Ericsson is inviting university students the world over to propose innovative technology solutions to help tackle sustainable development challenges.
The tech giant is using this year’s Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) 2022 challenge, under the theme “Impact Our Sustainable Future” to give out more than EUR50,000 in prizes up to university students who are able to come up with innovation to address sustainability challenges.
Heather Johnson, Vice President, Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility at Ericsson, says: “There are less than 10 years until the conclusion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and it will take a collective effort from all sectors of society to achieve them. Ericsson is a champion of the role technology and innovation can play in scaling sustainable development efforts.
She adds: “University students around the world are among the most passionate and determined advocates of the need for action to meet global sustainability challenges. That’s why we’ve chosen sustainability as the focus of this year’s Ericsson Innovation Awards to help catalyze action.”
Participating university teams are asked to take inspiration from the United Nations’ 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to identify a sustainability challenge to tackle with a technology solution that can make a lasting change.
Interested teams of two-to-four students currently enrolled in university studies should submit team names and ideas by 13.00 CEST (11.00 GMT), August 5, 2022.
As an extra incentive, the first seven submissions per region as of 13.00 CEST (11.00 GMT) on June 16, 2022, will have the opportunity to access extra support and feedback from Ericsson mentors.
Johnson adds: “Imagination is the only limit to the range of ideas that can be submitted. From past Ericson Innovation Awards’ experiences, we know that university student talent is exceptional in proposing and developing creative solutions.”
Prizes
Overall winner: EUR25,000
As a Nobel International partner, Ericsson will also offer the winning team the opportunity to join a virtual conversation with a Nobel Prize laureate.
Overall runner-up: EUR15,000
Overall third place: EUR 5,000
Social Media Prize: EUR2,000
The three finalists’ ideas will be uploaded to @ericssoncareers Istagram. A public vote – in the last 24 hours before the Grand Finale – will determine which team who wins the EUR 2,000.
Regional winners
Each of the seven regional winners will receive EUR1,000.
In some cases, additional special recognition and prizes will be offered from the respective region.
The 14 semi-finalists, including the regional winners, will receive eight weeks of comprehensive mentorship from Ericsson experts in innovation and business, as well as recognition on Ericsson’s social and digital media channels.
Further details, including registration information, is available on the Ericsson Innovation Awards site.
About the Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA)
The Ericsson Innovation Awards have been distributed annually since 2015. The competition aims to give students around the world the opportunity to develop innovative ideas supported by Ericsson technology and business planning experts.
The EIA awards replaced the Ericsson Application Awards, an R&D initiative to drive app development and innovation. The Ericsson Application Awards ran from 2009 until 2014.
