XR PRIZE CHALLENGE: FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

The winners of the 2023 XR Prize Challenge have been announced


Congratulations to Between Two Worlds on winning the 2023 XR Prize Challenge and the grand prize of $100,000.

Additional 'Best in Category' winners were as follows:
  • Best Optimizing Design & Execution of Climate Solutions: InCitu
  • Best Educating About Solutions to Climate Change: Mangrove City
  • Best Visualizing the Causes & Impacts of Climate Change: Qikiqtaruk

    Watch all of the XR Prize team presentations below:


    The XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change is a global competition aimed at harnessing AR and VR (XR) solutions to help fight climate change. It is hosted by AWE, the producer of global in-person and online XR events, and the world’s most impactful XR community. The first ever XR Prize Challenge took place at AWE USA 2023, with the grand prize winner of $100,000 announced on stage during the Auggie Awards ceremony. As well as one overall winner, three other teams were voted by a panel of expert judges as being the best in their respective categories.

    This year's XR Prize Challenge is now over. Stay tuned for more information on future AWE competitions with the 2024 Auggie Awards.

    Teams, individuals and collaborations between XR technologists and climate change experts from around the world came together to compete for the $100,000 cash prize. Finalists that demonstrated a creative, functional, and impactful XR-based solution to help humanity in its fight against climate change in the following 4 categories were selected to present at AWE USA 2023:

    Replacing wasteful material practices
    Visualizing the causes & impacts of climate change
    Educating about solutions to climate change
    Optimizing design & execution of climate solutions

    The challenge

    Climate change is one of the most urgent and long-term threats to life as we know it, and deserves our attention as a species, as professionals, and as technology experts. While the causes and effects of climate change are understood intellectually, they are difficult to grasp viscerally or emotionally because they seem so disconnected from our daily lives and behaviors. One of the biggest challenges in raising awareness of the impacts of climate change is that it’s hard to fight a threat you can’t see.

    Additionally, while there are communities and communication platforms for those who wish to address climate change, these forums are often not as powerful as immersive solutions for educating people through direct and personal experience.

    Climate change subject matter experts and entrepreneurs struggle to inspire people and policy-makers to take action. Finally, engineers and other professionals need spatially immersive tools to help improve and optimize design and execution for solutions to fight climate change.

    The opportunity

    Visualizing air pollution particles in a 2009 AR application by Columbia University.

    XR, a technology that encompasses virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality is the ultimate tool to visualize information and generate empathy through spatial experiences. In recent years, XR has had a positive impact on the world thanks to its potential to mitigate climate change. Whether by reducing the need to travel, reducing manufacturing and product waste, or even reducing the need for real estate spaces, XR technology is helping numerous industries fight climate change. But the XR industry can and should do much more!

    XR’s strength is to help simulate and visualize the invisible and make the problem of climate change personal to every individual. It can help people see and feel the effects on their own lives, engage with other like-minded citizens, and prompt them to take action against it. It can help professionals make the most effective decisions in their fight to develop solutions that address climate change.

    Fighting climate change is not only a necessity for survival; it’s also one of the biggest economic opportunities in the next few decades.


    The XR Prize Challenge: Fight Climate Change Competition

    Important Milestones

    October 20, 2022
    Competition Open For Concept Submissions
    December 31, 2022
    Concept Submission Deadline
    April 16, 2023
    MVP Submission Deadline
    May 1, 2023
    Finalists Announced
    June 1, 2023
    XR Prize Winners Announced at AWE


    MEET MENTORS AND JUDGES

    2022 Concept Submission Deadline: Submissions were open until the end of 2022.

    April 16, 2023 | MVP Submission Deadline: Teams with concepts that have been accepted to the competition were invited in early January 2023 to submit an MVP (Minimum Viable Product).

    May 1, 2023 | Finalists Announced: A judging panel consisting of climate and XR experts selected finalists, who were then invited to demonstrate their submissions live in Santa Clara, CA, immediately prior to AWE USA 2023.

    June 1, 2023 | XR Prize Winners Announced: The winner(s) were announced and the $100,000 prize was awarded during the Auggie Awards Ceremony on June 1st at the AWE USA 2023 event.

    There were four categories for submissions—concepts had to demonstrate XR’s role in:

    • Replacing wasteful material practices
    • Visualizing the causes & impacts of climate change
    • Educating about solutions to climate change
    • Optimizing design & execution of climate solutions

    Submissions were judged on their creativity, functionality, and impact.

    Submissions are now closed, please take a look at the gallery to see the 11 finalists that were selected to present their solutions at AWE USA 2023.

     

    Tech Partners offering their tools for XR Prize Challenge participants




    Demonstrate a convincing AR or VR solution to fight climate change and win up to $100k.

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