Change in structure

IN THE meantime, Dr Riley pointed out that the structure of the awards has changed, as there will now be pre-awards and postawards capacity-building activities.

He noted that in August there will be a session with all the applicants, looking primarily at intellectual property as well as looking at how to put ideas together in a business-pitch format.

Dr Riley also indicated that for the post-awards support, there will be funding from the Youth Employment in Digital and Animation Industry programme.

This will facilitate the participation of nine winners in a capacitybuilding programme with mentors to guide them through the process, so that at the end of the programme they should be able to pitch their ideas, have their business plans, have their IP protection, can readily move to market, and get investors to propel them forward.

“For us to move forward as a country, we must unearth new knowledge and we must come up with solutions that are exportable,” Dr Riley said.

Encouraging persons to apply for the awards, Dr Riley argued that “this is a grand opportunity to be recognised on a national level as well as an opportunity to enter into a no-cost programme to increase your probability of success in your innovation and to be exposed to wider networks, with the ability to access other markets”.

All entrants must consult the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) before submitting applications. All application forms must bear the JIPO seal.

Applications should be addressed to Andrea Kerr, Coordinator, Innovation Awards Secretariat, Executive Director’s Office, Scientific Research Council, PO Box 350, Hope Gardens, Kingston 6.

For additional information, interested persons may visit www.src.gov.jm.

The SRC, in collaboration with the National Commission on Science and Technology, coordinates the activities around the awards, and collates and reviews the applications.