Welcome to GIC Ukraine

Have a moonshot innovation that addresses climate change, leverages exponential technology and has a potential to impact a billion people in 10 years? Apply for Global Impact Challenge to win a spot at Singularity University GSP Program 2017.

Overview

The purpose of the SingularityU Ukraine Global Impact Challenge is to foster moonshot innovations and startups that positively impact the lives of people living in Ukraine, with an ability to scale and impact a billion people worldwide in 10 years.

This year, for the first time, we are ideally looking for applicants who have the skills and passion to develop a moonshot idea and launch a startup company that addresses climate change, although we will also accept outstanding applicants who have other areas of expertise or choose to innovate in other fields.

Climate change is a broad focus area that includes many areas ripe for innovation. For example, if you're developing sustainable food sources or alternative energy sources, developing governance models for policy, or focused on issues such as biodiversity or water access, you already fall within the climate change theme and should definitely apply.

Again, we welcome entrepreneurs, technologists, scientists, and other experts from all disciplines to apply, and we will not require participants to only innovate in the climate change space.

What moonshot innovation would you develop to solve a global grand challenge (environment, energy, water, food, health, disaster resilience, governance, learning, space, security, prosperity) using exponential technology that would impact the lives of a billion people in the next 10 years?


The Prize

The winner of this challenge will secure a full sponsorship to attend the prestigious Global Solutions Program at Singularity University. The program runs from June 17 to August 17, 2017.



Are you ready to change the world?

Rules & Criteria

Applicant Criteria

  • - The challenge is open to residents and citizens in Ukraine
  • - You must be age 21 or older on the first day of the GSP
  • - Must be fluent in written and spoken English
  • - Able to participate for the entire GSP17 program
  • - Applicants selected as finalists will be interviewed by a panel of judges on March, 29


Who Should Apply

You are an ideal candidate if:

  • - You’re an experienced entrepreneur with a proven track record; you’ve already turned over at least one successful company, and you’re ready to do it again in the impact space
  • - You’re an accomplished technologist, scientist, or change agent and are a recognized thought leader in your chosen field(s)
  • - You have a background in or a passion for addressing climate change, including a wide range of related fields such as water desalination, alternative food or energy sources, biodiversity, governance models, and more. (see above)
  • - You have an innovative solution to an urgent global challenge—ideally, but not limited to, climate change—that leverages exponential technologies and can positively impact a billion people within 10 years
  • - You’re prepared to commit to launching a startup around your innovation and remaining attached to that venture, wherever the journey may lead post-GSP, based on your GSP team project

SingularityU Kyiv Chapter will support all the candidates during the application process.

Assessment Criteria

  • - Degree of solution's relevance to the theme of the challenge
  • - The regional relevance in solving the challenge in Ukraine
  • - Feasibility, Viability and Coherence of implementing the idea
  • - Entrepreneurial and innovative potential, with a focus on technological novelty
  • - Applicant’s leadership experience and quality, profile, achievements, and potential


Entry Criteria

  • - CV/Resume
  • - Summary of accomplishments
  • - An abstract of the project idea
  • - A video URL of the project idea


Timeline & Important Dates

February, 1Applications Open
March, 1Applications Close
March, 1 – March, 15Mentorship program for semifinalists
First week of AprilPitch Event & Winners Announced


What is Singularity University

Singularity University (SU) is the benefit corporation behind a global community of innovators who share a mission to solve the world’s greatest challenges. The SU Community is comprised of individuals, business, institutions, investors, and NGOs in over 80 countries. The SU platform is a unique combination of services that consists of educational programs in exponentially advancing technologies, as well as innovation programs to support collaboration and initiatives leveraging those technologies to positively impact billions of lives globally.


What is SingularityU Global

SingularityU Global embodies the community of Singularity University. Members of our community, including our alumni are at the forefront of driving ideas, impact, and change using exponential technologies to address humanity’s grand challenges in their communities. Singularity University is a platform for education and action that is focused on understanding how exponential technology can be used to solve the Global Grand Challenges and leveraged to drive global impact. Singularity University is convening a global community of doers. SingularityU activities are designed in the spirit of Singularity University’s mission to empower our alumni community across the globe.


What is SingularityU Ukraine GIC

Global Impact Challenges are annual competitions held in partnership with sponsor organizations worldwide and organized by geography and theme. These competitions act as a platform to identify outstanding entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists and engineers with the most innovative ideas for positively impacting millions of lives locally and globally within the next 3-5 years. The winner of each competition is invited to attend the Global Solutions Program (GSP) free of charge.

GIC Organizing Team

team1
Igor Novikov
  • Ambassador of Singularity University in Ukraine
  • Head of SingularityU Kyiv Chapter, impact entrepreneur
  • GIC Organizer and EP 2016
team1
Galina Sozanskaya
  • Media and communications expert
  • GIC Organizer

In partnership with

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FAQs

Global Impact Challenges (GICs) are annual incentive competitions held in partnership with sponsor organizations worldwide and organized by geography and theme. These challenges act as a platform to identify outstanding entrepreneurs, technologists and scientists with the most innovative ideas for moonshot innovations and startups that can positively impact a billion people in 10 years. The winner of each challenge receives a full sponsorship to attend our transformational Global Solutions Program.


Q. Do ideas have to be at a certain stage to be submitted?

A. No, ideas do not have to be at a certain stage to be submitted.


Q. Who is the owner of the intellectual property resulting from a GIC?

A. Intellectual property resulting from a GIC competition belongs to the applicant(s).


Q. What is the GIC review process?

A. The selection process is two to three phases depending on the competition. The first phase involves a review of all applications to determine 5-10 finalists, and the second phase involves final judging to select the winner at a pitch event.


Q. Is there an obligation for the GIC winner to work on their winning project during the GSP?

A. No, there’s no such obligation from either SU or the GIC Sponsor. The GIC winner can elect to recruit fellow GSP classmates to work on their winning project or create an entirely new project during the summer.


Q. Who pays for the travel expenses for the winner to come to SU?

A. The travel expenses for the winner are covered by the organizers.


Q. What happens if a GIC winner cannot attend GSP for any reason?

A. In all cases where a winner cannot attend GSP, the winner forfeits their GSP seat to the GIC first runner-up and would have to then re-apply for admission in a future year.


Still have questions?

Get in touch with the Ukraine GIC organizers by emailing them at ukraine@gic.su.org
or calling at 066 139 0242,
or contact the Global Impact Challenges team at SU at gic@su.org.