Guest Blog by Matt Huelsenbeck, Team Relations Manager, XPRIZE
A major problem facing the ocean is that air pollution is also ocean pollution. The surface ocean layer has become on average 30% more acidic since the Industrial Revolution due to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These changes in ocean chemistry, dubbed ocean acidification, threaten many forms of marine life, fisheries, and other vital ocean services. But due to a lack of good tools to measure pH, there is little to no information on how ocean pH is changing on a regional level, or in places like the deep sea. We can’t tackle a problem we know so little about.
Therefore, the XPRIZE Foundation, the leading non-profit that’s solving the world’s Grand Challenges through large-scale incentivized prize competitions, is collaborating with ocean philanthropist Wendy Schmidt to offer $2 million dollars in prizes to address ocean acidification through the development of breakthrough pH sensor technology. The winning pH sensor(s) of the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIZE will be radically more accurate, durable, and affordable. This is where you come in.
We are looking for teams of innovators to compete in this once-in-a lifetime competition to help tackle the issue of ocean acidification! Would you or someone you know, be interested in forming or joining a team? Skills as diverse as electrical engineering, materials science, data science, nanotechnology and chemistry could be part of the winning team. Registration is open, but closing soon, and we encourage you to fill out the Intent to Compete form today. By submitting your intent to compete form, you can build or join a team made up of innovators like yourself.
There are two prize purses available (teams may compete for, and win, both purses):
$1,000,000 Accuracy award – Performance focused (First Place: $750,000, Second Place: $250,000): To the teams that navigate the entire competition to produce the most accurate, stable and precise pH sensors under a variety of tests.
$1,000,000 Affordability award – Cost and Use focused (First Place: $750,000, Second Place: $250,000): To the teams that produce the least expensive, easy-to-use, accurate, stable, and precise pH sensors under a variety of tests.
This is your chance to apply your skills to help improve our understanding of one of the oceans greatest threats, ocean acidification, and win up to $2 million dollars in the process! We hope to see you compete.
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