Following the launch of the #bigidea competition last week we talk to Kevin Robinson and Freya Wells, the architects of the programme to gain a greater insight into what exactly the programme and indeed the competition exactly entails. SH: So you have launched the #BigIdea last week on social media, which seems to have gone viral but can you give us a bit more detail about the programme and its origins. KR: The #BigIdea is not a new concept to us and in fact has been a part of the Safer Highways brand since its inception. We have always tried to be a mirror to best practice across our sector and to foster new ideas and ways of thinking – the #BigIdea is just a formalisation of this under a brand. Only last week at the National Highways awards a former #BigIdea won BIG with an accolade at a client led awards ceremony and this has prompted us and our partners to decide that now is the time to formally launch this as a competition to encourage SME and Start Up organisations to engage with the bigger players in the supply chain to form a pathway where innovation can truly make a difference to the people, we put to work every day. SH: So how will the competition work and what are the stages to entry? FW: Well, this is where our #BigIdea challenge really differs, it is not just a contest where we crown a winner who receives a trophy and exposure through the media. We want to create a true pathway for a start-up organisation to have a route to market and the expertise of a tier one contractor to give them every tool available to scale up their business and take it into the mainstream marketplace. In terms of the stages of entry, all we ask in the first instance is that those with a #BigIdea submit an entry of no more than 750 words with any supporting case studies or documentation which they feel the judges would wish to consider.
Those will then be narrowed down from an extensive field into a final 10 who will be invited to present in front of a panel of industry leaders drawn from across the supply chain in late June. At the end of the judging day, that final 10 will become 6 – at which point each of the finalists will have two months to prepare a final pitch to be delivered at our L!ve event at the end of September. On the day of our final the six will present to four dragons, each of whom will have the ability to choose one innovation to “sponsor” and effectively nurture and give a pathway to market. SH: So when can we expect that the #BigIdea will launch and when do entries open KR: The competition will launch in earnest on the 1st March, on the same day we formally launch the website which can be viewed at www.t-b-i.co.uk. From there entrants will have until the 30th Aril 2022 to submit their initial entries. Following on from this our judges (many of whom are industry leaders with decision making powers over budget) will complete a thorough evaluation and select their ten best entries. As Freya said, those entries will then be invited to a semi-final event which we will broadcast to the industry across all multi-media channels, with the final six being announced to the industry and invited to a live final at our autumn event. There, they will face four industry dragons, all of whom are senior directors who will all can cherry pick one innovation for their organisation to nurture and develop, through what is effectively a sponsorship. On the day, however, one of the final six will also be crowned the #BigIdea 2022 and receive the ultimate accolade in innovation. SH: So, who is eligible to enter? FW: Its simple, if your turnover is below £5m or you have a workforce of less than 50 - then we want to hear from you. Special consideration will also be given to start up organisations who have a big idea but need a route to market. Social Value will also play a massive part as we judge our big idea - what do you - or could you, give back to our community. Innovators will always be at different points on their journey, but that doesn’t mean an idea isn’t worth sharing." - Whether just starting out with a concept - Having a product and struggling for a route to market
- OR a burgeoning organisation with a limited foothold in the market
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
To download the full information document click on the link below
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