The Challenge
Impactful sustainability actions are needed now to
curb the worst consequences of climate change. To do the most good, sustainability solutions should have
global potential, but they also need to benefit local communities, especially marginalized communities
that are most often polluted or left out of policymaking. Technology is key, as open innovation can
address sustainability challenges effectively and at scale.
We’re calling on teams of developers and problem solvers to build tech solutions that leverage IBM AI
technologies to address specific global sustainability problems in clear and unique ways. By
participating in the Global Challenge, in addition to the chance to win prizes and implementation
support, you’ll gain skills in emerging tech like AI and machine learning and contribute to projects
that have potential to help our planet.
How can technology improve sustainable resource management, reduce pollution, and protect biodiversity
to create a greener future for all?
Your Global Challenge solution should address one of the diverse challenges of sustainability:
Improve the ability to measure, analyze, or take decisive action on
carbon emissions
Improve access to affordable and reliable clean energy
Improve supply chain transparency and traceability to bring fast
and accurate visibility to sustainability issues where they arise
Address issues of water scarcity and quality
Reduce volume of and demand for materials that create the biggest
waste footprint (plastics, electronics, food, textiles), and encourage reuse/recycle
opportunities
Build effective and efficient ways to quantifiably promote, preserve, and
protect biodiversity
Reduce global food insecurity through, as examples, improvements
to distribution or sustainable farming practices
Prizes
Win prizes from a pool with
funding of up to $1.4M USD! For 2023, the Global Challenge will be comprised of multiple rounds. Teams can compete for
Challenge Round prizes. At the end of the year, winners from all Challenge Rounds will compete for Grand Prizes.
Challenge Round prize winners
Developer teams
$10,000 USD
per region, where applicable*
Startup/Independent Software Vendor (ISV) teams
$10,000 USD
per region, where applicable*
University teams
1st place: $10,000 USD
2nd place: $5,000 USD
3rd place: $3,000 USD
Grand prize winners
Developer team
$50,000 USD
Personalized IBM AI discussion
IBM executive meeting
Open source support from The Linux Foundation
Startup/Independent Software Vendor (ISV) team
$50,000 USD
Personalized IBM AI discussion
Assigned IBM mentor
University team
$50,000 USD
$30,000 grant for university
Explore IBM job opportunities
Assigned IBM mentor
Open source support from The Linux Foundation
All Grand Prize winners will also receive solution implementation support from the Call for Code ecosystem.
In addition to prizes, participants can grow their AI, cloud, and other emerging tech skills through access to expert technical mentors, training resources, and events.
*See the 2023 Call for Code Global Challenge Participation Agreement when you register for more details.
2023 Timeline
13 February
2023 Call for Code Global Challenge registration opens
1 March – 7 April
Challenge Round 1
27 April
Challenge Round 1 winners announced
1 May – 9 June
Challenge Round 2
29 June
Challenge Round 2 winners announced
3 July – 11 August
Challenge Round 3
31 August
Challenge Round 3 winners announced
11 September – 20 October
Challenge Round 4
9 November
Challenge Round 4 winners announced
12 December
2023 Call for Code Global Challenge Awards
Who should participate?
There are many ways you can build a great team, but the most successful teams often bring together diverse skill sets to design unique and impactful solutions. Consider problem-solvers with varied experience when assembling your team.
Builders
The tech mastermind of your team. The builder is the
methodical, digital-obsessed teammate who brings the technical know-how to help ground your solution in
what’s possible.
Designers
Your UX expert who ensures the solution is user-friendly and
visually appealing. Designers bring creative vision to technical problem solving, making what you build
sleek and easy-to-consume.
Communicators
Good communicators make complex ideas simple and inspiring.
Your team’s calculating hustler is essential in articulating the problem and succinctly defining how the
solution can make a difference in a profound, unique, consumable way.
Humanitarians
Altruistic thinkers who understand the complex problems at
hand in a truly human way and are committed to finding a solution to make a demonstrable difference. This
inspirational lead of your team considers the communities in need, while also thinking like the individual
user.
Judging criteria
Each submission will be scored based on the following
criteria with a minimum
score of 0 and maximum score of 20 points, with the final score being the average of the judges’ scores.
Completeness and transferability
(5 points)
Effectiveness and efficiency
(5 points)
Design and usability
(5 points)
Creativity and innovation
(5 points)
Registration is now open!
Answer the call. Find more competition details, get exclusive access to expert resources and training to
up-skill on
emerging tech like AI and machine learning, and start building your team and your solution.