Gender Equity in STEAM Challenge seeks solutions that will help provide women with the tools and conditions needed to reach a state of equality with men in the STEM fields.
Donor Name: MIT Solve
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Challenge
Deadline: 06/02/2023
Size of the Grant: $1 million
Grant Duration: 6 months
Details:
Gender inequity in STEM education and careers not only impacts women, but also has a ripple effect across society. A lack of gender equity in STEM limits women’s earning potential, compounds shortages of technical talent, and stifles innovation. In the United States, the gender gap in STEM appears early in life, and it persistently shows up along education and career pathways with each transition diminishing the likelihood that a woman will work and thrive in a STEM field.
Funding Information
- A total pool of $1 million in prize funding is available for up to 8 winners of the Gender Equity in STEM Challenge.
- In addition to funding, each Challenge winner will participate in a six-month tailored support program run by MIT Solve that will include:
- A comprehensive needs assessment to determine what resources and support are most appropriate in order to accelerate your impact
- Access to a network of resource partners across industries and sectors
- Learning and development modules aimed at refining your business model, theory of change, and plans for scaling
- Individual or group leadership coaching, a process of reflection, learning, and change to maximize your personal and professional potential
- A peer-to-peer network to build a community of practice with dedicated spaces to convene throughout the duration of the support program.
Eligibility Criteria
MIT Solve invites submissions from individuals, new teams, or established organizations. Solutions can be for-profit, nonprofit, or hybrid models and must be at least at the prototype stage. Solution teams must be US-based to be eligible for the Challenge. If you have a relevant solution addressing at least one of the dimensions of this Challenge, they hope you’ll apply!
Types of Eligible Solutions
Solution applications must be written in English. The Challenge considers solutions at various stages of development:
- Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model. If for-profit, a new company getting off the ground that has raised little or no institutional capital (less than $500,000) in pre-seed fundraising.
- Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community or population. If for-profit, a young company that is working to gain traction and that has raised less than $2 million in institutional capital in seed funding.
- Growth: An organization with an established product, service, or business model rolled out in one or, ideally, several communities, which is poised for further growth in multiple communities or populations. If for-profit, an early-stage company that has established a track record and is seeking to raise a round of roughly $2 million to $15 million in institutional capital in a Series A or potentially B round.
- Scale: A sustainable enterprise working in several communities or populations that is looking to scale significantly, focusing on increased efficiency. If for-profit, a successful company that is scaling its operations and seeks to raise a round of more than $15 million in institutional capital.
Through open innovation, the Challenge is looking for a diverse portfolio of solutions across US geography, development stage, and team members’ demographics. They encourage people of all backgrounds to submit applications including male allies, whose role in helping to create gender equity in STEM fields cannot be understated.
For more information, visit MIT Solve.
