The Big Idea Final 6
Well it's down to the business end now and the incredibly difficult process of narrowing 1,000 ideas from around the world down to just six, has been completed. The standard of the ideas, business plans and video pitches has been outstanding and a pleasure to judge.
Congratulations to all of our finalists and a special congratulations to the following six entries who are through to the Grand Finale at the London Guild Hall on 27th May.
Nosocomial - Dan Nicolau
Nosocomial, or hospital acquired infections (NIs) - such as the MRSA "superbug" - are a leading cause of death worldwide. There is great desire to reduce NI rates: in the US alone, they are responsible for 90,000 deaths and $10bn costs annually (an estimated $50,000 per NI). It's well accepted that if health care workers improve compliance with hand-washing protocols, the incidence of NIs decreases substantially. Our product is a doorhandle that dispenses sanitizer upon use, forcing healthcare workers to sterilize their hands before making contact with patients. Use of our product will dramatically lower transmission rates and save lives and money.
Solar Oven - John Tilleman
Cooking kills in developing countries. Using simple solar ovens in place of firewood would reduce deforestation, gender-based violence, missed educational and economic opportunities and over a million smoke-related premature deaths annually. We have developed the simplest and cheapest solar oven design yet, made from a single piece of reflective plastic folded into a cone. Through mass production, we can reduce the price to only a few dollars each and put these stoves within the reach of the world's neediest people, improving lives now. By partnering with existing NGO's, we can quickly achieve the penetration necessary to make an impact.
Zoombu - Alistair Hann
Zoombu is the ultimate way to plan a trip between any two places in Europe.There will no longer be the need to search through the bewildering range of airlines and airports, instead Zoombu will find the best route for you.
Swayam - Thomas Seyller
Many students forgo tertiary education due to lack of funding or unwillingness to take loans. Our aim is to ensure that financial constraints never stop bright students from pursuing higher education. Swayam, a pioneer in peer-to-peer retail investing, will offer ordinary people the opportunity to become angel investors in the education of talented individuals, in exchange for a share of those beneficiaries' future income. Swayam will provide mental peace to students who will repay education costs commensurate with their means and not as fixed-amount loans. Swayam will help poor individuals worldwide access education, the key to development and poverty-eradication.
GreenMango - Yasmina McCarty
GreenMango is an affordable, accessible, marketing platform that is designed to help low-income entrepreneurs in developing countries grow their businesses. It gives them access to new sales channels, enables them to market their businesses to new customers, and validates their work through the reviews of their past customers. By bringing these small businesses online and giving them the power to market and promote themselves, GreenMango levels the playing field for poor entrepreneurs to compete with larger businesses. It offers a sustainable way for small entrepreneurs in developing countries to expand their businesses and increase their family's income.
BeFree! - Melissa Matarese
Painful menstruation affects approximately 50% of women, and 10% are incapacitated for up to three days. Quite often medicines are taken at 4-6 hour intervals during menstruation to combat the debilitating pain. Often one forgets to take the painkillers in her purse and is left without access to pain relief. Thus, there is a market for NSAID secreting tampons. The tampon can be laced with the pain relieving agent which can be delivered locally to the sensitive area. Thus, women will no longer need to carry bottles of pills to be reminded and inconvenienced by their discomfort.
Prize Pool
- First prize - £20,000
- Second prize - £2,500
- Third prize - £1,500
Early entry prizes:
- Best Idea entered prior to 30th November - £500
- Best Idea entered from Dec 1st - Dec 31st - £500
All Regional finalists will receive a commendation certificate.
A note about confidentiality:
A few entrants have been concerned that their ideas will be "stolen" as a result of entering the 'What's your big idea?' competition. To avoid this, we advise that you submit a public summary describing:
- the "what" (what role it fills)
- the "why" (why people will want it)
- but NOT the "how" (how it works or how someone could duplicate it).
In phases 2 and 3 of the competition, we will take measures to protect the confidentiality of your entries. All judges and entrants will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. Failure to comply could lead to prosecution.
For further details on Confidentiality and Intellectual Property please read our Terms and Conditions.
