Coronavirus: Health Security Challenge Launch and Moving to Virtual Solve at MIT

Dear Solve Community, 

The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is on all of our minds and I wanted to update you on some of the ways MIT Solve is addressing this concerning global development. 

At Solve, we are committed to finding and supporting solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges through open innovation. In response to this threat, we are launching a Solve Challenge focused on Health Security & Pandemics that addresses global health preparedness, early detection, and rapid response. 

While scientists and drug developers are rushing to develop vaccines and treatments, there are a lot of existing tech solutions that address other critical aspects of health security—and we want to highlight these innovations and help them scale. This will complement the four Global Challenges that Solve launched on February 25 with over $1 million in funding.

We need your help:

• If you have a solution, we want you to apply.

• If you can help us fund a prize for the selected Solver teams, please get in touch with Hala Hanna at hala@solve.mit.edu.

• You can also donate here—all amounts raised will support the Challenge.  

• If you can partner with us in any other way, please let us know here. 

This is a tumultuous time, but we firmly believe the talent and ingenuity across the world will allow us to build better health systems that protect people and communities—and help us find and scale promising solutions that mitigate future health security threats. 

Meanwhile, the safety of the MIT and Solve communities is our top priority. In line with MIT’s recent announcement, we are very disappointed to say that we cannot host our flagship event, Solve at MIT (May 12-14) in-person. Instead, Solve at MIT will be virtual this year. In addition to our typical plenary live streaming, we will continue to bring together Solve’s cross-sector community via interactive online workshops and more—we hope you’ll join us. 

Very best,
Alex Amouyel
Executive Director, Solve