Student Team Spring Challenge: New Realities

The details for our Tech Industry Gold Spring Challenge have now been revealed. The challenge will take place online on 10th March 2021, with Tech Industry Gold degree students from across the UK presenting their concepts to a panel of tech employers. Teams will need to provide their name, year group and university to [email protected] by midnight on 28th February 2021. Read, digest and get your teams together!

The Challenge

A world of new realities is rapidly emerging. New realities in how people live, learn and work. New realities in how society operates. New realities in international trade.

The speed of change has never been greater, and the power of technology has never been clearer. It offers an unprecedented opportunity for a better future for people, society, the economy and the planet.

At the heart of this new world are smart communities – from supportive peer groups to networks of local businesses, from global teams delivering medical breakthroughs to new collaborations on green tech.

Your challenge is to create a tech solution for a smart community. Focus on creating a better future for people, society, the economy or the planet. Describe the problem you want to address, show us how you will tackle it, and inspire us with the benefits your solution can achieve.

See below for some examples:

1) You have the opportunity to develop a new high street. How will technology play its part in nurturing cohesive communities, addressing isolation, enabling access for people with disabilities, reduce carbon footprint whilst ensuring retailers remain viable? What could the future look like? Think drones, travellators, holograms and beyond. Be imaginative.

2) Since the start of the pandemic, many people have moved away from cities to rural settings. How can technology ensure the rural population remains connected with their communities and businesses?

3) Our creative industries have been hard hit by the pandemic. How can technology help to re-build the sector and offer ’smart’ arts to smart communities?

4) COP26 will take place in November ‘21 in Glasgow this year – this is the UN Climate Change Conference – How you would use technology to help with climate change (imagine you were a presenter at this conference).

5) Although globalisation has its benefits, there’s been a growing realisation that local businesses are essential to our communities and, as well as generating local jobs, could help reduce our destructive impact on the environment. Can technology enable and support this revival?

More details

The challenge will take place on 10th March 2021, the timings will be confirmed.

You will be asked to present live to the panel of judges.

Presentations for first years will be a maximum of 5 minutes.

Presentations for second years, final year and MSc students will be a maximum of 7 minutes.

You can use video, slides, music, and animation in your live presentation.

Each winning team will receive a trophy and £500. There will also be runners up prizes of £300 and £200 for each second and third team. The judging panel will also offer individual spot prizes to students who stand out and impress them.

Next steps

A maximum of two teams per year group can take part in the challenge.

You will need to provide your team name (usually the name of your solution), year group, and university to [email protected] by midnight on 28th February 2021.

Please send in a project brief (2 pages maximum) together with your final team members’ names and email addresses, by 3rd March 2021 to [email protected].