IBM is inviting teams of developers to create technology solutions that utilize AI technologies to tackle global sustainability issues in distinct ways. Join Code Global Challenge Now!

About Challenge

Impactful sustainability actions are needed now to curb the worst consequences of climate change. To do their best, 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.

  • IBM is 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 the potential to help our planet.

2023 Call for Code Global Challenge by IBM

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 the 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, for example, 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
  • Startup/Independent Software Vendor (ISV) teams: $10,000 USD
    • University teams
    • 1st place: $10,000 USD
    • 2nd place: $5,000 USD3rd 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.

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

How to Register?

Interested candidates can directly apply through this link.