All Answers: [pakgrid] Pakistan Innovation Foundation Presents 'Ideas Contest 2013' - Realise Your Dreams of Changing Pakistan and Win Prizes!

Pakistan Innovation Foundation Presents - PIF Ideas Contest 2013

DO YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA THAT COULD SOLVE ONE OF PAKISTAN'S DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS OR COMPETITIVENESS CHALLENGES?

If so, please consider participating in the Ideas Contest and encourage those around you to do so as well. (You can Register your Idea for the contest at: http://www.pif.org.pk/ideas-contest-2013)

Pakistan Innovation Foundation (PIF) is an apolitical and non-partisan private-sector driven entity charged with developing and executing an analytically rigorous, evidence-based, and deeply passionate agenda to promote science, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the Pakistani society. Pakistan Innovation Foundation is in the process of rolling out a series of activities – Innovation Labs, Ideas Contests, and Innovation Challenges – within Universities and Corporate Sector in Pakistan.

Ideas can be submitted in one (or more) of the following focus areas:

a) Agriculture and Rural Development

b) Manufacturing

c) Energy

d) Water

e) Climate and Disaster Management

f) Urban Challenges

g) Better Governance

h) Literacy

The Competition is OPEN TO ALL - students, professionals, entrepreneurs, or just citizen innovators and ideal-ists amongst us.

By registering for PIF's Ideas Contest 2013, you can compete compete against other fellow Pakistanis and may win prize money worth PKR 75,000/- The Prizes are:

First Prize: PKR 50,000/- and a Certificate of Accomplishment

Second Prize: PKR 25,000/- and a Certificate of Accomplishment

All Finalists A Certificate of Accomplishment

All Semi Finalists A Certificate of Participation

In addition, all Semi Finalists and Finalists shall receive invaluable mentoring, advice, and hands-on training on how to think 'out-of-the-box' and gain the skills and network necessary to transform your innovative idea into a real venture that delivers impact.

PIF's Ideas Contest 2013 also opens doors for contestants to compete in our upcoming National Innovation Grand Challenge (NIGC) with a prize money 100x more than the Ideas Contest.

Important dates to remember:

Stage 0: Competition Opens - July 15, 2013

Stage 1: Ideas Submission Closes - August 5, 2013
Semi Finalists are announced on August 12, 2013

Stage 2: Training and Refinement - August 13-30, 2013
Three Ideas Labs are held across Pakistan (ISB, LHE, KHI)

Stage 3: Finalists and Winner(s) - September 6, 2013

Lets unleash the collective creativity and ingenuity of the Pakistani people and work together to create an innovative and more prosperous Pakistan!

Visit our Facebook Page for Updates: http://www.facebook.com/PakistanInnovationFoundation

Register at the PIF Ideas Contest Events Page for more information or ask questions: https://www.facebook.com/events/195546683940066/

RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLY. Please see the detailed Description and Rules and Regulations by clicking at the link below:

http://www.slideshare.net/strategicgenius/pakistan-innovation-foundation-ideas-contest-2013-description-rules-and-regulations

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RATIONALE of the Ideas Contest:

The development discourse in Pakistan is ridden with multidimensional problems made complex by a historical baggage, a culture that hinders empowered problem solving, vested interests, multiple stakeholders, and a lack of policy focus. However, many of these complex problems, at their heart, are quite simple and can be addressed through creative 'out-of-the-box' thinking, empowerment, and some inspired activism. The PIF Ideas Contest 2013 seeks to encourage that.

Thinking creatively can greatly help facilitate the solution of long-standing problems that seemingly appear to be intractable. 'Out-of-the-box' thinking encourages and enables one to work around the limitations or constraints that may have hampered the solution of a problem in the past. Out of the box and innovative solutions could come in many shapes and forms.

For instance, power is a serious problem in rural areas. This may force the farmers to use solar tubewells to irrigate their farms. But solar tubewells are costly. Could a technology enable sharing of solar tubewells? Could a lower cost alternative energy solution be found for running tubewells? How could the power of the 'middle man' be reduced to empower the poor farmer? Could a low-cost robot be created to support factory workers? Could an innovative technology solution be devised to get around the challenges of e-learning and spread literacy amongst millions? How could the impact of natural disasters be mitigated? How could traffic congestion be reduced?

These are only some of the many challenges that can be addressed through creative problem solving and 'out-of-the-box' thinking. The PIF Ideas Contest 2013 seeks to inspire people to go beyond the 'problems mindset' into the 'solutions mindset' and instead of waiting for big policy changes that is often beyond their control feel empowered to think of and act upon small localised solutions that can be achieved.

About Pakistan Innovation Foundation:

Pakistan Innovation Foundation (PIF) is an apolitical and non-partisan private-sector driven entity charged with developing and executing an analytically rigorous, evidence-based, and deeply passionate agenda to promote science, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the Pakistani society. Pakistan Innovation Foundation is in the process of rolling out a series of activities – Innovation Labs, Ideas Contests, and Innovation Challenges – within Universities and Corporate Sector in Pakistan.

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Athar Osama, PhD (Public Policy - The RAND Graduate School)
Young Global Leader (YGL '13) - World Economic Forum (WEF)
Fellow '11 - World Technology Network (WTN)

Founding Partner, Technomics International Ltd.
Founder and CEO, Pakistan Innovation Foundation

Email: fp@technomics-international.com, ceo@pif.org.pk, and athar.osama@gmail.com

Tel: +44 1483 901916, +44 7711 198092 and +92 305 2266810