EarthTech 2020 Challenge Official Information for Young Innovators Worldwide. Deadline : 24 January 2020.

DESCRIPTION

Organiser

The EarthTech Challenge is organized and operated by EarthTech (“EarthTech Challenge”, “ETC”, “We”, “Us”, “Our”), a social enterprise based in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. Learn more about us here.

Our Purpose

Our purpose is to empower young people to help solve the biggest environmental and social issues of our time. We aim to inspire, support, and scale technologies dedicated to Earth’s sustainability, by bridging gaps between youth education, job creation, economic development and environmental sustainability and supplying the tools they need to make commercially viable businesses as well as tangible impact to the Global Goals in a coherent way.

We do this by bringing together the critical resources: visionary entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, investment capital and a shared purpose through an unprecedented challenge.

Competition

The EarthTech Challenge invites purpose-driven youth aged between 13-29 with a passion for solving our most pressing environmental and social issues, through the use of science, technology, communication and design.

It includes a six-week online course run from the 16th December 2019 to 24th January 2020, delivered via a cloud-based platform that provides teams with seamless onboarding, access to expert educational material and mentorship.

The competition aims to achieve and create exponential impact for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals. The SDG’s are a historic and universal call to action to end poverty, solve the climate crisis, protect biodiversity and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

Individuals and/or teams can register in one of the following categories: Poverty & Inequality,  Food, Water & Health Care, Climate & Energy, Sustainable Futures and Environment & Biodiversity. Entries should demonstrate how the concept relates and is aligned to one or more of the SDGs and how technology, creativity, and innovation can help to achieve the Global Goals.

Submissions will be video based, and we highly encourage an integrated team approach because EVERYONE is needed to reach these ambitious targets.

Finalists receive the opportunity to participate in the EarthTech Summit held on Makepeace Island, Richard Branson’s Australian home in February 2020. Here they’ll receive further support, mentoring, seminars, networking, direct investment opportunities to fund and/or commercialise their idea/s, as well as the chance to be crowned the overall winner of the EarthTech Challenge.

The inaugural EarthTech Challenge is completely free to enter!

MISSION

The ETC mission is to ideate and generate youth-led solutions that align with the Global Goals and demonstrate an integrated approach towards contributing to a better world.

THE EARTHTECH CHALLENGE CATEGORIES

Each category covers one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Judging criteria includes the impact a submission makes on the SDGs, based on the corresponding metrics. Teams are welcome to describe the impact on any of the SDGs. The category descriptions are not exhaustive or exclusive.

1. Poverty & Inequality
2. Food, Water & Health Care
3. Climate & Energy
4. Sustainable Futures
5. Environment & Biodiversity

For more information on the Global Goals, visit: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

COURSE CONTENT

The ETC is a six-week online challenge. Participation in the course content is not mandatory, yet is highly recommended.

• Welcomes and introductory overviews to the Challenge will be supplied ahead of weekly materials.
• Keynotes will be delivered each Monday morning via the ETC portal.
• Mentoring will be provided via an online mentoring platform.

WEEK 1: 16 to 20 December 2019

RE / SEARCH & IDEATING

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• Introducing the Challenge and the Design Sprint Framework
• Identifying and Researching a Social Challenge
• Ideating Your Social and Environmental Solution and Idea
• Transforming Your Solution into a Social Business Idea

WEEK 2: 23 – 27 December 2019

INNOVATION

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• Ensuring your idea is innovative and a social innovation
• Activating your community, audience and tribe!
• Mapping the key activities, features and partnerships of your solution.
• Generating revenue to sustain your impact in the world!

WEEK 3: 30 December – 3 January 2020

PROTOTYPING

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• Design Process
• Platform
• Prototype types
• Narrative Prototyping

WEEK 4: 6 – 10 January 2020

TESTING & ITERATING

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• What is usability Testing. 
• Introduction to usability testing (we set up two types: concept & prototype)
• Validating your concept
• Testing your prototype
• Common usability testing pitfalls

WEEK 5: 13 – 17 January 2020

ARTICULATING – Making an argument to support your hypothesis. 

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• Finding the right tools
• The TED effect
• Crafting your narrative
• Defending your story

WEEK 6: 20 – 24 January 2020

BRAND TRUST & PITCHING

The lecture and reading materials covered include:

• Using Design, written, verbal and body language communication to convey a message
• Building Design Brand Trust
• Creating UX (User Experience) Brand Trust
• Finding and using your authentic voice

PRIZES AND REWARDS

• Finalists (the nominated team leader + representative) will be offered two (2) complimentary travel tickets, two (2) shared accommodations and 3 meals per person / per day for the duration of the ETC Summit at Makepeace Island in Noosa from 20th – 23rd February, 2020.
• Parents or legal guardians are required to accompany any winners under 18-years old. EarthTech will provide travel and accommodation for guardians.
• Any out of pocket expenses incurred to participate in the Challenge and or Summit are at the Entrants discretion and solely the Entrants responsibility. ETC, its Judges and Competition Partners will have no responsibility for any Entrant’s out of pocket costs and expenses related to the EarthTech Challenge or Summit.
• Entrants are solely responsible for any taxes or other applicable governmental charges from any federal, state or local authority that may be due as a result of winning a prize or obtaining any opportunities as a result of the ETC. All Entrants should seek independent advice regarding tax and other liabilities associated with winning a prize or receiving other benefits as a result of the ETC.

Finalists

• Finalists will be selected based on the public voting + expert judges’ assessment of (i) the quality and thoroughness of Entrant’s video submission and other supporting entry materials; (ii) the long-term viability of the initiative; (iii) ability to impact the SDGs.
• Finalists from each category will be offered the opportunity to attend the EarthTech Challenge Summit 2020.
• Finalists will be required to confirm their agreement to the EarthTech Summit terms and conditions. Legal representatives of finalist’s under the age of 18 will be required to confirm their agreement to the EarthTech Summit terms and conditions. If you achieve an EarthTech Challenge Category Finalist Award you will:
• Receive an EarthTech Challenge Finalist’s Seal to badge and brand your collateral.
• Receive an EarthTech Challenge Finalist’s Certificate to promote your achievement.
• Present your story as a TedX style talk at the EarthTech Summit February 2020.
• Receive a chance for further support, mentoring, seminars, key networking and direct investment opportunities to fund and commercialise your idea/s.
• Be featured as a finalist through the EarthTech website.
• Be celebrated across EarthTech’s social media networks.

Summit Winner

All finalists are further reviewed and evaluated by the audit panel to decide the EarthTech Challenge Summit Winner. The EarthTech Challenge Summit Winner will:

• Receive the EarthTech Challenge Winner Trophy.
• Receive the EarthTech Challenge Winner Seal to badge and brand your collateral.
• Receive the EarthTech Challenge Winner Certificate to promote your achievement.
• Be profiled as a Winner through the EarthTech website.
• Be celebrated across EarthTech’s social media networks.
• Be invited to participate in various events throughout the following 12-months.
• Be invited to join EarthTech’s national team of leaders and innovators.
• Receive a chance for further support, mentoring, seminars, key networking and direct investment opportunities to fund and commercialise your idea/s.
• Celebrate as you share the win with your team, staff, stakeholders, customers and anyone that was a part of your journey.

Note: The terms of any investments will be separately negotiated between the Finalists/Winners and potential investors including EarthTech. EarthTech will have the first right of refusal for future investment rounds for entrants. Entrants to the ETC are also free to enter into business relationships with potential investors at Entrant’s sole discretion. No such business relationship is required in order to participate in the Competition or be selected as a Winner.

Finalist’s & Winner/s will be announced

• ETC will notify the Challenge Finalists via the nominated team leader email address provided in their Entry, on or about February 2nd, 2020.
• If a Finalist does not respond nor provide a required confirmation within three (3) days of notification, is found ineligible, or does not comply with these Official Rules, such Entry may be disqualified by ETC, in its sole discretion, and the Competition Judges will select a replacement Finalist.
• ETC will notify the Challenge Winner via the nominated team leader email address provided in their Entry, on or about February 28, 2020.
• Finalist’s and/or winners may not substitute, barter, transfer or assign any prize or opportunities.

RULES

Please review these rules carefully, and revisit them as they are subject to change without notice.

The EarthTech Challenge (“ETC”) is organized and operated by EarthTech a social enterprise based in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast, Australia. The ETC  involves, science, technology, communication, design and a video based delivery.

Who can enter

Individuals or as part of a team (“Entrant”) are eligible to enter (“Entry”) if they satisfy all the criteria listed below:

• The Entrant has an idea, is in the process of developing or has developed (i) a product or service based on a new or innovative technology, or (ii) an innovative application of an existing technology.
• The Entrants idea, product or service has the potential to address one (1) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (here after “SDGs”) under five (5) categories. It is not possible to join multiple categories in the same Entry, yet separate Entries will be accepted. Our mentors can help decide the best category for you if your idea solves multiple problems across the UN’s SDG’s
• The Entrant has no restrictions on future funding based on the funding received from elsewhere as of the date of submission of Entry.
• The Entrant is not affiliated with ETC, any competition partner or agency assisting with competition promotional or organizational activities.
• Entrant must be 13 to 29 years of age at the time of Entry.
• Any Entrant aged between 13 and 17 must have a parent/guardian permission at the time of Entry.
• Entrant agrees to comply with all ETC privacy policy and terms and conditions.

Restrictions

Any Entrant or Entry will not, under any circumstances:

• Infringe or otherwise violate the intellectual property rights of any third party, including copyrights, moral rights, patents, trademarks, design rights, trade secrets and rights of publicity;
• Disclose or rely upon the confidential or proprietary information of a third party without appropriate written permission;
• Contain defamatory, disparaging or unlawful content;
• Invade the privacy or right of publicity rights of any person (living or deceased), or otherwise infringe upon a third party’s personal or proprietary rights;
• Violate any laws or regulations or promote activities that are illegal in Australia
• Include sexually explicit subject matter;
• Depict or inspire violence, weapons or dangerous stunts;
• Depict discrimination, bigotry, harm or hatred;
• Conflict with the United Nations SDGs.
• The above list is not exhaustive. ETC may disqualify, reject or disqualify at any time, in its sole discretion and without incurring any liability, if it deems the entrant unsuitable for this competition.

HOW TO ENTER

• ET will accept registrations from Monday, November 18, 2019 at 9:00 am until the close of the competition.
• Each Entrant must complete and submit a Registration Form that complies with these Official Rules and agree to all the EarthTech Terms of & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
• Registration allows access to online course content, mentors and experts.
• Final submissions will be accepted between 6- 24 January, 2020.
• Entry forms are available via the ETC website http://www/earthtech.io/entry and must include the following information:
  • Entant primary contact information; full name, email, phone number, address, state, date of birth and if required parent/guardian permission.
  • If applicable, Entrant’s company information, including type of entity, date of incorporation, location & ABN.
  • If part of a team, all Entrant details including full names and dates of birth are required in order to link members.
  • Must nominated one (1) team leader and one (1) representative per Entry. If no such persons are nominated, EarthTech reserves the right to do so on the team’s behalf and without liability.
  • The Entrant must submit under one category: Poverty & Inequality; Food, Water & Heath Care; Climate & Energy; Sustainable Futures or Environment & Biodiversity

TIMELINE

EarthTech Challenge runs from Monday, November 18, 2019 at 9:00 am and close Friday, January 24, 2020 at 11:59pm.

• ET will accept registrations from Monday, November 18, 2019, at 9:00 am
• ETC begins Monday, December 16, 2019, at 9:00 am
• ETC will close registrations and submissions on Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 9:00 am
• ETC closes Friday, January 24, 2019, at 11:59 pm
• Voting opens on Monday, 27 January 2020 at 9:00 am
• Voting closes on Friday,  31st January 2020 at 11:59 pm
• Winners will be notified via email on Sunday, 2 February 2020
• Makepeace Island Summit begins on Thursday, 20 February 2020

JUDGING

Experts/Mentors & Judges

• The EarthTech Challenge has a global team of independent mentors and judges who kindly volunteer their time towards achieving environmental excellence. A diverse group of highly experienced technologists, investors, academics and industry experts with experience and expertise in evaluating startup companies, technology, products and services, and their potential impact in support of the SDGs, they are highly valued members of our team and we greatly appreciate their significant and inspirational contributions.

EarthTech ensures that we maintain a viable, efficient and integrated judging process and all our experts are matched to the relevant category according to their field of expertise. All judges sign and are bound by a confidentiality agreement and absent themselves from judging any entry which may be a conflict of interest. Final decisions are made and reviewed by a senior panel of judges. If you would like to join our team of experts/mentors and judges click here to apply: https://earthtech.io/team-mentor-eoi/

PROCESS

All Entries go through public and expert voting channels and are weighted as a three part judging process.

Round 1 – Public Voting 20% – Public voting is open to anyone and everyone and accounts for 20% of the overall mark.

Round 2 – Expert Judging 40% – Our expert panel of judges watch, read and score all entries based on criteria and account for 40% of the overall mark. From here the public voting + expert scores are collated and will indicate a shortlist of entries to be discussed by each category panel with recommendations and nominations that will proceed to the final round.

Round 3 – Expert Judging 40% – All finalists’ entries and scoring results are reviewed by a judging panel and a finalist from each category is ratified based on the comments and scores made by both rounds of judging.

How Category Finalists and Winners are Selected

An ETC Entrant must submit a pitch video (uploaded in the format specified in the application portal) of no more than five minutes as well as an overview summary* that outlines the topics below:

1. Innovation and Creativity
2. Market Potential
3. Feasibility
4. Quality of Presentation
5. Impact on UN SDGs

* Overview summary may be in the form of presentation (no more than 15 slides) or document (no more than 2 pages). Any supporting research may be included as links through the overview summary.

Decisions will be based on the criteria specified in the score chart below and are inclusive of the Official Rules.