USD
Second Runner-UpGICMEDGIC Space
GICMED is providing access to breast and cervical cancer care for every woman, at the point of care, through its medical technology innovations.MoreOver 400,000 women in Sub-Saharan Africa die yearly from breast and cervical cancer, the two most common cancers in these women, because of lack of access to screening and diagnosis services, absence of required diagnostic equipment, and a great scarcity of qualified Medical Specialists. To solve this problem, we have developed a series of proprietary technologies comprising a telemedicine platform, a smartphone digital microscopy system, a smart speculum, and a simple biopsy device, to remotely screen and diagnose these cancers with real time pathology confirmation at the point of care even for women who live in the most remote and enclave areas, and early-stage cancerous lesions are further treated onsite through a mobile treatment unit.
- $25,000 USD
Third Runner-UpLeaf Digital WalletLeaf Global Fintech
Leaf is a digital wallet that enables the unbanked to store, send & receive, and exchange currencies on their phones— no smartphone required.MoreNearly 2 billion people around the world are unbanked and lack access to formal financial services. For refugees, migrants, and cross border traders, this is particularly challenging because they have no safe or reliable way to bring their money across borders or an affordable way to send and receive money, leaving them vulnerable to exploitative exchange rates and theft. With Leaf, users can travel without cash and rest assured that their money will be safe and accessible no matter where they go. Friends and family around the world can also deposit into a refugee’s account, regardless of location. Backed by blockchain technology, Leaf ultimately creates an economic identity that customers can use to establish themselves in a new country.
- $25,000 USD
Third Runner-UpTakachar: decentralized and smart trash-to-cash operationsTakachar
Small-scale, decentralized, smart, and portable systems to turn crop and forest residues (biomass) into higher-value bioproducts in rural communities.MoreBiomass (crop/forest residues) represents a $120B/year missed opportunity for conversion into fuels/chemicals because it is often loose, wet, bulky, and difficult to transport/collect in rural areas. The biggest limitation biomass conversion technologies face today is that they often are too large-scale and operator-intensive to be deployed in decentralized areas where there is large variability in input characteristics. Using MIT patents and an IoT control system, we enable small-scale conversion of biomass into high-value, carbon-negative bioproducts such as biofuels, fertilizers, and chemicals, bringing 40% increase in income to rural farmers, and preventing air pollution and carbon footprint associated with open-air biomass burning.
- $25,000 USD
Third Runner-UpHigh efficiency and broadband Ambient RF energy harvestingTeratonix
Our RF harvesting solution can generate electricity from cellular/Wi-Fi signals to replace batteries for powering billions of batteryfree IoT sensors.MoreBillions of IoT sensors are expected to be deployed in the near future for smart buildings/cities, wearables and industrial IoT applications. However, IoT sensors are mostly powered by batteries, which leads to high replacement cost and huge battery waste, and limits their wide adoption. Our breakthrough solution is based on patented invention of a novel, Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) diode to achieve ultrahigh efficiency (100+x higher) and unique broadband capability (up to THz). Our MSM diode-based RF harvester works like a solar panel for ambient broadcasting RF signals (Cellular/WiFi/TV) and can generate electricity to replace (AAA/AA) batteries for powering battery free IoT sensors, wearables and implanted active medical devices.
- $10,000 USD
Fourth Runner-UpContinuum AgContinuum
We provide the resources and incentives for farmers to improve soil health on 320 million crop acres, lowering carbon emissions up to 2 tons per acre.MoreModern agriculture treats soil like dirt. Current farmer practices utilize heavy fertilizer and chemical application to grow their crops, causing larger carbon footprints than necessary. Although farmers care deeply about soil health, their profits are slim and they cannot afford to risk lower yields by using less chemicals or fertilizers. Continuum Ag seeks to change this by incentivizing farmers to modify their practices to a regenerative process that will get farmers paid to lower carbon emissions. Continuum Ag works directly with farmers and recommends new practices proven to work with biology – overall increasing soil health and facilitating a profitable transition to regenerative agriculture.
- $10,000 USD
Fourth Runner-UpNABU Inclusive Literacy ProjectNABU Global Inc
Leveraging technology to remove barriers to literacy, so that all children can read and rise to their full potential.MoreGlobally over 250m children are illiterate despite attending school. In developing countries books are extremely scarce, and most kids don’t have access to culturally relevant children’s books, which is a major cause of illiteracy. This global literacy crisis is only being exacerbated due to COVID-19. To solve this problem we built NABU.ORG, a free tech platform providing culturally relevant mother tongue books, with the goal of bringing literacy tools into the homes of millions of children. We work with local creators to rapidly produce culturally relevant children’s books, using AI to level the stories in any language. In the last 24 months we have achieved proof of concept with an active reader base of 50,000 readers in Haiti and Rwanda.
- $10,000 USD
Fourth Runner-UpSecond Life BatteriesNunam
Second Life Batteries: A sustainable business opportunity for affordable batteries and a solution to the upcoming EV waste!MoreIndia aims to be a 100% electric vehicle (EV) nation by 2030. Home to 14 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world, EVs that use lithium-ion batteries (LIB) would reduce emissions from the prevalent internal combustion engine powered vehicles that cause two-thirds of air pollution in urban India. The EV-driven transformation would however result in a large volume of used LIBs. Nunam offers repurposed LIBs that come with high energy-to-weight ratios, low self-discharge rate, no memory effect, and reduced storage costs by 30-70% with overarching contributions to a circular economy, while subsidizing vehicle cost, expensive mineral recovery and reducing pressure on need for virgin minerals.
- $10,000 USD
People's Choice AwardGramHeet MandiGramHeet
GramHeet Mandi is a one-stop marketplace for farmers at the village level where they avail pre-to-post-harvest services through our digital platform.MoreAgriculture in India faces a plethora of problems such as high cost of cultivation, poor post-harvest infrastructure, exploitation by intermediaries, low price discovery, and lack of market linkages. These factors have made farming an unviable profession, compelled more than 300k farmers to commit suicide in the last two decades, and pushed 62M farmers into a vicious debt cycle. GramHeet, a social enterprise, is committed to a 'farmers first' approach and addresses issues of agrarian distress. Through our mobile app, we provide integrated services of storage, credit, market linkages, agri-inputs and primary processing facilities at the village level to secure 118 million smallholder farmers’ livelihoods, by increasing their incomes.
- $10,000 USD
Cisco Employees’ Choice AwardClearbotClearbot
A swarm of marine trash collecting robots that is that is 15x cheaper, has 5x more reach and removes 2x more trash daily.MoreCurrent industry solutions for the global marine trash crisis are painful, slow, dangerous, and extremely expensive. Right now, the method used is with paddle boats and nets which takes 4 days to collect just 3km of trash but the trash flow is 4-5 times that capacity. Such mismanagement of trash disproportionately impacts vulnerable communities and the ocean ecosystems that are in desperate need of a solution that is effective. Our solution, Clearbot, is a swarm of trash collecting robots that is 15x cheaper, has 5x more reach, and removes 2x more trash daily. To boot, ClearBot also detects and classifies trash into 64 distinct categories making it easier to assess the impact and improve data generation practices.
- $50,000 USD
Greenhouse Gas Solutions PrizeRemoraRemora
Carbon capture for semi trucks.MoreElectrification won't work for long-haul trucking. Even with big battery breakthroughs, electric trucks will have far less payload capacity and hundreds of miles less range. And it will take decades to overhaul the grid, build an entire new network of charging stations for trucks, and replace every truck on the road. That's why we're building a device that captures at least 80% of the carbon emissions from a semi truck. We permanently sequester the carbon dioxide deep underground in depleted oil wells, helping companies meet their climate commitments and earn credits for the carbon dioxide we capture. We've already signed up seven different >$100B companies for pilots starting in October, including two of the Fortune 10.
- $50,000 USD
Ethical AI Prize.lumen - glasses for the blind.lumen
.lumen builds glasses that help the blind live a better lifeMoreCurrently, there are 40 million blind individuals, increasing to over 100 million by 2050. However, with all the technological advancements, the only two solutions when it comes to the mobility of the blind are the guide dog and the walking cane. The guide dog is unanimously seen as a great solution, but due to multiple drawbacks (high training cost, very difficult maintenance), there are only 28 thousand guide dogs to 40 million blind. .lumen builds technological glasses that replicate the main advantages of a guide dog, and then some, in a package that can easily be replicated, maintained, and used. A solution for the other 39,980,000 blind individuals who can't benefit from enhanced mobility.
- $50,000 USD
Digital Inclusivity PrizeJangala - internet access for life-changing projects worldwide.Jangala
We make simple scalable internet access tech to connect the most marginalised people and organisations working on the Sustainable Development Goals.MoreInternet access is a lifeline. It enables individuals to communicate & use vital services, and empowers organisations with access to powerful tools, global supply chains and knowledge networks. With COVID-19 and climate change placing unprecedented strain on individuals & systems worldwide, being online has never been more important. Many of the most vulnerable people, and organisations delivering public services to them, remain unconnected - exacerbating global & national digital divides. Jangala creates technologies that provide internet access in these critical settings. Our systems are effortless to use and easy to scale, enabling access for refugees, schools, clinics, and other humanitarian & development projects worldwide.
- $50,000 USD
HBCU Startup PrizeMini CityMini City
Mini City is a smart tech resource hub that obtains ID for orgs, cities and enterprise corporations that serve the homeless.MoreChronic homelessness is a major problem in the US. A US study determined that over 50% of homeless citizens were denied specific benefits because they were unable to produce ID, with COVID this is greatly exacerbated. This issue is detrimental to the citizen but also to homeless care providers, clinics, and cities. The United States spends over 10 billion on public costs related to homelessness (Forbes). Chronic homelessness is a major problem in our nation; with lack of ID being a major contributing factor. Mini City is utilizing smart tech to address an exorbitant need that has existed for centuries (direct quote from our first customer, the Former Grants Manager for the Salvation Army Melinda Allen).
- $50,000 USD
Pandemic Response PrizeRespirAIDBiodesign Innovation Labs
RespirAID is a affordable and portable ventilator that intubated ventilation for patients in ER, Ambulance & postoperative.MoreRespiratory illness is one of the major reasons for mortality around the world. One in six deaths is due to respiratory illness. Due to shortages of ventilators, low resource healthcare conditions, and high healthcare costs, patients do not get access to ventilators. During the ventilator shortage, manual ventilation for prolonged periods of time leads to mortality and morbidity. RespirAID is a safe, reliable, affordable alternative for prolonged manual ventilation. It is a mechanical ventilation that provides intermittent positive pressure ventilation for patients in ER emergency care, ambulances and post operative care. RespirAID reduces treatment cost and saves life.
Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2020 Winners
Read our official winner announcement here.
- $100,000 USD Grand PrizeMaziwaPlus Prechiller
Savanna Circuit Tech
A solar chilling transit system with dairy management system for dairy businesses/ cooperatives in sub-Saharan Africa to cut post harvest losses.MoreRefrigeration is key in agricultural value chains, to prolong shelf life and preserve quality of produce. Emerging markets have smallholders as main producers who lack proper refrigeration capacities resulting in 30% post-harvest losses.
Savanna Circuit manufactures & distributes last mile non-refrigerant solar powered milk chillers placeable on any means of transportation from motorbikes to trucks to cut down on milk spoilage for maximized profits to dairy producers/processors with an AI-enabled ICT solution.
(University of Nairobi, Kenya)
- $75,000 USD
First Runner-UpYour limb difference is your superpowerCURE
Cool and customizable 3D printed bionic arms for people with limb differences at an affordable price.Moredhaouafimed.wixsite.com/curetunisie
More than 30 million people around the world are missing either a hand or two. 40% of them are children/youth and only 5% have access to robotic prosthetics. For them, our startup CURE develops 3D-printed prosthetics that are controlled with muscles, personalized, easy to use and to assemble and for an affordable price. Also, we developed a therapeutic solution using virtual reality and gamification allowing them to see and control a virtual hand for training and rehabilitation from home.
(Tunis Business School, Tunisia)
- $25,000 USD Second Runner-UpGramhal
Gramhal
Gramhal builds smallholder farmers’ agency and increases their income by unlocking bundled post-harvest services of storage, credit and market linkage.MoreGramhal solves the problem of distress selling faced by 118 million smallholder farmers in India. Uneven cash flow, high interest rate, and low harvest price are three leading causes of this problem. Gramhal structurally solves this by providing farmers a one-stop solution for post-harvest services. Farmers store their produce in a warehouse, access credit against it, and sell it at a favorable time. Gramhal’s model empowers farmers and enables them to access better prices for their produce.
(Harvard Kennedy School, USA)
- $25,000 USD Second Runner-UpInfiuss Health
INFIUSS
Infiuss health is a blood sourcing platform, blood delivery service, and blood donor biobank.MoreAccording to the WHO, over 570,000 people die from blood shortages because they are asked to bring 3 replacement donors, in addition to paying, in order to secure 1 bag of blood. It sometimes takes up to 2 weeks, with 15% of patients dying in the process of meeting these requirements. INFIUSS is a blood sourcing and delivery platform that recruits blood donors and delivers blood directly to patients in their hospital beds once they send us a request through our app, by SMS or phone call.
(University of Yaounde, Cameroon)
- $25,000 USD Second Runner-UpSylvee
Respira Labs
Real-time detection of respiratory attacks in chronic lung diseases using lung resonance analysis and machine learning.MoreAn estimated 754 million worldwide people have COPD. Respira Labs is developing a low-cost, wearable device, Sylvee, for continuous, at-home monitoring of lung function. The device uses a patented acoustic technology with machine-learning algorithms to detect abnormal lung volume changes, which precede exacerbations. Ultimately, Sylvee will allow physicians to remotely monitor patients and adjust their medications, reducing healthcare costs and improving patients’ quality of life.
(University of California, Berkeley, USA)
- $10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpIntelligent HivesIntelligent Hives
Reduces bee extinction, increases beekeepers' income.MoreThe last 20 years have shown that detecting the causes of diseases and preventing the extinction of bees is not easy. Intelligent Hives support beekeepers in managing their apiaries by providing an easy-to-use intelligent apiary management system that increases beekeepers' revenues and reduces global bee extinction. The system, consisting of sensors and applications, allows you to monitor the condition of bees 24 hours a day and inform about the threat from anywhere in the world.
(Lodz University of Technology, Poland)
- $10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpMajicomMajicom
Majicom develops digital water ecosystems to supply affordable drinking water to communities across urban Africa.MoreIn African cities, population growth is outpacing the development of supporting water infrastructure - leading to the rise of single-use bottled water across the continent.
To solve this, Majicom is developing a water kiosk, unlike any other. One that combines innovative purification, storage, payment, and digital reward and monitoring functionality into a flexible product. Our kiosks can be used to build digital water ecosystems that provide communities with convenient and affordable water.
(University of Cambridge, UK)
- $10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpDr. TaniaNeurafarm
AI-powered crop protection and management apps to identify plant diseases & pests, increase harvests, connect with experts, and tap into bigger markets.MoreWith the increasing global population (expected to be 2 billion more people by 2050 by the FAO), the demand for food is growing rapidly. It means that we have to increase our food production by at least 70%. We believe that we can do that through the use of technology in farming. We also believe that smart and data-driven farming is something that all farmers can do, and we want to democratize it.
(Bandung Institute of Technology, Indonesia)
- $10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpPro-videnPreemar
Real-time monitoring system of water parameters for aquaculture.MoreWhen water quality variations are not immediately detected and corrected, aquaculture organisms get stressed and their immune system weakens. This allows for pathogens in the water to infect them and create diseases. If water conditions continue to be inadequate, then they may begin to die. This is why at Preemar we developed Pro-viden, a real-time monitoring system for water quality, which allows the farmer to prevent diseases and increase production.
(Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Mexico)
- $10,000 USD People's ChoiceCaeli
Caeli
Caeli is an advanced anti-pollution mask for chronic respiratory patients.MoreCaeli is the most advance anti-pollution mask designed to improve quality of life for 500 million asthmatic and chronic respiratory patients.
It is an initiative by a team of Engineering students to improve the quality of life for respiratory patients living or commuting in poor air quality. Caeli brings extraordinary capabilities like AQI monitoring, centrifugal fan, 6 layer filtering and Covid-19 Tracer (new) within a regular sized, lightweight face mask for everyone.
(Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, India)
- $25,000 USD India Impact Grand PrizeSensegrass
Sensegrass
Soil Intelligence diagnostic system for low income small farmers to improve yield through a patented IoT device.MoreEvery year around 3400 farmers commit suicide in India, and approximately 228M globally. Smallholder farmers face the issue of crop waste due to climate change and soil infertility because they have no tools to monitor soil health data and utilize the resources.
Sensegrass has developed a soil intelligence system with patented NPK sensor which gathers real-time micro soil data and measures 18 parameters from the soil to predict the right usage of water, fertilizers etc. for improved crop yields.
(Jaipur National University, India)
- $10,000 USD India Impact Runner-UpAROSIA Smart Water Kiosk
Hydrotec Solutions
A community water treatment kiosk that utilizes the power of IoT (Internet of Things) to make clean drinking water available in a sustainable way.MoreProviding clean drinking water to the underprivileged section of society is the next big challenge for humanity.
Additionally many existing rural community drinking water plants fail because of
- Lack of skilled operators
- Frequent power cuts
- Lack of testing and trust at the point of dispensing
Arosia smart water kiosks address these problems by
- Making the system fully automatic
- Using solar power & battery backup
- Real time water testing & display
Achieving the above by integrating IOT sensors.
(India Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India)
- $10,000 USD India Impact Runner-UpKrishi PS-1925
PS-1925
Pesticide spraying drone for smart farming in India - 'Krishi PS-1925'.MoreAbout 20-25% annual crop yield loss, which amounts to around 36,000 US million dollars, is witnessed in India due to pest attacks. 8-10 farm workers in every village are significantly affected due to prolonged exposure to harmful pesticides. We address the challenges faced by farmers in pesticide spraying with the integration of drone technology & AI for farming. We are proposing a pay-per-use or farming-as-a-service model for our drone for Pesticide Spraying – “Krishi PS-1925”.
(Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, India)
Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2019
Read our official winner announcement here.
Winners
- More$100,000 USD
Grand PrizeOorja: Oonnati Solar Pumping Systems
Oorja deploys and operates PAYG Community Solar Pumping Systems to provide affordable pay-per-use irrigation services to smallholder farmers.100 million farmers in India depend on expensive and polluting diesel pumps for irrigation. Solar pumps are a cost-effective and sustainable solution, but 90% of farmers cannot afford them. Oorja deploys PAYG Community Solar Pumping Systems for groups of smallholder farmers. Digital flowmeter and payment technology enable a pay-per-use model without upfront cost to farmers. They access affordable water services year-round, reduce irrigation costs, grow high-value crops and double their incomes.
- More$75,000 USD
First Runner-UpSolar Freeze
Mobile cold storage units powered by renewable energy for rural smallholder farmers to help them reduce the huge challenge of post-harvest loss in much of the developing world.Food losses amount to roughly US$ 310 billion in developing countries. Estimates from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank show that up to 47 per cent of the $940 billion needed to eradicate hunger in sub-Saharan Africa by 2050 will be required for the post-harvest system. Fruits and vegetables, dairy products and tubers have the highest loss rates of any food in developing countries at 45-50% occurring at post-harvest level.
- More$25,000 USD
Second Runner-UpCalla Imaging
A patient-centric cervical cancer screening technology with mHealth communication, patient data storage and artificial intelligence capabilities.Cervical cancer affects the lives over 500,000 women annually, with over 80% in low-and middle-income countries, and 50% of these women die. This is due to a lack of affordable, accessible, and accurate screening. Our vision is to democratize screening through 1) imaging technology that community health providers or women themselves can use for screening; 2) automated algorithms for accurate diagnosis without an expert; and 3) mHealth app for patient data storage and communication for follow up.
- More$25,000 USD
Second Runner-UpIlluminum Greenhouses
Provides smallholder farmers in Africa with affordable smart greenhouses equipped with solar powered sensors, enabling IoT to penetrate and reach those at the base of the pyramid.Use of outdated farming technologies coupled with the frequent attack of pests and diseases while depending only on rain for water for crops greatly affects 93% of farmers in Africa. By providing affordable greenhouses and drip kits equipped with solar-powered sensors that automate irrigation, we are able to protect crops while increasing yield by data analysis through the wireless sensors, enabling the internet of things to penetrate and reach the base of pyramid farmers.
- More$25,000 USD
Second Runner-UpTrashCon: Automated Zero Waste Technology
A one-stop solution to sort and process any type of mixed municipal solid waste automatically into biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste.TrashCon is solving the waste menace by our invention - The World's first completely automated Municipal Solid Waste segregation technology - TrashBot. A one-stop solution to segregate any kind of mixed municipal solid waste automatically into Bio-Degradable waste and Non Bio-Degradable waste upto 99% efficiency thus enabling Zero Waste. The Bio-degradable is converted to compost, Bio-gas and the Non Bio waste is recycled thus providing a complete end-to-end integrated solution.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpBlakBear: Soil Sensing Platform
A soil-sensing, machine learning platform that increases the yield farmers can get from their land.Intensive agriculture is necessary to feed a growing world, but it is destroying our farmland. In this project we will use novel sensing technology and cloud intelligence to increase the yield farmers can get from their land, using no more fertilizer than is necessary. We achieve this by combining electrochemical sensing innovations with statistical algorithms to measure and understand soil nitrogen levels instantaneously, and provide optimised nitrogen fertilisation instructions.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpNeurobots: Exobots
Offers a treatment capable of allowing stroke patients to recover 30% of hand movement in two weeks by training the brain.Stroke is the disease that causes most motor disabilities in the world, 16 million cases each year, 1 each 2 sec., and 87% of survivors are unable to perform daily activities. Common methods has low efficience to treat stroke patients, mainly when they have more than 6 month since stroke (chronic stage), when recovery its almost imperceptible. With Neurobots Method its possible reabilit even the chronic patients with a average hand recovery of more than 30% in just two weeks.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpReeddi
Reeddi innovatively provides affordable, reliable, and clean energy to individuals and businesses operating in the energy poor regions of the world.Over 600 million people presently live without access to electricity in Africa and data from the UN shows that over 70 million Nigerians live without steady access to electricity.
However, affordable access to clean and reliable energy will unlock national and global opportunities to millions of Nigerians currently living without power.
Through our proprietary energy and IoT system, Reeddi sustainably provides clean energy at a price point that every African at large can afford. - More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpREALDRIP by TREPLABS
REALDRIP is a low cost infusion monitor device for simpler and safer blood transfusion and drip treatment.Manual infusion treatment leads to the death of 500,000 babies and 76,000 pregnant women annually. 1 in 4 people dying from conditions caused by blood clot. Also, 1 in 5 people on blood transfusion and drip have suffered complications because they were given too much or too little fluid, with hundreds potentially dying.
REALDRIP device monitors blood transfusion and drip to prevent blood clot and complications during drip treatment by continuously monitoring flow rate and automating the process - More$10,000 USD
People's ChoiceBanoo
By integrating microbubble, IoT, and solar panels, Banoo provides smart aquaculture technology to help people in rural areas boost their food resilience.Two main hindrance of aquaculture productivity are land availability and pond quality. The land available to cultivate freshwater and brackish water fishery is diminishing because of rapidly growing population and land conversion. Low pond quality, mainly caused by the lack of dissolved oxygen in the water, kills fishes which will create serious losses for fish farmers. Seeing this, we, Banoo Project, create tools to make smarter fish farms using microbubble generator, IoT, and solar panel.
Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2018
Read our official winner announcement here.
Winners
- More$100,000 USD
Grand PrizeCareNX Innovations
Feton is portable, IoT-based fetal heart monitoring system.Access to quality care during prenatal period can save 60% of deaths. Fetal health assessment is very important and lack of facilities leads to complications lead to more than half a million still births. Feton a portable IoT based fetal heart monitoring solution enable fetal heart assessment anytime and anywhere. Portable and affordable nature of solution will increase accessibility of test by 10X and improve health seeking behaviour with positive experience of test at home.
- More$75,000 USD
First Runner-UpJara
The Jara Unit is a personal crank+solar powered tablet that teaches geographically custom education.Jara empowers refugees & those in disaster/conflict affected regions to continue their education through our technology - the Jara Unit - a low-cost personal crank+solar powered tablet that teaches geographically custom education without requiring access to a classroom. We teach through traditional education, such as maths and sciences, all the way to practical curriculum, such as 'how to build a clean water system with the resources around you in Nepal', while preserving cultural roots.
- More$25,000 USD
Second Runner-UpFlux
Flux is a smart water system that reduces water loss and increases transparency through better data management.Due to the aging analog water service system in Kenya, water utilities lose up to 50% of delivered water to untracked leakages, theft, and corruption that causes regular interruption of service, water scarcity and severe rationing. Our solution is Flux: an easy-to-install smart water meter engineered to work within Kenya’s unique infrastructure. Our metering and analytics system affordably tracks water consumption data critical for efficient water management and planning, while creating transparency between consumers, governmental agencies, and water suppliers.
- More
In Sub-Saharan Africa, less than 7% of students in late primary school are proficient in reading and only 14% in mathematics (World Development Report 2018). Personalized educational support for every child could help them gain the skills they need to achieve, but the majority of students do not have access to the right tools. M-Shule closes this gap through personalized learning delivered to students through SMS.
- More$25,000 USD
Second Runner-UpPowerstove
Powerstove is a smokeless, clean cookstove with cloud-based remote monitoring.About 3 billion people rely on traditional cookstoves to prepare their food each day. To fuel their hand-made traditional stoves, they burn biomass like firewood inside their homes. This practice harms the families who live in these households and our planet as a whole. Powerstove is the first smokeless clean cookstove with a self-powered cloud-based remote monitoring system for improved cookstoves in rural households. It uses 70% less biomass, cook food 5x faster with a payback period of 3months
- More
There are 150 million gallons of unburned gasoline released by pleasurecraft in the United States annually. In comparison, boating is far more pollutive than automotive travel. Operating a family sized gas boat for one hour releases the equivalent pollution of driving a car for 800 miles. Conversely, Flux Marine has set out to design and manufacture zero emissions electric boat motors with increased performance parameters compared to industry standards.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpStrados Labs
Strados Labs has a wearable smart sensor and application to help people monitor lung health.Strados Labs is developing a wearable smart sensor and connected application to help the 500 million people living with respiratory conditions easily and automatically monitor lung health with our patent pending, always on health technology. Strados Labs aims to reduce the $100B of economic burden of asthma and COPD hospitalizations with real-time monitoring of wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpInnovex Uganda Limited
Remot enables pay-as-you-go and remote monitoring services to solar contractors.1.2 billion people worldwide still live without access to the electric grid and by 2030, 700 million people in Africa will still live in off-grid areas. Off-grid solar electricity is an immediate solution though it’s growth is stagnated by the high initial cost and the poor aftersales support. Remot technology makes energy accessible to low-income earners and rural communities by providing Pay-Go and remote monitoring services to solar contractors.
- More$10,000 USD
Third Runner-UpUjuziKilimo Solutions
UjuziKilimo Solutions collects and analyzes data to help farmers make precise decisions.UjuziKilimo Solutions collects and analyzes farm data using sensors, GPS, satellite and mini weather stations to help farmers and agricultural stakeholders make precise decisions. The UjuziKit is a GPS and internet enabled device with sensors that is installed in farms to monitor the levels of nutrients, weather, soil PH and moisture content which directs water, lime and fertilizer nutrient application rates based on the local requirements.
- More$10,000 USD
People's ChoiceInventum-Pukio
Inventum–Pukio has developed a clean energy powered atmospheric water generator.Water scarcity is soon going to be a worldwide issue while the growing population will require larger food volumes, resulting in increased hunger, poverty and migration rates. Thus, the need to boost agriculture with efficiently grown crops. Our team has developed a clean energy powered, atmospheric water generator, attached to an IoT weather and soil monitoring system. It will compliment natural water sources and enhance productivity with smart farming to face global water and food challenges.
Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2017
Read our official winner announcement here.
Winners
- More$100,000 USD Grand Prize
Project Vive
Project Vive's Voz Box: There are approximately 4.5 million people with cerebral palsy and ALS who cannot speak. The Voz Box is an affordable and wearable device that can give a voice to the voiceless.There are approximately 4.5 million people with cerebral palsy and ALS who cannot speak. The Voz Box is an affordable and wearable device that can give a voice to the voiceless.
- More$75,000 USD First Runner-Up
DOT LEARN
DOT LEARN makes video-based online learning work reliably and affordably on cheap smartphones and 2G connections, thereby expanding educational access for people that need it the most.We make video-based online learning work reliably and affordably on cheap smartphones and 2G connections, thereby expanding educational access for people that need it the most.
- More$25,000 USD Second Runner-Up
OmniVis
A smartphone-based disease detection platform that can quantitatively measure the level of pathogens in environmental and patient samples with real-time location data. (Previously: PathVis)A smartphone-based disease detection platform that can quantitatively measure the level of pathogens in environmental and patient samples with real-time location data. (Previously: PathVis)
- More$25,000 USD Second Runner-Up
Shyft Power Solutions
For millions of people globally who struggle with backup or alternative power sources, Shyft is a hardware/software platform enabling the next generation of distributed energy management. (Previously: Solstice Energy Solutions, Inc.)For millions of people globally who struggle with backup or alternative power sources, SHYFT is a hardware/software platform enabling the next generation of distributed energy management.
- More$25,000 USD Second Runner-Up
Smart Bandage
Smart Bandage aims to improve the lives of people suffering from chronic wounds through inkjet printed patented sensors that provide real-time data to monitor early warning signs of chronic wounds.SmartBandage aims to improve the lives of people suffering from chronic wounds through inkjet printed patented sensors that provide real-time data to monitor early warning signs of chronic wounds.
- More$10,000 USD Third Runner-Up
BYU Village Pump
The Village Pump solution permanently provides water to villages that need it, thereby solving the problem of water pump failure.NGO’s don’t realize that, after 10 months of service, the water pumps installed in developing nations go out of commission. Our solution will permanently provide water to the villages that need it.
- More$10,000 USD Third Runner-Up
Forest Devices, Inc.
Forest Devices, Inc. is developing AlphaStroke, the first stroke screening device that can be used by all medical personnel in any environment.Forest Devices, Inc. is developing AlphaStroke, the first stroke screening device that can be used by all medical personnel in any environment.
- More$10,000 USD Third Runner-Up
myBalanceSens
myBalanceSens is developing smart glasses that enables older adults to reduce their fall risk by improving their balance.Falls among older adults are one of the leading causes hospitalization, and death. We seek to create smart glasses that will enable users to improve their balance to reduce fall risk.
- More$10,000 USD Third Runner-Up
Baby Bloom
Baby Bloom provides simple and effective lactation management through an IoT lactation tool that automatically tracks pumped milk production and uses machine learning to personalize lactation plans.Baby Bloom provides simple and effective lactation management. We are an IoT lactation tool that automatically tracks pumped milk production and uses machine learning to personalize lactation plans.
- More$10,000 USD People's Choice
ODA Systems
ODA Systems is developing a service that efficiently measures lubricant oil quality in machines, thereby decreasing pollution and economic waste while boosting productivity.We're developing a service that efficiently measures lubricant oil quality in machines. Timely oil changes and failure prognosis decrease pollution and economic waste, while boosting productivity.