World Solve

persistence of tuberculosis as a major killer remains one of the most urgent challenges of our time. Systems currently in place are inadequate for the scale and complexity of the problem. A successful approach must work where resources are scarcest and demonstrate clear, measurable results. It should identify possible harms, respect local agency, and show how the solution can be maintained and expanded by the communities it is meant to serve.

Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving continued rise in global average temperatures. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.

The problem of mass unemployment and underemployment continues to affect hundreds of millions of people and undermines progress on multiple Sustainable Development Goals. Existing responses remain fragmented, under-resourced and poorly adapted to local contexts. A strong solution must operate effectively under severe constraints of skilled personnel, infrastructure, electricity and connectivity. It should define clear measurable outcomes, identify possible unintended harms, and demonstrate how the intervention can be sustained by local institutions long after initial funding ends.

Future progress on human development and planetary health depends on solving schools located too far for many children to reach. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient. The required intervention must integrate community knowledge, data and appropriate technology while remaining affordable, privacy-preserving and operable with minimal external support. Strong solutions will articulate measurable impact metrics, risk mitigation strategies, and a plan for sustained operation by local actors after the pilot phase.

Employee behavior remains one of the most common causes of security breaches, yet many small businesses lack the resources for regular, effective cybersecurity training. Scaling affordable, effective training globally remains an unresolved practical challenge.

Many blockchain networks still struggle with slow transaction speeds and high fees during periods of heavy use, limiting their practicality for small, everyday purchases. Scaling solutions exist but haven't fully solved this tradeoff yet.

Europe produces strong scientific research but struggles to grow globally dominant tech firms due to fragmented markets and risk-averse capital. Cross-border venture networks and translational research platforms can bridge the gap.

Differing rules across countries make cross-border scaling costly and slow. Regional regulatory sandboxes and harmonized fintech guidelines could ease expansion.

Many staple crops have not been bred for the increasing heat and erratic rainfall smallholders now face. Localized breeding programs and seed-distribution networks need faster scaling.

Founders outside major hubs often cannot easily expand into neighboring markets due to regulatory fragmentation. Harmonized regional startup-friendly regulations could enable faster cross-border scaling.

Many households still burn solid fuels indoors for cooking and heating, causing significant respiratory illness, especially among women and children. Clean cookstove distribution programs need continued scaling and subsidy support.

Most food waste in large cities still ends up in landfills producing methane, despite composting being a relatively simple, well-understood solution. Scaling this to city-wide adoption remains logistically unresolved in most places.

Vast areas of farmland worldwide have been degraded by decades of intensive use, and restoring their fertility can take years even with the right techniques. Scaling this restoration affordably remains an unresolved agricultural challenge.

Rising ocean temperatures trigger coral bleaching events that can kill reefs outright if heat stress lasts too long, and current interventions can only help a small fraction of affected reefs. Scaling protection to match the pace of warming remains unresolved.

Crop residue and animal waste could theoretically be converted into biogas or other clean energy sources, but the infrastructure needed remains too costly for many farms to adopt. Scaling this technology affordably remains an unresolved opportunity.

Many cities lack convenient composting systems, so a significant share of food waste that could be composted still ends up in landfills producing methane. Scaling accessible composting infrastructure remains an unresolved urban sustainability challenge.

Sustainable aviation fuel exists but remains far more expensive and limited in supply than traditional jet fuel, keeping airline adoption slow. Scaling production to meet real demand remains an unresolved industry challenge.

Overgrazing, deforestation, and changing rainfall patterns continue to push arid regions toward full desertification faster than restoration projects can reverse. Scaling effective land restoration to match the pace of degradation remains unresolved.

Conventional cotton farming uses significant water and pesticides, and while more sustainable methods exist, they remain a small share of overall global production. Scaling sustainable practices to become the industry norm remains unresolved.

Millions of tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, and cleanup efforts remove only a small fraction of it. Without cutting the source and scaling removal, marine ecosystems will keep absorbing the damage.