What is “Call for Innovation”?
Call for Innovation is a an initiative to allocate one candidate who has a big idea with which s/he will impact the lives of 200,000 Palestinians by improving one related issue to Poverty, Water, Communication, Education, Health, Transportation, Environment, Job Creation, Information Management, or in other fields; through technology, to represent Palestine in Singularity University Graduate Studies Program 2012, to join a 10-week summer experience from June 16th – August 26th!
The Graduate Studies Program brings together a diverse group of the most accomplished experts in academics, business, and government with the top graduate and post graduate students and entrepreneurial leaders from around the globe for an intense 10-week summer experience. The program immerses students in an unparalleled learning environment to focus on solving the planet’s most pressing challenges using exponential & accelerating technologies. Students are challenged with 10⁹+ Team Projects, with the mission of positively affecting the lives of a billion people within 10 years
Who are the organizers?
• PITA
The Palestinian Information Technology Association of companies (PITA) was founded in 1999 in Ramallah, Palestine as a membership-based organization for locally registered companies specialized in providing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) related services.
For the past 12 years, PITA has been the leading source for information, knowledge sharing and development in the ICT profession in Palestine and has become the backbone in defending the interests of the ICT sector. Through dedication and transparency, PITA evolved as a strong organization representing over 120 major companies from various sub-sectors including hardware distributors, software development firms, office automation vendors, internet service providers, telecommunications companies, ICT consulting and training companies.
• PICTI
The Palestine Information and Communications Technology Incubator (PICTI), is an independent Palestinian organization that has been created through the initiative and support of the Palestinian Information Technology Community. PICTI and its partner organizations, including PITA and Paltrade, have as their mission the revitalization and the sustainable growth of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Palestine.
PICTI utilizes a diverse network of industry professionals that will help identify and assess future ICT development trends where high-value-added regional and/or international niche markets will emerge. Within these niche technology applications, it will be necessary to identify those that will be applicable to a wide cross section of industry sectors and that will maintain strong, sustainable growth acceleration into the future. The Incubator will work closely with its client firms to channel and focus their entrepreneurial zeal and technical talent into developing those expertise required for successful entrée into these valuable niche markets.
• PSD
Partners for Sustainable Development mission is to introduce and apply sustainable development approaches in community and economic development by engaging men, women, youth and other community groups in the process of sustainable development.
PSD aims to introduce models of sustainable community and economic development that can lead to social, economical and environmental well being.
Who is the partner?
Singularity University/ NASA
Singularity University was jointly founded by Dr. Peter H. Diamandis and Dr. Ray Kurzweil. The concept of a new university that could leverage the power of exponential technologies to solve humanity’s grand challenges was proposed by Diamandis to Kurzweil and to International Space University colleagues Dr. Robert D. Richards and Michael Simpson in April 2007. An exploratory meeting was held at NASA Research Park, Moffett Field in November 2007, followed in September 2008 by a Founding meeting also hosted at NASA.
Who is the sponsor?
Paltel Group
Palestine Telecommunications Company, Paltel Group is the telecommunications leader in Palestine, which launched its operations in 1997 as a public shareholding company. The Group contributes about 12% to the GDP of Palestine and is the number one employer among the private sector with more than 3,000 employees in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Paltel stock represents 35% of the total market cap of the Palestine Exchange (PEX). PalTel continues to grow, thus providing the company with financial stability to further invest in technology and synergies across the ICT industry. The Group launched the first corporate foundation in Palestine that focuses on human development areas in: Education, digital inclusion, entrepreneurship, well being and sustainability.
It is an integrated group consisting of the Palestine Telecommunications Company, PalTel, the Palestine Cellular Communications Company; Jawwal the first mobile operator; Hadara a data services provider; Hulul the IT support services provider; Palmedia a multi-media services provider and; Reach, the first call center in Palestine. As of the third quarter for 2011, Jawwal has roughly 2.4 million subscribers, Paltel has 385,000 subscribers and 147,000 ADSL subscribers.
Read morewww.paltelgroup.ps
How to apply?
Download this application, fill it out and send it back to call.for.innovation@gmail.com before 2:00 p.m. of April 7th, 2012.
What is Next?
Based on submitted application’s quality, a selected committee will pick best applicants, where ideas will be judged following those factors:
• Originality and innovation
• Technology novelty
• Project feasibility
• Impact (200,000 Palestinians, 2-3 years)
• Contester commitment
• Contester personality
Selected applicants will be contacted to present their ideas more in an event will be published soon.
Winner will have her/ his idea forwarded to Singularity University for potential admittance and sponsorship.
Commitment
The winner will sign a letter of commitment with PITA, PICTI and PSD to participate in next years’ info sessions sharing her/ his experience.