Covid-19 caught the job market in the middle of a transformation process related with automation, artificial intelligence and other technological innovations.

On the one hand, the pandemic is exacerbating the effects of economical transformations and is already having disruptive effects in the contexts of work and entrepreneurship. On the other hand, the global crisis can present itself as an opportunity for new businesses to arise and for job creation. In this sense, professionals with more skills, better resources and capable of networking are the ones who will be able to shape the negative effects of the pandemic into new opportunities more easily.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, in a partnership with MIT Solve, will support technological solutions capable of promoting skill learning and lifelong learning, which will be particularly relevant tools in the post-Covid-19 scenario.  This support, in the form of an award– the Gulbenkian Award for Adult Literacy – will contemplate those who can provide the best answers to the challenges MIT Solve proposed this year: Good Jobs & Inclusive Entrepreneurship and Learning for Girls & Women (alongside with the challenges Maternal & Newborn Health, Sustainable Food Systems e Health Security & Pandemics Challenge).

With Gulbenkian Award for Adult Literacy, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation will be supporting the selected initiatives with the sum of 300K USD. In addition, MIT Solve will also provide financial support, mentorship and the follow-up of the selected projects.

It has been one of MIT Solve’s priorities to promote the search for technological solutions capable of responding to pressing issues in a global scale. This year, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, General Motors, Andan Foundation, Vodafone Americas Foundation and the Abu Dhabi Prince Court joined MIT Solve to support the best solutions for these challenges.