At the moment, it is known that 15 selected groups will receive $ 1 million, and another 25 student teams will receive $ 200 thousand each. The team that won first place will receive $ 50 million, the second place – $ 20 million, and the third – $ 10 million. Within 4 years, the contestants will need to find a practical way to separate carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and water, as well as its subsequent isolation from the environment. … It is planned that with the help of the created method, it will be possible to remove one ton of carbon dioxide per day with subsequent scaling up to gigatons. Thus, technology can help combat global warming, which is currently the most important environmental problem.

“We are not looking for a theoretical, but a real way that can help all of humanity. Carbon dioxide is a threat to our civilization’s continued existence, so we need teams who can not only invent but also create real systems that can help reduce carbon dioxide levels. Time is significant in this matter, ”says Elon Musk, creator of Tesla and SpaceX.

The competition will run for four years and is open to teams from all over the world. The selection will take place over the next 18 months, more detailed information about the competition will appear on April 22 this year.