-- Third annual award challenge opens for submissions today, and
will award $6M to powerful technology
solutions in Transportation, Emergency Response, and Internet of
Things
BASKING RIDGE, New Jersey,
March 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Expanding its ongoing commitment to innovation and social
responsibility, Verizon said today it is now accepting ideas for
its 2015 Powerful Answers Award program.
Now in its third year, Verizon's Powerful Answers Award offers
innovators, developers and entrepreneurs a total of $6M in cash prizes, plus the opportunity for
winners to participate in an Accelerator program designed to help
develop their ideas and bring solutions to market faster.
The Verizon Powerful Answers Award program seeks ideas that
leverage cutting-edge technology to create solutions that deliver
social good. The 2015 program is seeking ideas in three core
categories, each with three subcategories:
- Transportation: How can technology enable better, more
efficient ways to reduce the complexities of transportation and
distribution in the physical world?
- Smarter Driving
- Public Transport & Sharing
- Logistics and Distribution
- Emergency Response: How can technology enable first
responders and emergency crews to locate and save lives faster;
what solutions can improve long-term recovery for survivors?
- First Responders
- Search and Rescue
- Long Term Relief
- Internet of Things: How can using technology
behind the Internet of Things (IoT) enable new intelligent actions
that will have wide-scale and beneficial impacts in the following
areas?
- Connected Health
- Smart Cities
- Smart Agriculture
Ideas can be submitted beginning today through June 18, 2015,
at www.powerfulanswersaward.com. Submissions will be judged by
panels of industry experts, and winners will be announced in late
2015.
Verizon will award cash prizes of $1
million to the top winner in each of the three core
categories. The second prize winner in each category will
receive $500,000 and two third-prize
winners in each category will receive $250,000, for a total of $6 million.
"Verizon is committed to supporting innovation at all levels,
from early stage startups to more developed companies through a
variety of initiatives including the Powerful Answers Award,
Verizon Ventures' portfolio and investments, and through the
Accelerator program for Powerful Answers Award winners," said
John Doherty, Senior Vice President
of Corporate Development and Chairman and Chief Investment Officer
of Verizon Ventures. "We've seen previous winners enjoy great
success, and look forward to the new ideas and solutions this
year's program generates."
New Accelerator Program for Powerful Answers Award Winners
Helps Get Solutions to Market Faster
The Verizon Powerful Answers Award Accelerator program at BootUp
Academy, designed to strategically accelerate the growth of
participating Powerful Answers Award winners, was recently launched
for the 2014 winners.
The Accelerator provides 2014 winners with customized programs
built to accelerate growth and drive go-to-market strategies. Based
at BootUp Academy in the heart of Silicon Valley, participants
embark on intensive workshops and knowledge exchange sessions that
provide "best practices" in business planning, product
development, UX/UI design, global go-to-market strategies,
communications, financing and growth hacking. The 2014
winners in the program also have the opportunity to be connected
with Verizon Subject Matter Expert Mentors, global advisors,
investors, thought leaders and industry experts who can support the
acceleration of their powerful answers into sustainable, meaningful
companies.
To learn more about the Verizon Powerful Answers Award program
or to submit your idea, please visit: www.powerfulanswersaward.com.
Follow the journey with these innovators on Twitter
at #VZPAA.
About Verizon
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE,
Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global
leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline
communications services to consumer, business, government and
wholesale customers. Verizon Wireless operates America's most
reliable wireless network, with more than 106 million retail
connections nationwide. Verizon also provides converged
communications, information and entertainment services over
America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers
integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150
countries. A Dow 30 company with more than $120
billion in 2013 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce
of 178,500. For more information,
visit www.verizon.com/news.