Congratulations! Welcome to Phase II of the Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize. In this phase, approximately 12 of the most promising ideas from Phase I will be selected to receive grants of up to $50,000 each. These grants are designed to help validate and experiment with your proposed solution, accelerating your initiative towards tangible impact. 

About the Ideation Prize

We are seeking diverse, creative, and impactful ideas from across the world. Your participation will help the Bezos Earth Fund illuminate ideas worthy of support, guide upcoming strategy planning and roadmaps, and contribute to a growing ecosystem of innovators in this field. 

Greenhouse Gas Removal is crucial for achieving the Paris Agreement objectives and mitigating the worst impacts of climate change. Rapid emissions reduction must remain a first order priority, however science suggests that reductions alone are insufficient; we must also remove greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, from the atmosphere. This removal is vital for returning greenhouse gas concentrations to pre-industrial levels and offsetting emissions from sectors challenging to decarbonize. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) projects that several gigatons of GHG removal per year are needed by mid-century. Various techniques, both natural (like afforestation) and technological (such as direct air capture), each with their own merits and challenges, are being explored and invested in. Notably, there's been a surge in funding for carbon removal technologies, but less focus on other greenhouse gases, which are also significant for climate change. Effective GHG removal demands bridging the current gap in removal capabilities and scaling solutions to have a tangible impact on atmospheric greenhouse gas levels and global temperatures. The challenge of scale in particular requires attention to the whole ecosystem of challenges and opportunity spaces, including as relates to science & technology, markets & finance, socio-behavioral aspects & communities, and policy & regulation. 

Phase II of the Bezos Earth Fund $1M Greenhouse Gas Removal Ideation Prize is subject to the same Prize Details and Full Terms and Conditions as outlined in Phase I.  
 
If you have questions, please email ideas@experiment.com 

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Review and Evaluation 

Your proposal will be evaluated based on:  

1. • Innovation and Creativity 
     • Originality: Is the solution novel and unique compared to existing approaches? 
     • Interdisciplinary Integration: Does the idea integrate insights from multiple disciplines to address the problem comprehensively? 
   • Feasibility and Technical Soundness 
     • Technical Viability: Is the approach based on sound scientific principles and methodologies? 
     • Resource Requirements: Are the necessary resources clearly identified and attainable? 
   • Potential for Technology to Scale 
     • Scalability: Is it possible for this solution to scale to the gigaton level? Is there a clear pathway for scaling the solution beyond the initial phase? 
     • Market Readiness: Does the proposal address potential technical or market barriers? 
   • Impact on Greenhouse Gas Removal Acceleration to Scale 
     • Acceleration Potential: Does the project significantly accelerate efforts to scale this technology over the project period? 
     • Outcomes and Impacts: Is there a clear path to further advance this technology after the project is complete 
   • Strength of Team and Plan
     • Team Expertise: Does the team have the skills and experience necessary to execute the project? 
     • Project Plan: Is there a well-structured plan with clear milestones and risk management strategies?  

Grant Awards

• Up to 12 projects will be selected to receive grants of up to $50,000 each. These grants will support your efforts to validate and experiment with your proposed solution, providing the resources needed to bring your idea closer to implementation. 

Project Execution 

Awardees will execute their proposed experiments and feasibility studies, utilizing the grant funds to advance their projects. Regular updates and progress reports will be required to track the development and impact of your solution. Specifically:  

• 6-Month Interim Report 
• 1-Year Final Project Report 
• Participation in a “Final Briefing” to Bezos Earth Fund staff at 1 Year

Timeline (subject to change)

• Invitation to Apply: September 16, 2024
• Webinar (Optional): September 26, 2024 
• Proposal Submission Deadline: October 18, 2024 
• Review Period: starts October 18 
• Tentative Funding Decision Notification: November, 2024