Program Overview: NECINA is launching NIC Innovation Challenge competition in November 2020. The challenge is open for individuals or a team of individuals of 15 and older. The goal is to encourage creativity and innovation that addresses a pain point in any aspect of your life, including those created by Covid-19. Covid-19 related innovation is desired but not required. You will have access to NECINA’s resources to improve your concept or transform it towards a more viable solution. All participants are eligible to access mentors during their “office hours” provided by NECINA. Mentors are experienced and accomplished professionals in their respective industries, including well-known innovative professors, angel investors, venture capitalists, series investors, senior corporate executives, and successful entrepreneurs. Five (5) submissions will win the award prizes.

Event Theme: The innovation can be a concept related to any aspect of your life, including study and professional work, social life, interaction with all stakeholders in the society. Covid-19 related innovation are highly desired but not required. Covid-19 has transformed all aspects of people’s lives on an unprecedented scale and impacted every industry and every business. But the pandemic has amplifying innovations. You or your team’s goal is to develop innovative products, technologies, applications or processes to shape the future of what we live and strive to be. For example, there is an increasing need for building personalized yet shared virtual communities either in the workplace or social environment while in person interaction is minimized. More robots are taking new responsibilities to perform tasks that human may be otherwise incapable of performing due to risk of exposure to Covid. Smart devices used for contact tracing, monitor patients or even managing data collection and analysis in healthcare. We have also seen digital applications that increase efficiency and improve user experience for supply chain and logistic services. Your innovation can be used for any industry sector and for a meaningful purpose to benefit either public in general or a selective group of people.     

Time Frame: The competition is an 7-month competition from November 2020 to May 2021. Registration starts on November 1, 2020 and ends on December 31, 2020. Once registered, you have until March 31,2021 to submit the detailed innovation plan or concept. Vote on shortlists is expected in April 2021. Final award ceremony will be in the end of May 2021.

Participants: You should be an individual of at least 15 years old. You can be a single participant or a team of up to 4 persons. Each participant will become a NECINA member for one year and may join other events throughout the year. NECINA will waive the membership fee for all participants. 

Innovation Submission: From November 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021, request certain office hours from mentors from our mentor list, work on and develop your innovation concept by yourself or with the team, consult with your mentor(s), and submit a detailed description of innovation. 

Shortlists and Award:

April 2021, collect, calculate and record reviewers comment, rate on all submissions, and vote for shortlists.

May 2021, Winner selection by judges through a pitch competition and an award ceremony.

For more details regarding how to join us as a participant, reviewer, mentor, sponsor or other business partners, pls refer to our program web page http://www.necinaic.com.