Over 92% of the world’s population today has to inhale unhealthy air. Over 7 million people worldwide die prematurely every year because of smog. This alarming environmental situation could not be left unnoticed. It is in search of the solutions that Smogathon was born.
Smogathon is an initiative aiming to fight the air pollution with technology. The objective of the contest is provide startups from all over the world with means to implement their air pollution-fighting ideas and bring a real change to the daily lives of people around the globe.
How it all started
In 2015, Smogathon team decided to organize a multidisciplinary 24-hour hackathon to find solutions for air pollution in the city of Krakow, covered with heavy smog. 250 scientists, developers, designers, entrepreneurs, sociologists, marketers, as well as other students and professionals, worked in 13 teams that proposed 44 ideas and worked on 11 projects. As a result, 8 winners were selected for their practical and implementable solutions to fight air pollution.
In 2016 Smogathon was organized in the form of a boot camp for teams from all over the world. 60 teams from 10 countries and three continents competed for a $25,000 prize.
Smogathon 2017 Global Edition
The third edition of Smogathon gets the contest to a higher level : a truly international contest with semi-finals in five locations around the world: Warsaw (Poland), London (UK), Berkeley (USA), Bangalore (India) and Hong Kong (China), and a final in Krakow (Poland).
APPLICATION
If your company has any solution that can help fight air pollution – Smogathon is the contest especially for you!
Online applications are open until 15 August 2017. Submit your application HERE
Who can apply?
Any group that works as a registered company, start-up, foundation, or a research group with a legal entity. The main requirement is that your solution needs to fight smog. It can be an air purifier, a device that measures the levels of pollutants, or anything that can help! Applications will be evaluated on an ongoing basis, so early applicants will know in advance when to book their flights to one of the semi-final locations and will have a greater chance of saving their spot.
In 2017, the most-wanted categories of projects include:
- indoor air purifying
- outdoor air purifying
- household power and heat generation and energy storage
- smog as a resource
- new ways of smog mapping and predicting
- air pollution prevention
Semi-Finals
Up to 60 groups will get to pitch their ideas during the semi-finals. 10-12 start-ups will be selected to each of the five semi-final cities to participate in a pitch contest. Two projects from each city will get a place in the finals in Krakow, Poland.
Finals
The 12 selected startups will go through two days of Questions & Answers sessions in Krakow, Poland on 25-26th of November 2017. You will have to prove to Smogathon experts every solution you propose. The top six teams will pass to the final stage – The Grand Finale.
The Grand Finale
The world’s top six Smog Fighters will get a chance to pitch their ideas in front of 800-1000 people in ICE Krakow Congress Centre. During this five minute presentation, you will need to convince the jury that your solution is the one that can make the air crystal clear again and deserves to win the $100,000 prize!
The winner gets $25,000 in cash and $75,000 in the form of a contract for implementing their idea in the city of Krakow.
Smogathon 2017 Global Edition calendar
- Until August 15, 2017 : Applications open. Apply here
- The calendar for the semi-finals is specific to every location, you can consult it on Smogathon website.
- November 25-26, 2017 in Krakow, Poland: the finals
- November 27, 2017: the Grand Finale during the Global Clean Air Summit
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