Winners Announced in HUD Innovation Competition

In order to encourage research, collaboration, and creativity in affordable housing and community development, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sponsors an annual innovation competition. By initiating and funding this competition, HUD hopes to encourage and support experts in fields like architecture, planning, policy, and finance as they strive to improve affordable and sustainable housing for low- and moderate-income Americans.

Called the Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition, the fourth annual edition took place this year. It involved a real-world scenario that required competitors to provide creative ideas for addressing economic, social, environmental, and construction issues in redeveloping Woodhill Homes, a 478-unit multifamily property owned and operated by the Cuyahoga County Ohio Metropolitan Housing Authority. Read more from this blog. http://bit.ly/2qf3mB7

European Social Innovation Competition is Underway

Some of the most impactful innovation competitions are those that seek to address social issues. The European Commission has launched this year’s European Social Innovation Competition. The goal of the challenge is for Europeans to come up with novel approaches to technologies, digital inclusion, connectivity, and skills development.

We talk about this being the digital age, but of course, that’s not true for everyone. This competition seeks to ensure that everyone has a chance to take advantage of the opportunities before us. The organizers feel strongly that as technology advances, it must be used to help society advance as well so that everyone benefits. Participants in the challenge are encouraged to submit creative ideas for closing the technology gap. Read more from this blog. http://bit.ly/2oFSw5u

UpPrize Social Innovation Competition Announces 10 Finalists

The UpPrize Social Innovation Challenge is an innovation competition that encourages communities to find creative solutions to issues facing their region or the world. Organized by Forbes Funds, it launched last year with a contest focused on helping victims of human trafficking, the visually impaired, and other vulnerable populations.

This year’s innovation competition asks participants to come up with ideas in two areas: Healthy Food Access and Impactful Technology. Ten finalists have been selected from an initial group of 175 by the companies partnering in the challenge, BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Bridgeway Capital, and Comcast. Each finalist will receive $10,000 plus the opportunity to compete for additional prizes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Read more from this blog. http://bit.ly/2onQ7hp

Ericsson Innovation Competition Ponders the Future of Food

The Ericsson Innovation Awards 2017 is a global innovation competition for students that challenge them to create innovative information and communications technology (ICT) solutions in partnership with Ericsson employees.
Experts estimate that the world population will be 9.6 billion by 2050. With our planet’s limited resources, how will we feed them all? Clearly we’ll have to be more efficient in the way we grow, store, and distribute food. We’ll also have to make major advances in our sustainability efforts. Ericsson knows from experience that ICT must play a major role in on how the world’s population is effectively fed. Read more from this Article: http://bit.ly/2mrdxnN

Triangle Health Innovation Competition Tackles Healthcare Pain Points

What are some of the biggest “pain points” in healthcare today? And how can they be solved? These are the questions behind the Triangle Health Innovation Competition (THInC), which takes place in “Research Triangle” in North Carolina.
THInC was created to use the talents and energy of students and young professionals (business people, engineers, clinicians, designers, etc.) to address some of the most pressing challenges in industry. Over the years, the result has been some truly innovative solutions. The challenge, which is organized by the Duke School of Medicine Innovation and Entrepreneurship Activity Group, and the Carolina Health Entrepreneurship Initiative, creates powerful synergy among academic, industry, pharmaceutical, startup, and student communities to find smart solutions to vexing problems. Read more from this Article: http://bit.ly/2myPd3v