Microsoft AI for Earth Grant

Jan 30, 2019

Microsoft AI for Earth

Are you interested in securing a grant for your AI project? Then this is your opportunity.

The Microsoft AI for Earth program awards grants to support projects that changes the way people and organizations monitor, model and ultimately manage earth’s natural systems.

Depending on the project need, the grants can award Microsoft Azure cloud computing resources (including AI tools) and/or data labelling services. Microsoft says “Grantees receive access to and training on Microsoft’s innovative data science, machine learning, and visualization tools to improve their work in addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity, improving agricultural yields, and lessening water scarcity

Check out some of the grantees working on projects in Kenya and Uganda.

Microsoft AI for Earth Program details

AI for Earth grants provide access to advanced Microsoft Azure Cloud computing resources. To support projects that change the way people and organizations monitor, model, and ultimately manage Earth’s natural systems.

Types of grants

Currently AI for Earth provides two types of grants. Each round, you can apply to either, or both, depending on your project needs.

Data Labeling services:

An important prerequisite for most AI projects is having an accurately labeled dataset to train your model on. Thus, we provide grants to help label key datasets in our four environmental focus areas. All datasets that are labeled through our grants program are hosted on Azure and made publicly available to other organizations and individuals for training models. The amount granted is dependent on size of datasets and difficulty of labeling.

Azure compute credits:

If you already have access to labeled dataset and are ready to start computing in the cloud and accessing Azure AI tools, this grant provides you with Azure compute credits worth $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 (depending on your project scope and needs.) By being a member of the AI for Earth grantee community, you also have access to additional resources (technical advice and support, online Azure training materials, as well as invitations to the AI for Earth Summit for networking and education opportunities).

The grant program accepts proposals on a rolling basis. It accepts environmental projects with focus areas on agriculture, biodiversity, water and climate change. Proposals are reviewed four times a year. For more information on the initiative and how to apply, visit the Microsoft AI for Earth grant page.