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Grants
Virtual
About the Call for Grant
The Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge is an elite international technological competition designed to recognize and fund early-stage startups and student entrepreneurs utilizing digital technologies to drive social, environmental, or economic impact. Backed by Cisco's global corporate social responsibility initiative, the challenge aims to empower a generation of global problem solvers. It seeks breakthroughs incorporating the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and advanced networking to solve pressing global challenges across critical human domains.
Eligibility
The challenge implements precise institutional and business architecture rules:
- Academic Status: Open to individuals and teams of students currently enrolled in post-secondary institutions (universities, colleges) globally, as well as recent alumni (who graduated within the last few years).
- Team Composition: Teams can consist of up to 5 members. At least half (50%) of the team members must satisfy the student or recent alumni status criteria.
- Corporate Structure: Legal business entities/startups are fully eligible to apply, provided that at least 25% of the business is owned by current students or recent graduates.
- Geographic Scope: Open globally; student teams from Kazakhstan and Central Asian universities are fully eligible to enter.
Priority Impact Sectors
- Critical Human Needs (Water scarcity, food security, disaster relief, healthcare access)
- Energy & Sustainability (Green tech, greenhouse gas reduction, circular economy solutions)
- Digital Inclusivity (Closing the digital divide, accessibility tools, remote education infrastructure)
- Greenhouse/Smart Agriculture and Intelligent IoT Infrastructures
Format:
Prize Tiers & Evaluation Architecture
💰 Funding Allocation Pool:
The overall prize fund scales up to $1,000,000 USD, distributed across several competitive tranches:
- Grand Prize: A single massive award of $250,000 USD for the top global solution.
- Regional & Special Prizes: Multiple tranches ranging from $10,000 to $100,000 USD (including specialized awards like the Digital Inclusivity Prize, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Prize, and regional APJC awards).
Winners also receive critical non-financial perks, including technical mentorship from Cisco engineers, peer validation, and global platform visibility.
⏱️ Project Stage:
The challenge targets early-stage innovations—teams must possess at least a working prototype, software wireframe, or a validated minimum viable product (MVP), coupled with a viable business model.
📅 Application Process & Deadlines:
The competition operates on a rigid annual cycle with multiple selection rounds.
- Submission Window: Typically opens in late spring/summer with a primary proposal deadline around late August / early September (e.g., September 4th).
- Evaluation Framework: Submissions undergo a rigorous three-round judging process scored on:
1. Technological Innovation (33%) — Novel use of digital tools/IoT.
2. Feasibility & Sustainability (24%) — Financial viability and scalability.
3. Social Impact (33%) — Scale and depth of the human/environmental problem solved.
4. Pitch Clarity (10%) — Articulation of the core operational model.