Choosing the 2016 EIT Venture Award Winner

2016, April, 25

Choosing the 2016 EIT Venture Award Winner

I am pleased to be one of three judges who will pick the recipient of the 2016 European Innovation and Technology Venture Award. Contestants are start-up companies from across the European Union, who are creating smart business solutions to address important social issues.

The winner will be chosen from among the six finalists during the INNOVEIT 2016 conference, and will receive:

An increased European-wide promotion of its business and the prerogative to use the label “EIT Venture Award Winner” in their profiling and marketing activities.
A monetary prize of €50,000.

You can see more on the conference here:
http://eit.europa.eu/innoveit#speakers

Companies with the best sense of humor
At the start of this month was arguably the most important date of the annual corporate calendar. It was none other than April 1st, aka April Fools Day. Humor is one of the most universal manifestations of creativity, which is the central fuel for future-shaping companies. Not surprisingly, more and more organizations worldwide are embracing humor as a core cultural dimension, and we see an exponential, global proliferation from year to year of companies commemorating April Fools’ Day, the annual celebration of laughter and childlike fun. These organizations conceive of and bring to life farcical campaigns on April 1st, signaling to all internal and external constituents that they, as an organization, have a sense of humor and appreciate levity.
On to Kiev, with Sir Richard Branson
Yes, sir. We are on Kiev for another mega event. It promises to be epic, because such an event has never been held in Kiev before, and because the forum looks to re-energize the Ukrainian business community at a time of great uncertainty and hardship.
Uber and out?
It is definitely a sign of the times. Take a six-year old company that has spread globally to drive a traditional service industry into obsolescence. Then consider the company’s real ambitions, which are much bolder than that. Finally, take note that it is already facing severe challenges as the market space it created is rapidly evolving. There is no time to stand still.
Theatre of the absurd continued: Giant space umbrella
Following up on my story last week about GE’s big idea for using CO2 emissions, let’s continue with another seemingly wacky, repurposing concept again this week. How about a giant space umbrella to solve the problem of global warming?
The Un-Carrier: T-Mobile disrupts U.S. mobile telecom
An industry disruptor is one that shakes up an industry by challenging taken for granted assumptions and rules of competition. It is able to disrupt and reshape an industry by delivering tangible value focused on the needs of customers, while the incumbent industry players are focused on trying to outcompete each other.
The bold start-up pouncing on banks’ turf
According to Ask.com, “Taula de la Ciutat was the first bank to record in Barcelona in 1401. Banking practices can be traced back to the Roman Empire.
Face to face with lions and giraffes in Kenya
Last month I had the pleasure of spending time at Mahali Mzuri, Kenya – part of Sir Richard Branson’s Limited Edition luxury resort collection.
My interview on Speaking.com
I am pleased to share my recent interview, featured on Speaking.com. For those of you who are regular readers of my blog and practitioners of Slingshot, the interview is a nice refresher of its ongoing relevance. And for new Slingshot enthusiasts, the interview is a good summary of its key concepts.
Children’s imagination building city of the future
Once, Thomas Edison was asked by a reporter: “Mr. Edison, you being the world’s greatest inventor, what you do you think is the greatest invention?” He replied without hesitation: “The greatest invention in the world is the mind of a child.”
Alternative big idea: Floating walls to clean up oceans
Continuing on our aquatic topic of ridding the oceans of accumulating waste, here is another very creative idea: Floating walls.

Choosing the 2016 EIT Venture Award Winner

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