DHS is holding the first in a series of prize competitions focused on strengthening the nation’s resilience to climate change. The Cooling Solutions Challenge seeks to find groundbreaking cooling solutions, which will help communities across the country become more resilient to the threat of extreme heat. Contestants have until February 24, 2022 to enter the Cooling Solutions Challenge and compete!
Extreme heat is the nation’s leading cause of weather-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and while the United States is feeling the cold now, we are just months away from warmer weather. During and after a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, power outages resulting in a loss of air-conditioning can have serious consequences for those at risk of heat-related illness and vulnerable populations.
With the deadline just over a month away, you will have plenty of time to submit your entry for a great solution to help cool a first responder, a family, someone who is displaced because of power outage, or yourself!
The total prize pool is $195,000. Finalists will receive $5,000 each and automatically advance to the next round of judging with a chance of winning additional money. The grand prize is $50,000 and the runner-up will win $20,000. In addition, DHS could offer winners mentoring to bring their solutions to fruition. Finalists will be announced in March 2022 and winners in May 2022.
Solutions should be climate-friendly, focused on countering extreme heat conditions, and address at least one of the four Use Cases: (1) for use by first responders, (2) for personal use, (3) for use by a household or in a home, and (4) for use in indoor/outdoor venues accessible to homeless or displaced populations in public settings. You can apply for one or more, and make sure to explain how your proposed solution will be used.
To learn more about the challenge and how DHS S&T and our Component partners are incorporating innovative climate adaptation solutions into national preparedness efforts, watch our Insights Outreach webinar: Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change.
Please read the full Challenge rules, terms, and conditions, including eligibility to enter the prize before entering a submission. The full details are on our website and also can be found on Challenge.gov website (which is the official website where the Federal Government announces all prize Challenges).
Submitting an entry is simple: check out the steps on our prize webpage AND submit here and MIT Startup Exchange will help track your application.
Have a question? Email us at prizeauthority@hq.dhs.gov
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