AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge (Funding up to $100 million)

Deadline: 30th July, 2024

The AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is a global $100 million initiative from the Bezos Earth Fund. The Grand Challenge is exploring new ideas for multiplying the impact of climate and nature efforts using modern AI. The first round of awards will focus on sustainable proteins, power grid optimization, and biodiversity conservation, in addition to embracing visionary wildcard solutions for climate and nature.

To create and scale new solutions, they need to incentivize partnerships across experts in climate, nature, and AI. Through the Grand Challenge, these collaborators have an opportunity to bring speed, scale, accuracy, and precision to their climate and nature efforts by proposing, designing, and deploying modern AI solutions.

• Sustainable proteins

How can we feed the Earth’s growing population without hurting the environment? Can AI help sort through millions of protein combinations to produce meat alternatives that are just as delicious but more affordable and with a much smaller environmental footprint? While the current generation of sustainable proteins may not appeal to all consumers, new applications of AI have the potential to help identify formulations and processing approaches to advance a new generation of delicious, affordable, and nutritious protein products.

• Power grid optimization

How can we ensure our power system is ready to operate and support net zero and energy transition plans being developed in countries around the world? Can AI help us expand energy access to hundreds of millions of people by integrating renewable energy into electricity grids? By connecting grid operations with real-time data to optimize power flows, balance supply and demand, and enable the seamless integration of renewable energy sources, AI can accelerate an equitable clean energy transition while enhancing grid resilience for communities.

• Biodiversity conservation

How can we protect endangered animals and preserve genetic diversity? How can we reverse biodiversity decline and restore wild habitats? Can researchers use AI image and sound recognition to identify and protect millions of species humans haven’t yet discovered? AI has the potential to transform biodiversity conservation efforts across the globe by multiplying the impact of existing interventions and opening new horizons of possibility.

• Wildcard solutions

Climate change and nature loss are complicated, urgent issues — and we want to understand how modern AI can help identify and accelerate solutions. Do you have an idea for driving impact within climate change mitigation or nature protection using AI? If you and your team have a transformative idea that doesn’t fit within other first-round focus areas, we encourage you to submit it in the wildcard category.

Benefits

• The Grand Challenge will unfold across three rounds and offer up to $100 million in total funding.
• Access to mentorship and other in-kind resources

Eligibility

To establish and maintain eligibility for participating in the Challenge, each Lead Entity and Contributing Entity represents, warrants, agrees and covenants as follows:

• It is a legal entity organized under the laws of a state, country or other governmental body that is not subject to U.S. sanctions as specified on the U.S. Department of Treasury website.
• It satisfies all Challenge requirements specified on the website at www.AIforClimateandNature.org (the “Challenge Website”), the terms of which are incorporated herein by reference as though fully set forth, and this Agreement.
• All applications, whether submitted by a single entity or group of entities, must designate a single entity as the “Lead Entity,” that, if the grant application is selected, will be the Earth Fund’s grantee. The Lead Entity is responsible for fulfilling the obligations designated to such Lead Entity under this Agreement and the Challenge Website, including submitting the grant application, submitting this Agreement signed by each Contributing Entity, signing the grant agreement, receiving the grant award, and additional obligations identified from time to time by the Earth Fund in support of the administration and operation of the Challenge. For applications submitted by a single entity, that entity shall be the Lead Entity for that application.  A Lead Entity, whether applying alone or jointly, must be either (1) a domestic U.S. organization that is exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or (2) an academic institution from anywhere in the world.

• The Lead Entity must designate an individual point of contact who is affiliated with and authorized to act on behalf of the Lead Entity as the “Team Lead.” The Team Lead must be the older of: 18 years of age or the age of majority in the state or country where the individual resides. Team Leads will be responsible for all Challenge-related communications with the Administrators or Bezos Earth Fund. The Team Lead may not be a citizen of or reside in a country that is subject to U.S. sanctions as specified on the U.S. Department of Treasury website.  Any notices by the Earth Fund or either Administrator shall be deemed delivered once sent via email to the Team Lead using the email address provided in the grant application.
• Each Contributing Entity agrees that the Lead Entity and Team Lead may undertake all tasks required to advance the grant application and in connection with this Agreement and all Challenge-related agreements and other obligations.  For the avoidance of doubt, any Contributing Entity acknowledges that the grants provided pursuant to this Challenge will be paid solely to entities that are academic institutions or U.S. entities that are exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

• No Grant Applicant may be owned, managed, or controlled by employees, officers, directors or board members of the Earth Fund or either Administrator.
• Phase 2 participation is restricted to Phase 1 awardees. To be eligible for Phase 2 grant awards, Phase 1 awardees must have complied with all requirements to participate in relevant activities for Phase 2 as described on the Challenge Website.
• Any agreement signed, or obligation undertaken regarding a Lead Entity or Contributing Entity’s participation in the Challenge that conflicts with this Agreement may make the Grant Applicant ineligible.

For more information and application.