What Happened at the Second Annual Google Solve for X

Google has once again hosted it’s yearly Solve for X event.  Only the second time ever held, the event tackles some of the world’s biggest problems.  Solve for X is similar to many other events we have seen from other would be world changers.  As such, Google has extended partnership to other similar groups, and now has as formal partners of Solve for X groups like TED, X Prize, Singularity University, GE Focus Forward, and MIT Technology Review.

This year the Solve for X event chose to highlight 18 proposals.  The proposals were intended to be radical solutions to problems.  There were a wide variety of topics.  Some proposals had to do with the topic of public health, like the eradication of malaria.  Other topics were undeniably in the realm of  what Google would call  “moonshot thinking”, such as the proposal on asteroid mining.  Google defines a good Solve for X project proposal as one that targets a global-scale problem, proposes a radical solution, and uses breakthrough technology.

For those who were unable to attend the event, all of the proposals from the event are also highlighted on the Solve for X website. The website has been updated with a new look and new features. The site is now attempting to create a larger Solve for X community. New community features have been introduced with the updated site, including the ability to create a Solve for X profile. Visitors can log in with a Google+ account and view and rate the proposals on the site.  Users can also submit their own Solve for X proposal.  As part of creating your Solve for X profile, you declare the “X” that you want to solve. It can range from something that you are interested in studying to a massive scale world problem.  Google uses Solve for X as a source for ideas for Google X, which then takes futuristic ideas and makes them possible in the real world.

[Images via kurzweilai & 9to5google]