Cisco

The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2021 is a worldwide search for early-stage technology-enabled solutions and services that can enable economic development and/or benefit society and/or the environment. 

You can participate as an individual, as part of a team, or as a business entity. Teams may have a maximum of 5 members. If you are registering as part of a team, your team leader will need to register first and then can invite you to register as a member of the team, using your email address. For detailed eligibility requirements, please visit our Rules page. Once you are ready, click here to register.

There will be two distinct submission rounds.

Round one opens October 27, 2020 and closes January 29, 2021 at 5:00 pm PST. To prepare your submission you will need to complete an online questionnaire, which will cover the following topics:

Defining the problem you are solving

Explaining the solution, including:

Its benefits and how it uses IoT or digital technologies

How it is unique and will be taken to market

Risks associated with the solution

90-second pitch video explaining the solution

Once you are ready, click here to register (or log in) and prepare your submission. 

Once you’ve prepared and double-checked all your materials, have your team leader log onto the Challenge website here. You must upload all materials and submit them before January 29, 2021 at 5pm PT. Remember, you must click submit before the deadline in order for your entry to be considered. 

Please check your entry for completeness and ensure your video does not exceed 90 seconds. Also, do not use unlicensed images, music, or video content in your submission. 

Judges evaluate submissions and are looking for ideas that are especially innovative and clearly articulate the use of technology, feasibility, and scale of impact.

On March 30, 2021, Semi-Finalists will be invited via email to submit a more detailed proposal.

The round two application window opens March 30, 2021 and closes April 23, 2021 at 5pm PT. Finalists will be announced on June 2, 2021.

In addition to the information provided in round one, the online round two questionnaire for Semi-Finalists will include the following sections:

Problem and solution summary explanation

Detailed technical overview of solution

Dependencies

Timeline for the next 12-24 months

Addressable market

Financial model

Team bios

If you are selected as a Semi-Finalist, be sure that your team leader logs in to the Challenge website before the April 23, 2021 5pm PT deadline to double check all of the materials and click submit in order to be considered for the final round.

Be sure to check that your content meets the submission guidelines, or your entry may be disqualified. It's also important to check for completeness, appropriate content, video length, and unlicensed images, music, or video. If your round two application is not submitted by the deadline, it will not be considered.

If you are selected as a Finalist, we recommend that you share your participation in the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2021 with your supporters and invite them to vote for their favorite entries. Voting for the People’s Choice Award takes place from June 2 - 18, 2021.

Once the submission period closes our judges will begin evaluating the submissions, looking for solutions that are especially innovative and which clearly articulate their use of technology, feasibility and scale of impact. Winners will be announced on June 29, 2021!