Call for Proposals

Indigenous-Led Climate Solutions within the Compute for Climate Fellowship

New Ninth Climate Solution

BACKGROUND

The findings of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals highlight the importance of equitable and sustainable management of mineral value chains, highlighting the pivotal role of Indigenous communities in this global energy transition. Indigenous Peoples, as custodians of rich ecological knowledge, are essential partners in developing climate solutions that are both effective and culturally resonant.

However, a significant barrier exists: limited access to computational resources necessary for advancing AI-driven climate innovations. A recent analysis reveals that only 5% of Africa’s AI talent has adequate computational power for research and development, with the vast majority lacking the necessary infrastructure to perform complex AI tasks. Moreover, as cities worldwide increasingly adopt AI to manage resources, improve urban planning, and address sustainability challenges, responsible governance and ethical AI practices are paramount. The risks of bias, inequity, and exclusion can only be mitigated through thoughtful integration of diverse perspectives and expertise.

This disparity underscores the urgent need to provide Indigenous-led startups with the computational resources required to develop and deploy AI-driven climate solutions effectively.

In response to these challenges, the “Call for Proposals: Empowering Indigenous-Led Startups for Climate Solutions within the Compute for Climate Fellowship” seeks to bridge this gap by offering Indigenous innovators access to computational resources and mentorship. This initiative aims to empower Indigenous-led startups to harness AI technologies in addressing climate challenges, ensuring their active participation in the global energy transition and the development of sustainable solutions.

Program features and benefits

The Compute for Climate Fellowship, an initiative by the International Research Centre on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI) and AWS Amazon (AWS), are now expanding their focus and are proud to announce a specialized program supporting Indigenous-led startups and entrepreneurs based in Indigenous communities. This program seeks innovative proposals from startups that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and computational tools to address pressing climate challenges faced by Indigenous communities.

The initiative aims to amplify the voices of Indigenous entrepreneurs, providing technical resources, access to the AWS platform, and expert mentorship by IRCAI to help transform innovative ideas into tangible, impactful solutions. By empowering startups rooted in Indigenous communities, the program fosters the development of sustainable solutions that honor and integrate traditional ecological knowledge with cutting-edge technology.

This program recognizes the critical role Indigenous communities play in biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource management, and climate resilience. Through this fellowship, IRCAI and AWS aim to bridge Indigenous knowledge systems with technological innovation to create sustainable, impactful solutions for climate challenges.

Connecting to Indigenous Communities and Startups

Indigenous communities are stewards of some of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems, holding invaluable knowledge about sustainable practices. This call encourages collaboration between Indigenous-led initiatives and technology startups to combine traditional ecological knowledge with advanced AI methodologies.

By fostering partnerships, the program envisions:

Supporting Indigenous-driven projects that address climate challenges, such as energy transitions, biodiversity conservation, and land use management.
Building equitable and respectful collaborations between Indigenous leaders and AI-focused startups, creating solutions that uphold the rights and values of these communities.
Empowering Indigenous voices in technological innovation, ensuring their knowledge is integrated and their participation is central to developing solutions.

POC proposals should outline a clear plan for collaboration, demonstrating how traditional knowledge and AI technologies will converge to create scalable, impactful outcomes.

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CONTACT

International Research Centre
on Artificial Intelligence (IRCAI)
under the auspices of UNESCO

Jožef Stefan Institute
Jamova cesta 39
SI-1000 Ljubljana

info@ircai.org
ircai.org

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