Samsung Electronics has launched a new competition that gives Gen Zers the opportunity to pitch their own tech ideas to a panel of experts, with a £10,000 cash prize up for grabs.
If you’re a budding inventor or tech enthusiast living in the UK, you might want to jump onto Samsung UK’s newly announced initiative, ‘Solve for Tomorrow’.
Comprised of three rounds, this nationwide competition encourages 16-25 year olds from any background to submit their own tech inventions and solutions to problems affecting their local communities. You don’t have to have previous knowledge or experience within tech or STEM, and the panel of experts will be judging entries solely on the strength of their pitches.
It’s the first time ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ has been available in the UK, but it’s been a regular event in countries such as the US for a decade. Fancy getting involved? We’ve got the run down on all the details, where to sign up, and why company initiatives like this are so important for young, ambitious Gen Z inventors.
This could help you to become the next Elon Musk, though no guarantee your local town is in need of a rocket ship anytime soon.
Samsung wants entries to focus on four key challenge areas, including education, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and social isolation.
Entries can be submitted from either individuals or groups and each participant will be supported with masterclasses, workshops, and coaching throughout three unique rounds. You’ll receive help with design, technological know-how, and business skills. Plus, Samsung employees will be mentoring you on a one-to-one basis, providing all their knowledge and unique expertise regularly throughout the experience. Handy, eh?
‘Solve for Tomorrow’ is being run in partnership with Digital Catapult, the UK’s leading digital technology innovation centre that focuses on helping businesses of all sizes to develop their ideas. It’s worked with hundreds of partners and will be involved throughout the competition on an end-to-end basis.
Submissions are being judged by top employees from both Samsung and Digital Catapult, as well as a panel of hand-picked experts from a range of technological fields. Your ideas will be in good hands, and finalists should expect a serious boost of experience – regardless of whether or not they win.
Speaking of winning, the champion at the end of the experience will receive six months support from both Samsung and Digital Catapult to develop their idea further, and will also bank a £10,000 cash prize along with a host of Samsung products. Runners up will receive an undisclosed amount of money too, so there are plenty of incentives to join the race.
Check out the pitches from 2019’s US event below to get a feel for the event. Tempted to throw your hat in the ring yet?
How can you get involved?
If all this sounds up your street, visit the official Samsung entry page here. The deadline for initial submissions is the 21st February 2021, and shortlisted ideas will be announced on 8th March 2021.
As previously mentioned, ‘Solve For Tomorrow’ will only be accepting entries from 16 -25 year olds as part of its focus to give young innovators unique opportunities to enter the world of technology development. You can either submit an idea by yourself or with a team of up to five people and Samsung asks those taking part to follow a ‘tell us’ and ‘show us’ structure when putting pitches together. This quick video from Digital Catapult best explains how to approach an idea and gives a five-step framework as a starting point.
You must also not have any prior financial support for your idea that exceeds more than £2,000. Samsung wants its prize money to be given to ideas where it can really benefit the creator, rather than toward projects that have already been backed by investors elsewhere. You’ll also need to be from the UK, as this is a national competition.
For the business savvy readers out there, fear not – Samsung has assured that it will not own any rights to your idea. The purpose of this experience is to help participants commercially while introducing important industry contacts to get things rolling. You’ll still keep all intellectual properties and complete ownership. This isn’t Dragons Den.
Why are initiatives like this so important?
What makes Samsung’s event so unique is that it requires no qualifications or prior experience, which is huge for Gen Zers who often find it difficult to enter industries that require a ton of knowledge before getting a foot in the door. The focus here is on your natural flair, skills, and the strength of your ideas. Nobody is going into this competition with an advantage – it’s all fair game.
An event of this nature that puts product and innovation first is likely to speak to many young people, as Gen Z continues to focus more on entrepreneurship and practical skills than older generations. The traditional university path is now more open-ended than ever and we’re likely to see apprenticeship schemes and alternative options outside of standard degrees grow in popularity over the coming years.
‘Solve For Tomorrow’ is distinctively democratic and open in its approach, making it both a fantastic opportunity for eager young people and a chance to get inside knowledge from some of the best in the business. Genuine change on a digital and social level can come from anywhere, regardless of status or background.
For more information on the competition and its requirements you can visit Samsung’s website here, or visit the Digital Catapult YouTube channel here.
I’m Charlie (He/Him), Deputy Editor and Senior Writer at Thred. I was previously the Editor full time at Thred before moving to Bristol in 2024. As a music and gaming enthusiast, I’m a nerd for pop culture. You can find me curating playlists, designing article headline images, and sipping cider on a Thursday. Follow me on LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.
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