Tell us what you think the problems are!
An idea has the potential to change the world. The University of Manitoba wants to capture this potential and increase awareness of entrepreneurship while showcasing the creativity and intellect of post-secondary students and people all over Manitoba, through the Game Changer Competition.
Game Changer is a two-phase competition that rewards out-of-the-box thinkers who can identify problems with a global reach and problem solvers and find tangible solutions for them.
Phase one of the competition started Aug. 27. Manitobans 16 and older are encouraged to simply submit an idea – one that identifies practical, real-world challenges and has potential to bring about positive change if a solution was found. Individuals or groups can submit a maximum of two problems each. A committee will choose up to five problems, which will go on to the next phase of competition. Submitters of each selected problem receive a $500 prize.
For phase two of the Game Changer competition, entrants will form cross-functional teams of up to 5 individuals to develop viable, practical solutions for any of the selected problems from the first phase. Up to 10 teams will move on to the finale event on Nov. 21 where they will present their solutions to a team of judges. The grand-prize winning team will receive $5,000 with second and third place teams receiving $2,000 and $1,000 respectively. There will also be an opportunity for teams to put their plans into action with mentoring and additional funding for project execution available.
Examples of last year’s problems – and solutions – addressed access to education in Indigenous communities, reducing e-waste, improving financial literacy, improving women’s inequality in the workforce, and encouraging pro-active health outcomes.
The Phase 1 deadline for submitting problems is Sep. 28.
For more information, visit umanitoba.ca/gamechanger
Research at the University of Manitoba is partially supported by funding from the Government of Canada Research Support Fund.