Estonian American Innovation Award Competition Open for Entries

What’s the next big thing? What can change the way people live, work or think? Innovation is the driving force behind the answer to these questions. And Innovation is what the American Chamber of Commerce Estonia (AmCham Estonia) and the Baltic American Freedom Foundation (BAFF) are honoring with the 2015 Estonian American Innovation Award competition, which begins 1 October 2014.

Just as innovation carries a wide meaning, entries can come from a broad range of sectors, including business and commerce, academic and scientific research, medicine and health, the environment, energy, the arts, media, education, and civil society. The decision criteria will be based on several factors, primarily creativity, impact or clear potential impact of the innovation, and demonstration of collaboration with a U.S. entity.

The winner will receive €10,000 euro; a special newcomer award of €5,000 euro will also be granted. Both awards are provided by BAFF. Past recipients have included companies like GrabCAD, ZeroTurnaround and Fortumo. This year, FACEBOOK will award a special “Creativity Recognition Award” specifically for innovation in the area of social media apps.

The competition is open to Estonian residents, firms, and organizations that have distinguished themselves through innovation in collaboration with a U.S. counterpart. Further details are available at the competition website –www.innovationaward.ee. Applications will be accepted through Monday, November 3.

The jury comes from both sides of the Atlantic, and will include entrepreneurs and innovators from Cloudant, Facebook and FORTUMO. The winner will be announced in January 2015 at a special ceremony with introductory remarks from U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Levine and keynote speaker Dr. Patrick H Winston, a godfather of artificial intelligence and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

For further information contact: Daria Sivovol at daria@amcham.ee or +372 631 0522.