Cisco launches worldwide IoT Challenge for Young Women

Cisco recently announced that in concert with a global network of companies in the IoT space, local organisations and non-profits dedicated to women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), it is launching a worldwide Internet of Things World Forum (IoTWF) Young Women’s Innovation Grand Challenge.

The IoTWF Young Women’s Innovation Grand Challenge is a global open innovation competition. The competition promotes collaboration between local organizations, global companies in the IoT space, non-profits dedicated to women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), and Cisco IoE Innovation Centers.

The Cisco IoT Young Women’s Innovation Grand Challenge will run in two phases from November 15, 2014 through early 2015. Entrants will be asked to submit original ideas based on new opportunities and technologies that better people’s lives or increase efficiencies in areas such as education, healthcare, manufacturing, energy, retail, transportation, and smart cities.

“Currently, only 18% of the computer and information sciences undergraduate degrees are being awarded to women and fewer are staying in those careers,” said Karen Horting, Society of Women Engineers.

“Cisco’s efforts to engage young women and bring other technology organisations in to help increase these numbers are great.”

The IoT Grand Challenges on Innovation encourage start-ups, entrepreneurs, and universities to submit creative and innovative solution ideas that help innovate and secure the Internet of Things.

Cisco judges evaluate the ideas based on market opportunity, level of disruption, uniqueness, and the management team’s ability to succeed with their idea.

“The Internet of Things is real and happening today. At the IoT World Forum, we’ve seen evidence of broad deployments and worldwide adoption of IoT across organizations of many sizes and across many industries,” said Cisco Chief Technology and Strategy Officer Padmasree Warrior.

“The breakthrough technologies demonstrated by our IoT Grand Challenge finalists are further proof that IoT is already changing the way we live, work, play, and learn. The IoT Grand Challenges represent Cisco’s ongoing commitment to invest in and incubate the next big innovations.”

Mario Luis Castaneda, Cisco Country Manager for the Philippines shares “Through the IoT Grand Challenge, Cisco empowers global organizations and institutions to develop innovative and enabling technologies that will help shape the future of IoT. This will be another challenge for Filipino entrepreneurs to showcase their creativity and innovation in the global stage.

“Cisco is proud to support these talents as they develop solutions that will help them realize their vision of a more secure IoT landscape in the Philippines and worldwide,” he added.