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Global Impact Competition to Finland


The Global Impact Challenge will be held in Finland for the first time ever this spring 2015, and is now open for entries. Singularity University, the Silicon Valley-based institute and startup-accelerator holds regional innovation competitions around the world each year, from where the winner gets awarded a seat and a fully funded scholarship worth 25’000€ to a 3-month long intensive course based at NASA Ames Research Center in California.

The competition is open for anyone above 21yrs of age in Finland with an innovative mindset, and who believes that technology can be leveraged to make our world a better place. To win the competition, the applicant needs to present an idea on how to use accelerating technologies to solve a problem that affects a million people’s lives. Singularity University seeks for passionate people who want to change the world.

Applications are open until the 23rd of March. From there 5 finalists will be chosen to present their idea at the final event taking place April 8th, 2015.

There, the jury consisting of 5 people will decide who the winner is:

•   Pia Henrietta Kekäläinen, GSP13 Alumni
•   Marko Nurmela, Samsung
•   Harri Sjöholm, Robit Rocktools
•   Antti Kerppola, IF
•   Tuula Teeri, Aalto University

The winner will receive a fully funded scholarship to enter the Singularity University Graduate Studies Program 2015 at NASA Ames Research Center.

During the 3-month program, the participants are taught how to leverage accelerating technologies to build ventures that can solve some of the biggest problems in the world. With only 80 participants from around 35 different countries accepted each year, the competition for the seats is fierce.

The partners of the Global Innovation Challenge Finland are If, Samsung, Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation and KAUTE Foundation.

Read more, and apply online at: http://global.singularityu.org/finland/gic/

For more information contact:

Marcus Olsson, GSP14 Alumni, Tel: +358 504863601, marcus.olsson@singularityu.org

Pia Henrietta Kekäläinen, GSP13 Alumni, henrietta.kekalainen@singularityu.org, phenriettak.com

Singularity University’s mission is to solve humanity’s grand challenges health, education, poverty, water, food, environment, energy and security by leveraging exponentially growing technologies.
Singularity University asks each of its alumni to impact the lives of a billion people positively within a decade (10^9+). www.singularityu.org

Technology Industries of Finland Centennial Foundation promotes renewal and future competitiveness. The foundation funds development of research, education and innovative operating environment with 3-4 million euros annually. www.100-vuotissaatio.teknologiateollisuus.fi

KAUTE Foundation supports and promotes research and education in business and technology. KAUTE was founded by Finnish business school and engineering graduate associations in 1956. www.kaute.demo

If insures all that is valuable in life: people, animals, homes, cars and more. We also help companies to ensure that it is business as usual even if they suffer a claim. Thanks to 6,800 skilled employees, our 3.6 million customers in the Nordic and Baltic countries have the right coverage and can feel confident that they will get the help they need – if something should happen. If P&C is part of Sampo Group. www.if.fi

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies, redefining the worlds of TVs, smartphones, wearable devices, tablets, cameras, digital appliances, printers, medical equipment, network systems and semiconductors. We are also leading in the Internet of Things space through, among others, our Digital Health and Smart Home initiatives. We employ 307,000 people across 84 countries. To discover more, please visit our official website at www.samsung.com and our official blog at global.samsungtomorrow.com