The Digital Innovation Challenge is a competition designed to inspire budding entrepreneurs to create and pitch their innovative digital solution to improve business.
On top of this exposure the challenge, organised by Coffs Harbour City Council, will provide the winners with prize money and specialist support to make their dream happen.
“As a city at the forefront of digital innovation, this Challenge is an excellent way to help foster local entrepreneurs,” the council’s deputy mayor Sally Townley said.
Cr Townley said the challenge is open to any type of business improvement solution or market need.
“For example, it can be a business2business solution, consumer application or a social enterprise.”
The Coffs Harbour City Council with local sponsors Telstra, Janison, ETC, SCU, Coffs Harbour Innovation Centre and the Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce have teammed up with Sydney-based start-up incubators BlueChilli to create the Telstra Stores Coffs Harbour Digital Innovation Challenge.
A total of $10,000 worth of cash and prizes is on offer over two categories – Open Entrepreneur (25s and Over) and Youth Entrepreneur (Under 25s). The competition will run from April 2015 to June 2015 and is split into three stages:
Stage 1 – Build Your Pitch
Stage 2 – The Video/ Paper Pitch
Stage 3 – The Live Pitch
Each pitch must involve a digital component within the business solution – be it using software, web, mobile, app, telemetry, cloud, analytics, sensors or other such enabling technology.
As part of the Challenge, a series of events and workshops have been developed to help local entrepreneurs develop business ideas and pitches to make sure that all entrants have the best opportunity of winning.
Finalists will each have five minutes to pitch their idea to an expert judging panel, followed by questions from the panel.