Have you got some outstanding idea for the mobile world rattling around in your brain, but can’t afford to make it happen? Vodafone wants to hear from you. This morning, the Vodafone Americas Foundation is launching a $3 million fund to help them find “wireless technology that can change the world.”
Coming out swinging, they’ve announced that the first $600,000 of that $3 million will be given as cash grants to the winners of a Wireless Innovation Challenge. First place walks away with $300,000, while second and third get $200,000 and $100,000 respectively.
Now, don’t go trying to score a couple hundred grand with a ringtone editor or an application that turns the iPhone into a flashlight. Vodafone’s mission here is to “address critical social issues around the world”, mentioning mobile disaster warnings and “a microscope embedded on a mobile phone and used in remote areas to collect and submit blood samples for diagnosis at a faraway lab” as ideas of the right mindset. More specifically, they’re looking for ways to better the world in the areas of health, education, economic development, the environment, and access to communication.
Amongst other criteria, application is only open to tax-exempt nonprofit corporations/trusts and U.S. universities. If you’re considering diving into this, make sure to run through the eligibility questionnaire before you get too deep. Applications are being accepted until February 2, 2009, at which point 8 finalists will be chosen for in-person presentations in March. Winners will be announced at the end of April.
The irony here is overwhelming. The “carriers” are the single biggest barrier to mobile innovation. You want mobile innovation Vodafone – get Verizon to stop crippling every useful feature of the handsets on it’s network. You want innovation – get out of the way and let people bring whatever device and software they want.
If you aren’t going to do that – shut up and go away.
(yes I’m cranky today).
Open only to non-profit organizations = no participation
It just means that they don’t want to hear from anybody with enough money to sue them when the ideas are stolen.
Of course, the real purpose of this press release is to answer the question, “Vodaphone has a presence in the US?!” Someone had to poke some eyeballs before that year-end bonus review comes in.
I dont think there will ne participation. they are doing bad in Turkey also.
http://www.iamlittle.net
I dont understand why only non-profit , Universitys are elegible! Dont they think other too have lot of ideas which can be useful to world!
chandra
http://www.myjil.com
i should take a look at that iphone app list accidentally released few days ago :)
I’ll need a $100,000 down payment first before giving away all my ideas.
If the mission is to “address critical social issues around the world”, shouldn’t the competition be open globally, even if only to NGOs and Universities?!
Mannan. | wordlist.tintash.com
…except what if that *isn’t* the mission?
I appreciate the thought process here, but the restrictions and tone make me a bit leery, as others have expressed. This idea minus the potential for this company to grab others ideas for free would be great.
I do not understand Universities and Non-Profits only either – this is a serious limitation.
I think the key thing to understand here is that the 600k is a grant. Free money. They don’t want to wind up funding a future competitor. Instead they’d rather fund potential future employees.
Very interesting.. Thanks
Great time to innovate, while others retract into their R&D shells. These guys don’t innovate. They can spell innovate, but only after they watched someone else write the word down first and make a business case out of it.
Very interesting. I am excited with this
Dungiis
http://kysuxd.com
How about an app that allows you to spoof yourself as a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation or U.S. university?