Lawson Climate Institute (LCI) at the University of Toronto is pleased to support the SMART-CDR Competition, a Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Mission Initiative, under the Mission Innovation banner. This international competition is the first-of-its-kind for Lawson Climate Institute, and invites applicants from both colleges and universities from around the world to form interdisciplinary teams to solve the climate challenge.
The Student Minds Advancing Research and Technologies for Carbon Dioxide Removal (SMART-CDR) Competition taps into the creative power of college and university students globally to provide innovative, novel approach, small-scale solutions including technology, policy, finance, monitoring and reporting, or community engagement models around carbon removal.
Teams of post-secondary students from around the world interested in proposing solutions that will help to advance this important clean technology can apply now. Applications will close February 26, 2026 at 23:59 UTC.
Finalist teams will receive mentorship, build their networks, gain international recognition, and will be supported to pitch their idea at the World Energy Congress in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October 2026 where they will compete to win cash prizes. All travel stipends for invited students and cash prizes will be coordinated by the competition’s generous sponsors (information to be announced).
Teams are encouraged but not mandatory to form multidisciplinary and multinational teams. Team diversity, including disciplines (e.g, university / college concentration/major) and geographic diversity – including representation from low- and middle-income countries – is one of the evaluation criteria. To assist with matchmaking and forming diverse teams, join the appropriate Linkedin Group below and post your interest or idea:
- Mission Innovation – SMART CDR – CDR Technology: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16579033/
- Mission Innovation – SMART CDR – Carbon Management Policy and Regulatory: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16567097/
- Mission Innovation – SMART CDR – Carbon Management Finance and Markets: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16586023/
- Mission Innovation – SMART CDR – Carbon Management Community Engagement and Social: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/16577033/
For more information and official competition rules, visit: https://lci.utoronto.ca/mission-innovation-smart-cdr-competition/
For any questions or application support, please contact Samantha Young at samanthak.young@utoronto.ca.