Innovators. Entrepreneurs. Global Citizens.

Over the past five years, 157 binational teams, over 286 faculty and more than 3,384 students from the US, Jordan and Iraq have competed in the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge since September 2018. Their goal: Remix their community with sustainable business by designing the best sustainable concept to a need within a specific industry. Cohorts have focused on the hospitality industry, the food industry, the arts and entertainment industry and the technology industry.

Teams investigated the impact of problems in their local communities, collaborated globally through virtual exchange, and developed real-life solutions through creation of a sustainable business concept.  

Global Solutions is implemented by IREX and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.

 

Spring 2024 Cohort X Finalists    

During the Spring 2024 Cohort X, nine binational teams, 19 faculty, and 201 students from the US, Jordan and Iraq competed in the Global Solutions Sustainability Challenge. Their goal: create the best business concept to meet a need in their community related to related to three themes centered around the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Human wellbeing, Household, and Agriculture.   

All teams investigated the impact of problems in their local communities collaborated globally and developed real-life solutions through the creation of sustainable business concepts.
 
The top five teams pitched their concept at the Virtual Business Expo. 

 

First Place: M1LEST0NES

Miami Dade College (Florida, US) 

University of Duhok (Duhok, Iraq) 

Solution: A game application with matching eco-friendly plushies that offers a practical solution for Gen Alphas in Iraq and the US that lack environmental consciousness and encourages active participation in sustainable practices.

 

 

Second Place:   FoodiForcast

The City University of New York (New York, US) 

Soran University (Soran, Iraq)  

Solution: An innovative solution and standalone device designed to curb household food waste through an integrated monitoring system.

 

 

Third Place: The Airbenders

Santa Fe College (Florida, US) 

Duhok Polytechnic University (Duhok, Iraq)  

Solution: A windmill kit and application to help people experiencing frequent power outages who want to continue powering essential electronics by generating electricity to be stored in a power bank.

 

 

Contact

Contact Information Email: globalsolutions@irex.org