The success of your application form holds significant value in our decision-making mechanism. This document provides our expert panel a platform to scrutinise and evaluate your novel ideas among the various awards we offer, before we proceed to award category specific winners and the esteemed ‘Innovation of the Year’.
Prior to initiating your submission, we advise you to peruse the Terms & Conditions and Guidance Notes to grasp the complete procedure and ensure your eligibility. Here are some salient points to note:
– Applications must be submitted prior to the closing date, September 20th, 2024, refrain from a last-minute submission in order to manage any possible setbacks which may prevent you from meeting the deadline.
– The foundation of your entry should be a novel service or product innovation, launched into the market for the first time amid September 1st, 2022 and September 13th, 2024.
– The innovative approach can be concentrated towards business and/or consumer, and its effects must be verifiable and quantifiable both qualitatively and quantitatively.
– For pharmaceutical or medical apparatus innovations, they must at least be in phase III of clinical testing.
– Incomplete submissions will not be entertained.
Stage 1 – Initial Screening – to qualify you must meet the below:
– Registration of your business on the island of Ireland (North or South)
– The concept around which your submission is constructed is introduced into the market for the first instance between September 1st, 2022 and September 13th, 2024.
– Compliance with all relevant sector and/or legal norms
– Adherence to the entry deadline
– Inclusion of a copy of your organisation’s logo and a suitable photograph to represent the entry.
Stage 2 – Category Shortlisting – nominees will be chosen based on the following criteria:
The criteria for evaluating the competition submissions will revolve around evidence-backed innovation originality, measurable market influence, including the introduction of novel offerings to market, effective innovation management, tangible business results such as improved efficiency or sales surge, and potential for future sustainability and expansion. The company’s CSR/ESG initiatives will also be taken into consideration.
The stage of Category Winners & Innovation of the Year has been outlined where category finalists, numbering three, will be required to showcase their innovative solutions in front of the final judging panel in the heart of Dublin on October 23rd, 2024. Selection of winners will be predicated upon their presentation quality and entire application content. Representatives presenting their ideas before the adjudicators should be available on the predetermined date. Confirmation of shortlisting will be conveyed by October 13th.
The grand reveal of the victorious candidates will take place at an awards function on November 13th, a Wednesday, situated at CHQ, Dublin. A champion from every category and the recipient of the coveted ‘Innovation of the Year’ award will be awarded. As per the guidelines, the decisions of the judges stand final and are not open to discussion or negotiation.
While filling out the application form, follow the instructions given. The ORGANISATION DETAILS section should be filled accurately with your industry sector mentioned as per the categories provided, which range from Manufacturing, Water Supply and Construction to Education, Health and Social Work Activities and other services.
The type of organisation you belong to should be specified from options like Company, Business Agency, Academic, Government, Student/Graduate, or Other. It would be prudent to retain a copy of your application for future reference.
Keep in mind that the assessment panel is composed of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds, not all of whom may be well-versed in your particular field. It would be advised to steer clear of industry-specific lingo and ensure a non-industry individual reviews your application to identify any lack of clarity.
The goal of your application is to clearly articulate your innovation and what sets it apart. Should your innovation improve upon an existing system or process, delineate the distinguishing features that make it an advancement. What makes it stand above its market competitors?
Given the volume of applications to be reviewed, keeping yours succinct and direct is key. As a rule of thumb, aim for individual responses to be within the 200-400 word limit.
Ensure that any assertions made in the application, for example relating to patents or projected sales and market scale, are accurate.
We strongly recommend all applicants fully substantiate any impact their business claims, both qualitatively and quantitatively. The key is demonstrating the innovation’s targeted outcomes to the judges, ideally by providing a summary of the evidence along with corroborative material such as citations, customer testimonials, research findings and third-party verification.
REFERENCES
For auditing and diligence purposes, please provide contact details of two independent industry referees acquainted with your innovation and its value.
Referees must be independent of the organisation or project, with significant experience in the relevant industry or sector, and open for a telephone interview post initial round of judging. The date for this will be advised in due course.
Potential referees may include customers, suppliers, accountants or individuals with extensive experience in the industry.
SUBMITTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
If your innovation is more technically complex and best explained through visual elements such as drawings, animations or pictures, this can be emailed directly to the judges. Be sure to mention your organisation’s name in the email subject line.
Note that any submitted information should be saved in PDF format and the file size must not exceed 6mb.
SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
Ensure you carefully review your application before submitting and ascertain that everything is error free and finished. The fully filled application and your photographic evidence, as per the form’s instructions, need to be sent via email prior to Friday, the 20th of September, 2024. Any applications received beyond the mentioned deadline won’t be entertained.
What’s next?
– Each application, post the submission deadline, will be categorised and examined for eligibility.
– The next step includes scrutiny to conclude the top three candidates from each category.
– After due scrutiny and verification, the shortlisted candidates will be made known in October 2024. We’ll personally get in touch with the successful candidates.
– Once the candidates are informed, the ones who made it to the shortlist will have to:
– Make it a point to be ready to present in front of the Final Judging Panel on Thursday, the 23rd of October, 2024.
– Develop a small 8-slide (maximum) PowerPoint presentation for the presentation to the final panel. Each presentation can’t exceed 15 minutes in length and will comprise of an 8-minute talk and a 7-minute Q&A round with the panel.
– Participate in a brief interview on the final judgement day immediately after their presentation. This segment will be utilised on our website and to advertise the innovation on the day of the award ceremony.
– Shortlisted innovators will receive two seats for the award ceremony and networking event, and attendance is mandatory.
– Category winners along with the ‘Innovator of the Year’ will be declared at this event, happening on Wednesday, the 13th of November, 2023.
– A comprehensive ‘Next Steps’ document will be emailed to all shortlisted organisations soon after they are announced. It will encompass an associated PR kit.