Wilkes Climate Launch Prize 2025 (Up to $250,000)

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Applications are open for Wilkes Climate Launch Prize 2025. The Wilkes Climate Launch Prize highlights top global ideas for combating climate change. Each year, by elevating and honoring innovative climate solutions, this University of Utah prize aims to accelerate worldwide progress and encourage technological advances. Our goal is to develop effective climate change solutions quickly for the benefit of people and ecosystems worldwide.

Prize

$250,000 to Launch your Climate Change Solution!

Eligibility Criteria for Wilkes Climate Launch Prize

Organizations at all stages, both for-profits and nonprofits, anywhere in the world are eligible to submit ideas to be considered for the Wilkes Climate Launch Prize. This includes seed, pre-seed, venture-funded, publicly traded stage companies, or nonprofits.

Evaluation Criteria for Wilkes Climate Launch Prize

Key considerations for each criteria.

Scalable impact:

How much greenhouse gases (MT CO2-equivalent) could be avoided from emissions or removed from the atmosphere per year in the immediate future (e.g. 2025-2027) and near-term future (e.g. around 2030)?
What are the potentials for scaling up over the 2030-2050 timescale?
How will the Prize lead to a transformative change in this sector?
What is the estimated permanence of these emissions reductions or removals and what is the confidence for these estimates?

Feasibility:

Are there demonstrations of feasibility existing? At what stage? Where?
What is the current cost per MT CO2-equivalent? What are future estimated costs by approximately 2030?
Explain why your team has the relevant expertise and structure to succeed.
What are key barriers and what plans are in place to overcome barriers, constraints, risks, or trade-offs with scaling up the solution?

Co-benefits

Will the proposed solution lead to co-benefits to communities, economies, or ecosystems?
What is the potential for negative consequences (e.g. on communities, economies, or ecosystems) and what are solutions to mitigate them?

Process & Review Timeline:

Phase I: First round submissions Due February 28, 2025 (all submissions must be submitted by 11:59 PM MST, Friday night)
Phase II: Finalists submit second-round application on May 13th and pitch in-person at Wilkes Climate Summit at the University of Utah, May 15, 2025
Awards: Award ceremony in September 2025