Q&A with Shawna Darling, Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge Program Manager
- How did the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge begin?
As part of Cisco’s goal to positively impact 1 billion people by 2025, the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge was launched in 2016 with the objective of recognizing and accelerating new business ideas that leverage technology for social impact from early-stage entrepreneurs around the world. To date, Cisco has awarded $1.25 million USD in prize money to 43 startups from 15 countries across the globe — helping them accelerate their breakthrough technologies.
2. Why is Cisco passionate about #TechForGood Startups?
Cisco’s mission is to power an inclusive future that benefits our employees, communities, and the planet — and innovative technology is at the heart of it. In alignment with our mission, and knowing how challenging it can be to scale an innovative tech for good solution, Cisco created the Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge to support early-stage social entrepreneurs using technology to help solve the world’s most pressing social and/or environmental problems. Not only are these start-ups addressing major challenges, they are creating jobs and driving economic growth in their communities.
3. How has Cisco advanced previous winners and what has the impact been?
For many of the winners, the Challenge is a springboard, providing valuable third-party validation that can lead to increased investor support and/or additional awards. The latter is true for OmniVis, the 2017 Second Runner-Up from the United States, which went on to win the BioLogic Innovation Award and secure funding from the National Science Foundation and Booz Allen, in addition to receiving coverage in the Wall Street Journal and NPR: All Things Considered. Many other winners, including Oorja, the 2019 Grand Prize winner from the United Kingdom, and Brazilian startup Neurobots, the 2019 Third Runner-Up, have also won additional prestigious awards and expanded their capacity to scale.
We are inspired by our Global Problem Solver Challenge winners. We continue to follow their progress after they’ve won our prize and look for ways to support them beyond the prize money. For example, when a team wins a new award or receives a grant, we promote it on our social media channels. We also continue to promote their work through videos, blogs, and events whenever possible.
4. What advice does Cisco have for entrepreneur developers?
Our winners themselves actually have a lot of great advice for entrepreneurs about seeking support for their solutions. You can read some of it on our Corporate Social Responsibility blog here: https://blogs.cisco.com/csr/past-cisco-global-problem-solver-challenge-winners-offer-advice-to-2021-applicants
If you have an innovative technology solution addressing today’s social and/or environmental challenges apply to the 2021 Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge. The deadline is January 29, 2021 at 5pm PT. For details, visit https://cisco.innovationchallenge.com.
