Deadline: 31 December 2012
Open to: individuals, teams, organisations or enterprises fulfilling certain criteria from any region in the world
Prize: € 50,000 (1st prize); € 30,000 (2nd prize); € 20,000 (3rd prize); € 5,000 (20 runners-up each)
Description
The Siemens Foundation has announced the ‘empowering people.Award’ – a new worldwide international competition to seek appropriate technical solutions for developmental activities. It aims to directly bring together low tech innovations for basic supply problems in developing countries. The “empowering people. Award” is addressed to individuals, teams, organisations or enterprises fulfilling certain criteria from any region in the world. Solutions entered have to already be in use or a feasibility study of the prototype has to be made available.
The aim of the competition is twofold: Firstly, identify winning solutions that can be further advanced with the developer and have them implemented on site. Secondly, these innovations will be prominently showcased in a central database on the award’s website as soon as the competition is closed and the entries have been evaluated. All intellectual properties will remain with the developer/developing team. Siemens Stiftung assumes no liability for keeping the entries confidential. The platform is an ideal opportunity for all the entrants involved to network and further evolve products and solutions if they so wish. Cooperation development organisations, NGOs and institutions may also approach inventors to further their products.
Following are the categories under which the ideas can be submitted:
- Water & Waste Water
- Energy
- Food & Agriculture
- Waste Management & Recycling
- Housing & Construction
- Healthcare
- Information & Communication Technology
Prizes
In order to identify promising inventions, the Siemens Stiftung Foundation has a sum of approximately 200,000 EUR for all these valuable contributions. The prizes will be allocated as follows:
First Prize: € 50,000
Second Prize: € 30,000
Third Prize: € 20,000
20 runners-up: € 5,000 (each)
All nominees will be requested to attend the Awards Ceremony in summer 2013 where they will have the opportunity to meet representatives from the world of politics, science, media and technology.
Eligibility
The “empowering people. Award” is addressed to individuals, teams, organisations or enterprises fulfilling certain criteria from any region in the world.
Submitting enterprises should fulfill the following criteria:
- The enterprise develops solutions or products which have the potential of social impact for people in developing and emerging countries.
- The enterprise develops solutions or products which are already successfully implemented to improve basic supply in developing or emerging countries.
- The enterprise has a strong focus on job creation.
- The enterprise follows values such as fairness, social responsibility and self-sustainability.
- The enterprise is not a microfinance institution, private equity fund or deposit taking institution.
Application
Applications have to be submitted online HERE. The deadline to submit applications is 31 December 2012. For more information, visit the original website HERE.
