Calling all Innovative FIRST Alumni: Submit your proposals now
Jan 09, 2019 Written by FIRST Global Innovation Award Staff
Have you invented something and turned it into a business? Are you an entrepreneur? Do you work on a team bringing an invention to market for your company? Use your personal success story and experiences to create an engaging, educational 1-hour workshop session aimed to inspire. We’re looking for someone who can share tangible advice on innovation and/or entrepreneurship – product development, pitching, considering implementation factors, seeking VC funding, collaborating, observing opportunity, etc. – AND use their story to illustrate how attainable innovation is to FIRST students.
What is the Global Innovation Award? The Global Innovation Award is an annual competition stemming from the FIRST LEGO League project, which this year is centered around identifying a problem of long-duration space travel. Teams identify a problem within the INTO ORBIT theme and innovate a solution. The competition is open to current teams globally. Twenty teams (about 200 students) with exemplary solutions are selected and attend a two-and-a-half-day culminating event that includes judging, workshops, mentorship, and more. The winning team receives $20,000 to continue work on their invention.
Who: We’re looking for a dynamo—a FIRST alum who has experience with innovation and/or entrepreneurship. You do not need to own a business or be a certain age to propose a session. You do have a compelling story. You do have tangible advice to give based on your experiences and unique perspective.
When will I give my workshop? June 26 or 27, 2019
Where: Sunny San Jose, California
Deadline to submit: January 14, 2019 Deadline extended! Submit by January 21, 2019
Submit now!
Questions: fllinnovationaward@firstinspires.org
Important fine print: (Really, you should read it.)
By submitting a proposal, you agree to share a content outline for your workshop with FIRST staff in advance and travel to give an approximate 1-hour workshop session on June 26 or 27, 2019. FIRST will cover your hotel accommodation and airfare (from the Continental US) to give this session. We are unable to offer a stipend. We’ll let you know if your proposal has been accepted on or around February 1. You can indicate your preferred date when submitting. We cannot take specific time requests, but your session will be within business hours (8 am – 5pm pacific time). If you are with us the day of the Ceremony on June 27, you’ll be invited to our invited guest reception with FIRST leadership and sponsors. Whatever day you choose for your workshop session, you will need to give it more than once to accommodate teams learning in small groups. Proposals not chosen for 2019 will be considered for the 2020 event. The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals: originality, tangible learning objectives, potential to inspire, and experience presenting.