How Does One Develop
​​PEACE + FREEDOM?

One challenge at a time.
​We start in Malawi in November 2022. We then keep expanding until we go from Cape to Cairo in November 2029.

November 2022
​Lengwe to Livingstonia
1000 km

November 2029
Cape to Cairo
​8000 km

ABOUT THE PEACE + FREEDOM CHALLENGE

This is the world’s most challenging aerospace race. This annual event challenges teams to deploy electrical air transport able to access anywhere and deliver critical supplies. This is not a drill. Pushing the human spirit of ingenuity to use energy and propulsion in novel ways and daring participants to operate in extremely challenging conditions, this is a Challenge on a mission. 
INNOVATING FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM
​
Since 2004, Solar Ship has invited genius minds and unrelenting characters from around the world to build the planet’s immune system against disaster, conflict and control by building flying machines able to access anywhere and deliver anything. Teams from every continent tested the boundaries of innovation to build and fly critical missions powered by the sun.

And then came COVID.
The pandemic crippled the global economy, threatened lives everywhere, from the richest to the poorest, and took away freedom of movement.

In response, we organized the Challenge to create Peace + Freedom. 

Peace = Save Lives
Freedom = Entreprend

Most people understand the need to save lives in a pandemic. But how many of us know how to rebuild a sustainable economy? We do not have the answers, but by creating the Peace + Freedom Challenge, we are inviting smart people from around the world to design and build the post-carbon, sustainable economy in Malawi.
WHY MALAWI?

​Being a landlocked African country with a small economy, Malawi is taking a global leadership position to transform itself into an innovative smart society able to manage pandemics, disasters and inspire a young population to invent the future of Peace + Freedom on the fastest growing continent in the world.
HOW IT WORKS

It all starts with a Design Exchange. Teams who pass this stage will see their designs realized. Second stage is flight testing. Once past this stage, design teams are matched with operators and the competition begins.

Teams compete to provide rapid response to a threat by picking up critical cargo in cities and delivering to challenging locations in remote areas. Teams start in Malawi’s southernmost tip and the finish line is in the northern region. The race increases the degree of challenge each year. It complements the academic calendar, driving collaboration among universities and research institutions globally. Central to the concept is the recruitment of Malawi youth at every stage, to gain experience in electric aircraft design, manufacturing, flight operations, entrepreneurship, emergency response and conservation.

​The Peace + Freedom Challenge launches in 2021 with a pilot project, followed by a major inaugural event in November 2022.
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

The Peace + Freedom Challenge invites innovators from around the world to invest their ideas in creating sustained Peace + Freedom by: 
  1. Transforming Malawi’s aerospace and aviation industry into a global leader shifting from the carbon economy to smart electric; 
  2. Attracting global investment to promote conservation, mitigate threats of poaching and promote sustainable tourism;  
  3. Creating the infrastructure needed to respond to threatening events including pandemic, flood, drought and disaster.

The Challenge invites students, entrepreneurs and inventors to come to Malawi and invent the future. The immediate benefit to Malawi is to develop its position as a world leader in innovation regulation, leading to a new electric aviation industry, inspiring new jobs for young Malawians in aviation, tourism, sustainable energy and conservation.