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It’s time! Join this year’s Call for Code Global Challenge now. Build solutions to address equitable access while building your generative AI skills with free watsonx training.

The 2024 Call for Code Global Challenge is a competition that asks developers and problem solvers to build open source solutions that address the theme of equitable access.

The Challenge

• Basic necessities like clean water and safe, affordable housing, or opportunities in education and fair government representation are not equally accessible to all people. Climate change exacerbates the challenges that many people but especially women and historically underserved communities face as resources are strained and climate change protections are often inadequate. Generative AI has great potential to address these issues and reduce inequality, improving people’s lives.
• Be a part of a new era in responsible AI. For the 2024 Call for Code Global Challenge, they’re calling on students, developers, and problem-solvers from universities and companies around the world to build innovative AI tech solutions with IBM watsonx that address specific challenges of equitable access to essential needs. Help show the world that AI can be trusted and used responsibly.

Prizes

• Teams of 1-5 people can compete for the following prizes:
• Grand prize
  • $50,000 USD
    • Option for solution implementation support from the Call for Code ecosystem
    • Opportunity for open source support from The Linux Foundation
• First runner-up
  • $25,000 USD
    • Opportunity for open source support from The Linux Foundation
• Second runner-up
  • $10,000 USD
    • Opportunity for open source support from The Linux Foundation
• University grant
  • $30,000 USD
    • total to the top scoring university team’s school(s)
• Any university students in the top 3 winning teams are also eligible for:
  • Exploration of IBM job opportunities
  • Option to be matched with an IBM mentor
• In addition to prizes, participants can grow their AI, cloud, and other emerging tech skills through access to expert technical mentors, training resources, and events.

Who should participate?

• There are many ways you can build a great team, but the most successful teams often bring together diverse skill sets to design unique and impactful solutions. Consider problem-solvers with varied experience when assembling your team.
  • Builders
    • The tech mastermind of your team. The builder is the methodical, digital-obsessed teammate who brings the technical know-how to help ground your solution in what’s possible.
  • Designers
    • Your UX expert who ensures the solution is user-friendly and visually appealing. Designers bring creative vision to technical problem solving, making what you build sleek and easy-to-consume.
  • Communicators
    • Good communicators make complex ideas simple and inspiring. Your team’s calculating hustler is essential in articulating the problem and succinctly defining how the solution can make a difference in a profound, unique, consumable way.
  • Humanitarians
    • Altruistic thinkers who understand the complex problems at hand in a truly human way and are committed to finding a solution to make a demonstrable difference. This inspirational lead of your team considers the communities in need, while also thinking like the individual user.

Eligibility Criteria

• Participants of this event must be 18 years old or have reached the age of emancipation in the jurisdiction in which they are submitting their project, whichever is greater.
• They’re calling on students, developers, and problem solvers around the world to build innovative tech solutions with IBM watsonx AI that address specific challenges of equitable access.
• This contest is void to residents of U.S. Embargoed countries and is void wherever restricted by, without limitation, filing or registration requirements, or is otherwise prohibited or restricted by law.
• In addition, employees, employers, officers and directors of: (i) IBM Group, including Red Hat (ii) government agencies, departments, branches, instrumentalities and public enterprises, whether regional, national or local (iii) any advertising and promotion agencies, and those individuals and entities involved in the preparation of materials for, administration, organization (including Call for Code, LLC.) and/or execution of this Event and/or this Contest (all collectively the “Promotion Entities”), and (iv) the immediate family members (defined as parents, children, siblings and spouse, including step and foster relations) regardless of where they reside, and/or individuals living in the same household (whether or not related) of any of the Promotion Entities are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
• Prior to registering for the Event, each participant, whether individually or as part of a team, must ensure that he/she is in compliance with any employment or other contract to which he/she is a party on issues such as, but not limited to, eligibility to participate, intellectual property and acceptance of prizes.
• Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in clause (ii) of this paragraph, university or college students employed by their educational institution for part-time work, through work-study programs or otherwise, are eligible to participate in the Contest.
• IBM Group includes IBM Corporation and any legal entity and the subsidiaries it owns by more than 50 percent. It also includes Red Hat Inc. and all its subsidiaries.

For more information, visit IBM.