Applications for the 2014 Buckminster Fuller Challenge are now open.

Each year, The Buckminster Fuller Institute (BFI) invites scientists, students, designers, architects, activists, entrepreneurs, artists and planners from all over the world to submit their innovative solutions to some of humanity’s most pressing problems.

A $100,000 prize will be awarded to support the development and implementation of one outstanding strategy.

BFI is looking for a holistic and integrated strategy that deals with key social, environmental and economic factors of a chosen issue.

Winning entries for the last six years have implemented a combination of pragmatic, visionary, comprehensive and anticipatory thinking to tackling issues as broad as urban mobility, coastal restoration and innovation in biomaterials packaging.

Previous winners of the challenge include Evocative’s fungal mycelia system in 2013 and the nonprofit International Living Future Institute’s Living Building Challenge green ratings system in 2012.

Entries to this year’s the competition close Friday, April 11. More details can be found on the competition website.

2013 Challenge winner, Evocative's biomaterials packaging

Living Future Institute won the 2012 Buckminster Fuller Challenge with a sustainable green ratings system

Courtesy Bustler and The Buckminster Fuller Institute