The XPRIZE is open to individuals and teams from 194 countries worldwide. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid government-issued ID, and present an innovative solution addressing poverty. We welcome entrepreneurs, researchers, NGOs, and anyone with a breakthrough idea.

Yes! Both individuals and organizations can apply. For organizational applications, you'll need to designate a team lead who will be the primary contact. There's no limit to team size, but each submission must have a clearly defined solution and implementation plan.

You'll need: a valid government ID (passport or driver's license); a detailed description of your solution (minimum 500 words); proof of concept or prototype documentation if available; and a brief video pitch (optional). Accepted formats: PDF, JPG, PNG.

Initial review takes 4–6 weeks. Shortlisted candidates will be notified via email and asked for additional materials. The full evaluation from application to final selection usually takes 6–8 months.

The total XPRIZE Poverty Challenge prize pool is $100 million. The Grand Prize is $10 million, with additional prizes (e.g., $5M, $2.5M, $1M) and finalist grants between $100,000–$500,000.

Prize money is distributed in stages: finalist grants, milestone payments, and final prizes upon successful demonstration. Winners also receive mentorship and partner introductions.

Evaluated on Innovation (25%), Impact & Scalability (30%), Technical Feasibility (20%), Team Capability (15%), and Sustainability (10%). A panel of scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors judges submissions.

Winners receive prize funding, mentorship, access to engineering resources, introductions to partners and investors, media support, and assistance for global deployment.

Yes — finalists have access to mentorship from industry leaders, technical resources, networking events, and a dedicated support team to help refine and scale solutions.

Finalists receive mentorship from executives and engineers, access to technical resources, networking opportunities, and introductions to partners and investors to help bring prototypes to scale.