Last Thursday, investors, innovators, and global leaders gathered at MIT for Solve at MIT with a shared belief: the solutions to the world's toughest problems already exist, and it’s up to us to find and fund them. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters and community, we were able to do just that. Over $1 million in funding was awarded throughout the day to scale solutions poised to positively impact the world.
Solve at MIT was also a moment to celebrate this community, which persists with joy, compassion, and optimism. Whether you were in the room or not, the work that began there belongs to all of us.
Read on for inspiration for the future.
This month’s CrowdSolve will take 5 minutes to read.
1. Scaling extraordinary solutions
The 2025 Solver Class
Solve at MIT reinforced our community’s commitment to scaling solutions. Together with Macquarie Group, we announced the six winners of the Macquarie Community Resilience Prize and a one-million-dollar prize pool. Solver teams, Visilant and SmartscopeCX, were awarded $50K in follow-on funding from the Johnson & Johnson Foundation and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, respectively. Solver alumni, Hello World (‘21) and Humans in the Loop (‘20) won follow-on funding from the Andan Foundation. And although this marks the end of the 2025 program, once a Solver, always a Solver. Our commitment to supporting solutions to scale continues long after the event ends.
Throughout the day, speakers touched on many topics—everything from responsibility in innovation to breakthroughs in agriculture to data sharing and knowledge. But the resounding theme was human connection. Even in an increasingly digital world, each panel and conversation reinforced the power of the people. As Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador-at-Large and 2025 Right Livelihood Award Laureate, Audrey Tang, said, “the superintelligence is you.”
Audrey Tang delivers the keynote speech at Solve at MIT 2026.
Looking to disrupt “synthetic intimacy”? We had a chance to sit down with Audrey after her keynote to record a new episode of The Solve Effect Podcast. The episode airs June 3, and you won’t want to miss it!
The afternoon plenary conversations centered on humanity’s role in shaping the future of AI, from local representation to innovative government structures to the design of open systems. Here’s what we heard.
Sara Monteabaro, Director, Strategic Partnerships & Philanthropy, MIT Solve; Madge Thomas, President, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express Foundation, American Express; and Erin Shakespeare, Managing Director, Head of Philanthropy and Engagement, Macquarie Group on a panel featuring how funders can catalyze impact.
“It’s so important to be intentional as you think about who you partner with. Make sure there’s an alignment between your product and their objectives, so you’re not wearing out your people and yourselves when you’re approaching a million companies. Think about which ones are right for you . . . don’t do acrobatics. Don’t try to contort yourself into someone else’s ideal just because it’s an opportunity for a little bit of funding.” —Madge Thomas, President, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, American Express Foundation, American Express
4. Envisioning our shared futures
At Solve at MIT, the working sessions create opportunities to build practical guides for action long after we left the conference. In the morning, groups moved together for cross-community connections, envisioning the future of fields and working together to make it all a reality. After lunch, the 2025 Solver class demonstrated the work that they are accomplishing in real time and the real impact that makes them Solvers. No awkward small talk. Just the right people, in the right room, doing the actual work, and planning for the future.
5. Committing to another decade of impact
After 10 years of solving, we’re just getting started. The next decade will be all about taking our learnings and continuing to build a better world for everyone. The first step? Celebrating Solve Challenge Finals in NYC this September, and announcing the winners of our 10th Anniversary Global Challenge. Interested in joining our 10th birthday celebrations?
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