Sunday, December 25, 2016

Proteus Innovation Competition Will Help Bring Promising Technology to Market


The Proteus Innovation Competition is a four-month challenge in which individuals will compete to create an effective strategy for commercializing one of three promising technologies. The winners will receive a cash prize of up to $7,500.

The competition allows contestants to sharpen their business skills and work with skilled and experienced mentors to accelerate the go-to-market process for inventions being produced by London’s top institutions. In addition to the prize money, winners will have the opportunity to license the corresponding technologies and form their own startup company. Read more from this blog.
http://bit.ly/2hQhs88

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Walgreens Expressions Challenge Relies on Skild Contest Platform


As a company whose goal is to help people get healthy, stay healthy, and live well, it’s not surprising that Walgreens would coordinate a challenge around teen health, and we’re honored that they have chosen to use the Skild contest platform. A group called the Walgreens Community Task Force noticed the rising incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV and AIDS, among 14 to 18 year olds and thought the people best able to talk about this serious topic was students themselves.

The Task Force felt that art would be a great “language” with which to encourage young people to make better life choices especially in their relationships. The Expressions Challenge is designed to enable students to have a positive influence on their friends, classmates, and community. This post originally appeared on Skild.com blog page.
http://bit.ly/2hLbqZx

Friday, December 23, 2016

Polsinelli Innovation Hackathon Focuses on Midwest Technology Excellence


Global Midwest Alliance is an organization that represents more than 150 companies and institutions from around the Midwest to encourage connectivity, benchmarking, marketing, and support for the commercialization of technology in the region. In collaboration, with Polsinelli, a law firm with 750 attorneys in 100 offices, they are putting on their 8th Annual Innovation Competition.

The challenge was created to help emerging companies and those seeking venture capital get noticed and make connections. The competition showcases developers of new technologies that offer significant returns for investors and customers while providing solutions to global challenges. Past hackathon and innovation competition participants have gone on to win other competitions, obtain funding, engage with new partners, and win business opportunities. Head on over to Skild.com blog page to know more.
http://bit.ly/2hQfwfY

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Skild Online Contest Management Powers the LEADing Practice Challenge


Launched in 2011, ImagineNation Challenges is a Canadian organization that seeks to inspire innovative ideas in healthcare and to support a community of innovators in Canada through various kinds of challenges. While each of the 12 challenges they have promoted is different, they all have the same objective: to improve the quality of care and enhance the experience of patients in the Canadian healthcare system. ImagineNation is using the Skild online contest management software to coordinate the LEADing Practice Challenge.

About the LEADing Practice Challenge

The use of digital health technologies in Canada is growing faster than ever. For the past three years, the LEADing Practices Initiative has been showcasing outstanding uses of digital health technology in patient care. Post originally appeared on Skild.com blog page.
http://bit.ly/2hQbvs7

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

The Aspen Challenge Chooses Skild’s Competition Platform


How do you encourage young people to look for solutions to some of the biggest issues facing humanity? You provide them with inspiration, tools, and a platform for designing and promoting unique solutions. That’s what the Aspen Challenge, powered by Skild’s competition platform, does.

Supported by the Aspen Institute and the Bezos Family Foundation, the Aspen Challenge encourages students to use their imagination to solve critical problems. Each year, the Challenge partners with an urban school district that has at least 25 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch. The current partner is The School District of Philadelphia, with past Challenges being held in the Los Angeles Unified School District, Denver Public Schools, District of Columbia Public Schools, District of Columbia Public Charter School Board, and Chicago Public Schools. Up to 20 schools in the district are invited to participate. Read more on this article.
http://bit.ly/2hL6x2D

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Air Force Prize Innovation Contest Entices Entrants with $2 Million


We’re all familiar with innovation contests in the private sector. At Skild, we help organizations of all kinds coordinate them.

But now the military is seeking to take advantage of the concept of bringing many sharp minds and independent perspectives to bear on a problem in order to find the best solution. Responding to a directive from the Secretary of the Air Force to “bend the cost curve” and utilize every budget dollar to its fullest, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has launched the first Air Force Prize.

The $2 million award will go to the inventor who successfully develops a small, lightweight, fuel-efficient turbine engine. This is, of course, no walk in the park. The engine must meet strenuous requirements as judged by AFRL experts. Read more from this blog.
http://bit.ly/2hLaVPf

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Cisco Grand Challenge Competition Management Underway


Looking to change the world? Cisco will be awarding a total of $250,000 to teams that have ideas with the power to do just that. The company’s Innovation Grand Challenge is looking for disruptive digital solutions that can make the world safer, more sustainable, and more connected. There’s no arguing with what is stated on the innovation contest website: There has never been a better time to innovate.

Promoting Change across All Areas of Daily Life

The Innovation Grand Challenge allows teams to develop ideas across a wide range of categories:

Transportation – Will you create a new venture that improves the way we travel?

Manufacturing – Does your venture transform manufacturing?

Infrastructure – Can you disrupt infrastructure with your ideas around network connectivity, data analytics or more? Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2e1x9Ku

Saturday, October 22, 2016

2016 Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge Winners Named by Online Contest Management


Charles “Pete” Conrad, Jr. was an astronaut, innovator, and entrepreneur. His wife Nancy created the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge in his honor. The goal of this yearly innovation and entrepreneurial competition that connects students and mentors is to develop creative ideas for viable solutions that will benefit the world in: Aerospace & Aviation, Cyber Technology & Security, Energy and Environment, and Health & Nutrition.

Examples of specific areas of innovation across these categories include avionics, propulsion systems, artificial intelligence, smart security technologies, renewable resources, bio diversity, prosthetics, and hunger solutions. Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2epSziu

Friday, October 21, 2016

MIA Game Jam Hackathon Innovation Competition Where You Create the Best New Game


Miami Dade College wants to know if you’ve got game. Its MIA Game Jam hackathon, October 22-23, is looking for teams who think they can create a small video game, from concept to a working product, within 24 hours. Participants will be given a theme, but are allowed to bring that concept to life any way they like.

The MAGIC (Miami Animation and Gaming International Complex) Club is behind the innovation competition, which is meant to showcase the rising game industry in Miami. The event is an extension of the MIA Animation Festival, South Florida’s premier industry conference that focuses on Computer Animation, Gaming, Visual Effects and Motion Graphics, Film, Web Design, and Visual Art. Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2epUPX2

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Skild Contest Platform-Powered KaBOOM! Play Everywhere Challenge Announces Winners


The KaBOOM! Play Everywhere Challenge is an innovation contest powered by the Skild contest platform. With $1 million in prizes, it seeks new and creative ways to help kids stay active. Especially in low-income neighborhoods where busy parents often don’t have much time for helping their children find fun and safe places to play, it’s important to provide some engaging options.

KaBOOM! hosted the challenge with generous funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Target, Playworld, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Out of more than 1,000 applications received nationwide, 50 have now been named as winners. Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2epRmYm

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Technica All-Women Hackathon Encourages Women to Immerse Themselves in Technology


November 5-6, 2016 the University of Maryland will host a 24-hour, all-women hackathon. Called Technica, the event is intended to encourage women to exercise their imagination to create interesting and innovative hacks. Unlike most hackathons, Technica is asking sponsors to be in the trenches with students in order to help participants make strong connections with businesses and the tech world.

The desire among businesses to see gender barriers removed from the technology industry was underscored in 2015 by the list of leading companies that sponsored the Technica All-Women Hackathon. Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2e1uxfy

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

AARP Sponsors Innovation Contest to Help Strengthen Social Security


Innovation contests are a great way to bring attention to important social issues, and to generate powerful ideas for bringing about positive change. AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) is using the contest format to tackle an issue that will be important to all of us as we age: the solvency of the Social Security system.

The Policy Innovation Challenge: Social Security Adequacy and Solvency is looking for input from scholars and researchers in a wide range of disciplines, including law, political science, behavioral science, actuarial science, sociology, social work, psychology, economics, philosophy, business, and industry. Applicants are encourage to take a “big picture” perspective on the challenge of ensuring that Social Security is available for future generations. Read more from this blog:
http://bit.ly/2e1snMM

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Wearable Technologies Innovation Contest Seeks Next Big Thing


Wearables… Just a few years ago the term didn’t exist. Today, it’s one of the hottest areas in technology, with many of the newest ideas coming from innovation contests like the Wearable Technologies (WT) Innovation World Cup. And of course, here at Skild, our online contest management is all about technology and innovation.

What are You Wearing?

The WT Innovation World Cup 2016/17 is looking for the next generation in wearables. The competition is designed to inspire participants to come up with ideas for next generation products that have the potential to be marketed and sold. Sponsored by STMicroelectronics, MediaTek Labs, AiQ, VARTA Microbattery, and Cicor, the contest is the world’s leading innovation competition in the area of wearable technologies.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/08/17/wearable-technologies-innovation-contest-seeks-next-big-thing/

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Verizon App Challenge is Not a Hackathon but an Innovation Contest for Middle and High School Students


The Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge allows middle and high school students to design real mobile apps with no coding required. Not only do participants have a chance to win prizes, the innovation contest promotes teamwork, creative problem solving, and entrepreneurship skills. Unlike a hackathon, there will be weeks to complete the challenge.

What Can You Win?

Teams in the Verizon App Challenge compete at the state, regional, and national level. Best in State winning teams get $5,000 for their school’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) budget and mobile tablets for each team member.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/08/25/verizon-app-challenge-is-not-a-hackathon-but-an-innovation-contest-for-middle-and-high-school-students/

Monday, September 19, 2016

Play Everywhere Challenge Powered by Skild’s Contest Platform Shares Gallery of Finalists


Kids and play… they go together like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, studies show that play is critical to the health and well-being of children. But far too many kids in the U.S. aren’t getting the play they need. This is especially true in low-income neighborhoods. To counter this trend, the nationwide Play Everywhere Challenge, powered by the Skild contest platform, seeks to find great innovations in city redevelopment that make play fun and accessible for kids and families.

Collaborating on More Ways to Play

The challenge was developed by a group including the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Target, Playworld, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the National Endowment for the Arts. It will provide $1 million in prizes to 50 winners across the country to help them turn their community-focused concepts into reality.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/play-everywhere-challenge-powered-by-skilds-contest-platform-shares-gallery-of-finalists/

Sunday, September 18, 2016

National Association of Broadcasters PILOT Innovation Competition Software Launches


The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) describes itself as “the voice for the nation’s radio and television broadcasters” and “the premier trade association” for the industry. The organization provides value to its members through advocacy, education, and innovation. It’s the innovation piece that drives its newly launched, Skild-powered PILOT competition platform.

The contest, designed to help “navigate broadcasting’s future,” poses the question, “How might local television and radio broadcasters engage their communities with next generation content on any device, whether big, small, or moving?” This could include TV, radio, tablets, smartphones, computers, wearables, VR devices, gaming systems, etc. Participants must provide creative answers to that question in the form of ideas, strategies, and solutions that will help define the future of broadcasting.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/09/02/national-association-of-broadcasters-pilot-innovation-competition-software-launches/

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Global Travel Entrepreneur Challenge: A Vacation-Related Innovation Contest


The Global Travel Entrepreneur Challenge (GTEC) looks to take advantage of “the power of local wisdom.” How many times have you visited a new place and wished you knew a resident who could direct you to the best restaurants, the coolest sights, or the most fun entertainment?

Triip (no misspelling there) is a travel platform that allows travelers to get the best private tours caringly crafted by handpicked local tour guides. Triip is now available in 93 countries and 650 cities around the world. And with a 98% approval rating from customers, it is surely expanding to other locations rapidly!
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/09/08/global-travel-entrepreneur-challenge-a-vacation-related-innovation-contest/

Friday, September 16, 2016

Winners Named in 2016 Community College Innovation Competition


The Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) is an innovation competition presented by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Understanding that the education of future scientists is an important part of scientific progress, the NSF has made it a point of emphasis to encourage the incorporation of research into the traditional teaching approach of community colleges.

Community colleges play a critical role in developing America’s technical workforce, especially those often underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and careers. This challenge helps students discover and demonstrate their ability to make a difference in the world through science.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/09/14/winners-named-in-2016-community-college-innovation-competition/

Friday, June 17, 2016

Online Contest Management Will Make Health Solutions a Reality


Who do you think will win? If you had the skills to create something that could make an impact in the medical world, would you? The AMA Healthier Nation Innovation Challenge has been looking for bright minded medical students, residents, and physicians to help shape the world of medicine and as of May 31st, the top 5 finalists were chosen through the online contest software. After the judges picked from over 117 outstanding entries, they chose these 5 finalists: • Blindness Prevention in the Palm of Your Hand • SimX: Augmented Reality Medical Simulation • Twiage: Accelerating Life-Saving Care • Light Line Catheter • Web-based Test Technology to Detect and Diagnose Eye Disease For more information on each of the finalists and their projects, check them out here. Now that those 5 finalists have been chosen, their next step is to present their proposals at the AMA Healthier Nation Innovation Challenge event on June 11th.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/05/06/online-contest-management-will-make-health-solutions-a-reality/

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Meet the Phase 1 Winners of the Bridging the Gap Competition Platform


Children from low-income families may get the same love as children from high-income families, but unfortunately they don’t get the same vocabulary. In fact, according to the Word Gap Challenge website, “By age three, children from low-income families are hearing 30 million fewer words than those from higher-income families.” This is not good. Language skills, performance in school, and eventually careers can be affected by this lack of vocab. With the Bridging the Word Gap Challenge, Skild will manage the competition platform to help make sure that children from all families have the same opportunity to reach success. So the goal is, what can we create to help guardians talk with young children more? The 10 Phase 1 winners have been picked through the competition software to create a prototype of their ideas in order to test it out.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/meet-the-phase-1-winners-of-the-bridging-the-gap-competition-platform/

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Past Winners of the RELX Group Environmental Innovation Contest Pave the Way for the 5th Year


Did you know that 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water? Sometimes it’s easy to overlook how difficult getting a drink of water can be in underdeveloped areas because we can have a glass whenever we want. That’s why Skild is so proud to be managing the RELX Group Environmental Challenge. The goal of this competition is to find a project out there that will help provide sustainable access to safe water. While the winners won’t be announced until fall of this year, you can take a look at the winners from last year’s innovation contest in the meantime. The next finalists have some large shoes to fill – but we are confident that this year’s finalists will exceed our already high expectations.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/past-winners-of-the-relx-group-environmental-innovation-contest-pave-the-way-for-the-5th-year/

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Vote for Your Favorite Paradigm Innovation Competition Entry


The Paradigm Challenge is a unique contest that aims at inspiring youth to create innovative ideas that could fix social issues. This may be only the first year of the paradigm innovation competition is taking off, but kids from 7-18 have sent in an overwhelming amount of entries that work to help with the challenges goals- prevent injuries and fatalities from home fires. While it may seem like fires in the home are not a big problem, they are actually America’s number one disaster threat! One hundred of those entries have been chosen to go to the next round and are available to be voted on until August 30th. All of the entries should be judged on at least by their originality, effectiveness, and feasibility. While all projects were outstanding.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/29/vote-for-your-favorite-paradigm-innovation-competition-entry/

Monday, June 13, 2016

Solving Health Problems With Cars? The Ford Motor Contest Platform Gets Creative


Cars are getting to the point where their technology can do so much – so why not use it’s technology to find ways to monitor people with chronic illnesses and health conditions? If cars have the ability to use night vision to detect a pedestrian and even drive themselves, finding ways to manage a person’s medical health should be doable. Skild has been honored with powering the Ford Motor Company and Henry Ford Health System contest platform that aims to better protect lives with the use of car technology. People over the age of 18 have been invited to participate in the challenge and have the opportunity to win $10,000 in prizes! The challenge will be over and the winners will be selected and announced on June 14, 2016. Right now, 90 percent of senior citizens and about half of Americans are living with chronic health conditions.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/27/solving-health-problems-with-cars-the-ford-motor-contest-platform-gets-creative/

Does San Diego SmartCity Hackathon Have the Solution for Climate Change?


The struggle we face with climate change With issues as imperative as global warming, sometimes we need solutions created quickly. In order to assist the Climate Action Plan that the San Diego City Council had taken on, they decided to create an event that would help defeat greenhouse gases. The city of San Diego started the San Diego SmartCity Hackathon and Innovation Program to try and combat climate change as swiftly as possible. With the help of over 250 developers, programmers, creative thinkers, engineers, and more coming up with innovative ideas, the chances for finding solutions were more than possible. Professor of electrical and computer engineering of the Center for Wireless Communications at UC San Diego Sjuit Dey said, “What we are doing is creating a kind of living laboratory in the City of San Diego.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/25/does-san-diego-smartcity-hackathon-have-the-solution-for-climate-change/

Thursday, May 19, 2016

The Children’s Prize Innovation Competition Looks Back at Previous Year


Bring down the child mortality rate Children are the leaders of the future, and making sure they can survive long enough to make it to adulthood is a responsibility we must take on. Everyday children don’t make it to the age of 5 for purposes that are preventable. On average, 16,000 children die a day! This shouldn’t be happening which is the exact reason that the Children’s Prize Foundation has created an innovation competition – to find ways ensuring more children will live so that the child mortality rate is greatly reduced. Can you believe that the amount of children dying each day is equal to 11 deaths every minute? It’s an awful thought to have, but it’s happening. With this information we should be doing everything we can to stop such a horrific epidemic from occurring – especially when many of those deaths occur from treatable situations.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/04/the-childrens-prize-innovation-competition-looks-back-at-previous-year/

You’ll Want to Get Involved With the Crash the Parties Competition Platform


The 2016 presidential candidates this year have so far been quite the interesting group. Wouldn’t it be exciting to be able to interview the frontrunners and find out all the answers to your burning questions? Now with the 2016 Crash The Parties 2016, powered by Skild’s competition software, you could win a chance to actually make this dream happen! By entering a video discussing why you deserve to go, your video could get you selected to report at the Democratic and Republican National conventions. Here’s what you have to do: 1. Make a video! Take a video with your phone if you have to and explain the details on why you want to be talking to the presidential nominees. 2. Submit it! This doesn’t really need an explanation because it’s as simple as that! Enter your video and you are basically halfway done.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/06/youll-want-to-get-involved-with-the-crash-the-parties-competition-platform/

Sanitation Challenge for Ghana – Just One Other Online Contest Software Ideas to Impact Creates


Skild likes to always recognize competitions that make a difference in our world. One that has held a special place in this online contest software’s heart is the Dreampipe challenge. Its goal is to tackle the issue of controlling non-revenue water (NRW) better in areas that are under developed. One of the largest issues that has to do with NRW is that these water companies don’t have enough finances to sustain themselves. This makes it rather difficult to function properly and thus Ideas to Impact, a program focused on finding solutions to water, sanitation, and energy issues in underdeveloped countries, created the Dreampipe innovation challenge to solve these NRW issues. Ideas to Impact is a program that builds many challenges. One in particular that caught our eye was the Sanitation Challenge for Ghana that focuses on finding a way to manage liquid waste in communities of underdeveloped areas.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/04/08/sanitation-challenge-for-ghana-just-one-other-online-contest-software-ideas-to-impact-creates/

Sunday, May 15, 2016

Study Behind KaBOOM! Contest Platform to Make Cities More Playable




Kids need imagination and an active life. Without it, their development is limited. Many studies have shown that it is crucial for kids to have more active play in their life because children really need that stimulation to help build a creative mind. That’s why KaBOOM!, a competition set up by Skild’s contest management software, has created a challenge aimed at finding a solution to this problem. The KaBOOM! contest platform has built this challenge in hope to find the best ways to incorporate play for kids in everyday situations. Some of those ways could be placed in:

• Sidewalks
• Vacant lots
• Bus stops
• Open streets

Unfortunately, not all children are lucky enough to get a lot of playtime. Depending on the community that they are born into, they may get less time for play outside because they are located somewhere that isn’t safe.

Saturday, May 14, 2016

Skild Delves into Winners of the 2016 Enter Prize Innovation Contest Ideas




Good businesses don’t always make it – and it’s a shame that happens. Many entrepreneurs have trouble getting their business to progress because they lack the resources to do it. Now with the 2016 Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge, this innovation contest has awarded participants from either already existing businesses or new ones both with brilliant plans. 7 companies went away with more money then they came with, two of which left with $100,000 each. Those two were Libby Lane Leather and Battle Beaver Customs.


Libby Lane Leather, is basically a one-person business. Libby Lane, the 29-year old founder and owner, was the only woman at the event to present her hand crafted leather company. Because she is one of the winners of this years challenge, Lane can do all the things she hasn’t been able to with the generous grant she received. For one thing: Get employees. “I plan to hire three this year, and then from there, three a year,” Lane stated.

Friday, May 13, 2016

Rowan University’s ProfHacks Hackathon Recognizes 3 Ideas




If you are interested in creating better ways to live through the use of technology, then being a part of a hackathon is a must for you. Many engineering students at Rowan University felt that it was a good idea to get one of their very own started and a recently on March 12-13, their first hackathon was born – ProfHacks!

Most hackathons are given a short time period to come up with an idea and actually build it. The participants of ProfHacks were given 24 hours to complete their projects and submit them in time for judging. While hundreds of projects were brilliant.

Monday, May 2, 2016

Check Out University of Washington’s 1st Health Innovation Competition


Recently, the University of Washington held its very first innovation competition on March 3 of this year. The contests purpose was meant to find solutions to existing health issues such as finding new ways for care and treatment, creative new products, and any ways that could help people live healthier lives. This may have been the first year, but their results were better than expected. Not just business students 100 judges from the health competition had chosen between 34 groups from five different colleges that had applied. The judges chose 18 teams that were very diverse. In fact, the students came from all kinds of departments from business, design, biomedical informatics, and more.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/15/check-out-university-of-washingtons-1st-health-innovation-competition/

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Registration Open for 43North through Online Contest Software


43North is back again to award businesses looking to make a clean energy impact to Buffalo, New York. Governor Cuomo proudly stated, “After two years, the 43North competition has attracted some of the world’s brightest and most innovative entrepreneurs to Buffalo and in year three, we will continue to carry the momentum forward.” 43North is a generous competition that through its online contest software, finalists are chosen and given money to complete their epic projects. The winner alone will receive $1 million and the next in line will receive $600,000. The other finalists will receive less but still a grand amount of money. But the moola isn’t the only reason why participating in 43North is worth it. A part from doing the state of New York a solid, by creating energy efficient businesses and jobs, 43North gives the winners.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/14/registration-open-for-43north-through-online-contest-software/

Saturday, April 30, 2016

Governor Cuomo Plans to bring Clean Energy Through Competition Software of 76West


The 76West Challenge that Skild’s competition management system proudly supports is making waves with their success! The 76West competition is very similar to the 43North challenge thats competition management was also through Skild. 76West is a clean energy contest that’s main goal is to challenge startups and growing entrepreneurs everywhere to create clean energy businesses and jobs in New York State’s Southern Tier Region. 43North’s only difference really was bringing clean businesses to Western New York instead. As of right now the application process for 76West is closed but starting in April of this year, we will get to see the Semi-finalists chosen through the competition software! New York is “cleaning up” its act Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has pushed for this competition platform in hopes that this will help create energy efficient businesses ultimately building a better system in New York.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/09/governor-cuomo-plans-to-bring-clean-energy-through-competition-software-of-76west/

Friday, April 29, 2016

Carbon Mitigation and Why the Global Friends Prizes Contest Platform is So Important To It


The Earth has been going through a lot of changes recently and unfortunately, a lot of them are affecting our planet for the worse. This is why carbon mitigation is so important right now. Carbon mitigation is all about making an effort to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases. Because we have a big reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, etc., the emissions from these gases have risen exponentially. So now the need for reducing these gases in order to help create a more balanced atmosphere is crucial. And this is exactly why contest software like that of the Global Friends Prizes Challenge is imperative to not only the people participating, but also to the impact it could have on the entire world.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/07/carbon-mitigation-and-why-the-global-friends-prizes-contest-platform-is-so-important-to-it/

Thursday, April 28, 2016

iCodeHack Makes Skild Proud of Hackathon Community


For the first time ever iCode4Kids is making the scene as a hackathon for kids. On April 16th the hackathon will take place in downtown Dallas at the AT&T headquarters. This organization is all about bringing STEM a.k.a science, technology, engineering, and math to the attention of the younger generation. This will be a special opportunity for young students from elementary school all the way up to high school to be able to spend a day problem solving with STEM to find solutions to real world problems. Founder and CEO of iCode, Abid Abedi is very excited to see this hackathon come together and mold the minds of youths.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/icodehack-makes-skild-proud-of-hackathon-community/

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Skild Recalls Community College Innovation Contest 2015 Winners


This is now the second year that Skild has been honored with creating the platform for the Community College Innovation contest. Its main purpose is to challenge students from community colleges to find solutions to real-world problems through use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Community colleges hold about 40 percent of the U.S. undergraduates so it’s great to see a competition aimed at such a large and smart group of people. The application period may be over as of February 15th, but there are still a few judging rounds until the finalists are chosen. The success from last years challenge has made it possible for this competition to continue and change the lives of many. We are so excited to see what the students come up with for this year, but we couldn’t forget about the 2015 Winners.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/03/01/skild-recalls-community-college-innovation-contest-2015-winners/

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Skild’s Online Contest Management Supports Fund for Rural Prosperity Innovation Challenge


While Skild would love to be a part of every online contest management, sometimes others get the lucky opportunity to share the innovation. The MasterCard Fund for Rural Prosperity innovation competition, is one in particular that Skild didn’t work on but still extremely proud of such a phenomenal challenge. This online contest software, “requires proposals that seek to design, pilot, test and launch new financial products and services that can effectively meet the financing needs of people living in poverty in rural and agricultural areas,” according to their website. Basically, the MasterCard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity will give $50 million to whoever wins this challenge by successfully helping people living in poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa with financial services. Strategy for people in poverty Many people in Africa are living in extremely poor situations with no idea how to change this path that they are on.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/skilds-online-contest-management-supports-fund-for-rural-prosperity-innovation-challenge/

CappSci’s Inventors Contest Software Winner Dr. Prasoon Diwakar’s Laser Detector


In December, the winners of the 2016 CappSci’s Inventors contest software were announced distributing $1 million to 10 inventors over a five-year period. Through the Skild platform, the administrators of the contest chose to single out one finalist who has been making an exceptional pursuit with his invention - Dr. Prasoon Diwakar."" His invention is a Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Detector (Say that five times fast). Bringing science to the people Diwakar is a research scientist who has dabbled with the use of lasers for quite some time. Needless to say, lasers are not new to him. When he was an intern at CNR-TEMPE he studied soot formations in fames using laser diagnostics. This later motivated his epic laser creation – The Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy Detector.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/02/09/cappscis-inventors-contest-software-winner-dr-prasoon-diwakars-laser-detector/

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

A Look back at 2015 Service Year and Higher Ed Innovation Competition Winners


2015 was a successful year for the Service Year and Higher Education innovation competition. The competition was designed to connect young adults in school with performing charitable services in order to gain course credits. Through this competition platform, people had the opportunity to send in their project ideas that would help students do a service through something that they may be passionate about so they could take those skills with them to future job positions. According to the website, the 2015 finalists for each category and the ideas they Proposed were: Community Colleges – Miami Dade College Proposed a Changemaker Corps, a peer to peer mentoring and support program that helps youth who have aged out of foster care mentor other foster care system students, with the goal of helping them stay in school, graduate, and develop employ ability skills.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/02/03/a-look-back-at-2015-service-year-and-higher-ed-innovation-competition-winners/

43North Competition Platform ’14 Winner included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30


The 43North competition platform that Skild was a part of was a huge success. The winners have since been working on their projects – some catching the eyes of big businesses. One founder in particular, Daniel Shani of Energy Intelligence has recently been put on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 issue in the Energy Category. Energy Intelligence Origin Story In 2014, Shani had the opportunity to share his idea by entering the 43North Competition management system. The main purpose for Energy Intelligence is to harness the energy wasted on a braking car and put it towards something useful. With this incredible idea, Shani received $500,000 after becoming one of the winners of 43North’s challenge through their competition software.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/01/28/43north-competition-platform-14-winner-included-in-forbes-30-under-30/

Monday, March 28, 2016

Skild Recognizes Green and Sustainable Chemistry Innovation Contest Finalists


The Elsevier Green and Sustainable Chemistry innovation contest is helping make living easier for those in underdeveloped countries. The competition has narrowed down the finalists from 61 candidates to only 5! This was not an easy process for the judges who had looked over 500 innovative inventions in the beginning of their judging. Skild, who is managing the competition, found this contest to be extremely inspirational and wants to commemorate the finalists for their hard work and brilliant minds. The Director of the Institute of Sustainable and Environmental Chemistry at Leuphana University, Professor Dr. Klaus Kümmerer stated: We are delighted with the response that we received from participants all over the world. The great number of submitted proposals does not only underline the importance and relevance of this topic but demonstrates that fantastic ideas and initiatives exist already, which – with more support – could make a tremendous difference.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/01/25/skild-recognizes-green-and-sustainable-chemistry-innovation-contest-finalists/

Solving Real Problems with the Social Justice Hackathon


Putting the bad guy away and receiving justice is a big reason why we have legal aid in the united States. But unfortunately there have been cases where justice has not been served. Sometimes people don’t have the money to get the proper legal aid they need. Law student at Seattle University, Miguel Willis, was really troubled by this situation and believed that the answer lied in getting people better access to legal aid. But how? By creating the Social Justice Hackathon. In November, the Social Justice Hackathon began by bringing brilliant minds together to rack up new ways to bring justice to all. For two days, 70 technology innovators as well as law professionals addressed issues within the legal aid system.
https://luciuscambell.wordpress.com/2016/01/20/solving-real-problems-with-the-social-justice-hackathon/

Friday, January 29, 2016

Skild Recognizes Makers Against Drought’s Contest Management


Showing our appreciation While Skild likes to handle the contest management software for upcoming hackathons and competitions out in the world, the fact is – there isn’t enough time in a day to create contest software for them all! So although we aren’t in the background of every contest platform taking place, we still like to support the ones out there that make a big difference to mankind. That’s where the new challenge called Makers Against Drought comes in. Making a difference in California In California, there is a major water crisis going on. Because of this drought, a number of issues have come up – agriculture has taken a hit, plants are parched and people are losing jobs just to name a few. Makers of Drought is a challenge brought on by Samsung trying to tackle the water crisis in an intelligent matter.
http://bit.ly/1PGQ9M9

College Television Awards Wait for Online Contest Software Submissions


Since 1978, The College Television Awards have been honoring students and their excellent work. The award ceremony is designed to look like that of the Emmy Awards and the judges are actually active Television Academy members. Skild has been fortunate enough to help with the competition management and online contest software in the past– allowing the judging process to go rather smoothly. Students enter their work, go through 3 judging rounds, and if they win – they get a cash prize as well as a flight to Los Angeles. This is a big opportunity for students as they search for their career and even in a sense, a foot in the door. Trophy What are you interested in? This next year will mark the 37th College Television Awards. But the time to enter submission is not over yet! Students still have all the way up until January 31, 2016.
http://bit.ly/1QugGt2

Competition Platforms from KAUST that You Have to See


KAUST of investing In the past, Skild has been a competition management system for KAUST and has watched the KAUST Seed Fund be a huge success. Based in Saudi Arabia, the KAUST Seed Fund looks to invest in technology-based startups. Manager of the KAUST Seed Fund, Nicola Bettio said of the project, This approach is quite novel in academic institutions and is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia. We need to support the growth of our startups beyond simple seed funding, encourage international technology-based early stage companies to move to Saudi Arabia and attract local investors and international venture capitalist to the Kingdom’s relatively young innovation ecosystem.
http://bit.ly/1PGPmLe

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Hackathons Build young Minds for the Future


While it would seem that most hackathons were made for people attending a university – not all hackathons are meant for those over the age of 17. That’s why the non-profit organization, Code 411, is using the power of hackathons to mold young minds between the ages of 12 and 17. Learning what we are capable of For the second year in a row Code 411 organized a one-day seminar in Bermuda called the Holiday Hackathon for kids to learn about programming, technology, coding, and more. “We learned about making iPhone apps, building websites – basically learning how to tell the computer what to do, “ 16- year-old Kendrea Dill said about the event. Jahde Eve, a Bermudian coder was there to talk about programming to 80 teens.
http://bit.ly/1PGOWEv

Patents for Humanity Innovation Contest Winners Set the Bar High


Patents for Humanity has recently closed their application process on December 4th and is ready to begin judging all of the phenomenal projects that were entered. This innovation contest, started by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO), is meant to build technology that can help humanitarian issues. Past winners of Patents for Humanity have really set the bar high, proving that these competitions and projects are really helping technology progress on a humanitarian level. The 2015 Patents for Humanity 7 winners were selected among 5 categories – medicine, sanitation, energy, nutrition, and living standards.
http://bit.ly/1PGO17a

Community College Innovation Competition Has Proven Important


Skild is so proud to be helping assist National Science Foundation’s Community College innovation competition for the second year in a row. But not only do we look forward to the future of this amazing challenge, but we also honor and respect the previous winners who worked so hard during their competing. STEM thinking Those enrolled in community colleges have the opportunity to provide their profound ideas through science, technology, engineering, and math to help solve actual real problems. During last year’s competition – the winners showed more than promising results.
http://bit.ly/1QudWMi