Saturday, 02 December 2017 00:17

2018 Global Health & Innovation Conference

GHIC Innovation Prize

The Innovation Prize is a $10,000 and a $5,000 cash prize that is awarded to the two best social impact pitches that are presented at the 2018 Global Health & Innovation Conference. All conference registrants -- both students and professionals, and both non-profit and for-profit organizations -- are eligible to apply for the Innovation Prize. Early-stage pitches and established-stage pitches are equally eligible for the $10,000 and $5,000 cash awards. The Innovation Prize supports outstanding ideas, programs, and organizations which are locally-developed and locally-responsible.

There are two categories for the Innovation Prize at the 2018 GHIC: Early Stage (idea, program, or organization is less than 3 years old, and ideas in the brainstorming stage are also eligible) and Established Stage (program or organization is 3-6 years old). A newer program (0-6 years old) that is within an established (7+ year old) organization qualifies for the Social Impact Lab category as well.

Stay updated: Register to receive specialized resources for GHIC Innovation Prize applicants, as well as additional resources for innovators.

How do I apply?

Step 1: Apply for Social Impact Labs. December 15 is the next submission deadline.
- First, apply to participate in the Social Impact Labs at the Global Health & Innovation Conference on April 14-15, 2018. Approximately sixty (60) social impact pitches will be selected for presentation during the Social Impact Labs. Applicants first register for the conference and submit a 250-word abstract. The abstract submitters who adhere to the published selection criteria are then invited to submit a 5-minute video pitch within two weeks after being notified of acceptance to the next step. The highest quality pitch videos are accepted, and these presenters participate in the Social Impact Labs. During the Social Impact Lab, each presenter gives a 5-minute pitch, which is followed by a 15-minute period for discussion with two expert conference speakers, questions and answers, and feedback from the audience. Complete details and submission instructions can be seen at http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference/social-enterprise-pitch
Step 2: Apply for Innovation Prize Semi-Finalist Round
- Those who are accepted as presenters in the Social Impact Labs are next invited to submit an additional 5-minute video presentation and a letter from a local collaborator that confirms that the needs and solutions are locally-identified and locally-responsible. The video presentation should focus on the locally-responsible and innovative solution, with an emphasis on local collaborations and partners, a detailed plan about how data will be collected and how outcomes will be measured, and an outline for how the Innovation Prize funds would be utilized. Up to twenty-five (25) video submitters will be selected as semi-finalists, and they will present a 5-minute pitch to a distinguished judging panel and to the audience at the Global Health & Innovation Conference on April 14-15, 2018. These semi-finalists will participate both in the Social Impact Labs and in the semi-finalist round for the Innovation Prize.
Step 3: Selection for Innovation Prize Finalist Round
- Based on the 5-minute pitches, six Innovation Prize finalists will be selected by the judging panel. Each finalist will give a more in-depth 5-minute presentation to the judging panel and to the audience, which will be followed by 10 minutes of Q&A with the judging panel. These finalists will have participated in the Social Impact Labs, in the semi-finalist round for the Innovation Prize, and in this finalist round for the Innovation Prize. At the conclusion of the 2-hour finalist session, the Innovation Prize winners will be announced.

What is the deadline?

The Innovation Prize application involves three stages:

250-word abstract. The next abstract submission deadline to apply for the Social Impact Lab is December 15, 2017. Abstracts submitted by the earlier deadlines are considered more favorably in the committee review since accepted presentations have ample time for continued program progression and evolution.
5-minute video pitch. For those invited to submit the video application, the 5-minute video application is due within two weeks of notification about the applicant's invitation to proceed to the next stage. Applicants are either accepted or denied as Social Impact Lab presenters at the 2018 Global Health & Innovation Conference.
Additional 5-minute video with more comprehensive discussion about the pitch. All accepted to present in the Social Impact Labs at the Global Health & Innovation Conference are invited to apply for the semifinalist round of the GHIC Innovation Prize. In order to be accepted for the GHIC Innovatoin Prize semifinalist round, each applicant will have submitted one 250-word abstract and two 5-minute videos.

What is the Innovation Prize judging criteria?

Gain insight about the judging criteria from the GHIC Innovation Prize judges. What advice do the judges offer about how best to present your pitch in April? How do you ensure a realistic program plan? What are effective tools for outcomes measurements, and how can early-stage ideas and ventures incorporate concrete and effective plans for outcomes? What are pitfalls to avoid? We encourage you to listen to the "Conversation with GHIC Innovation Prize Judges: Learn from Innovation Experts"

The semi-finalists and finalists will be reviewed according to the following criteria:

Problem: Articulate the problem that your solution is trying to solve. How was the problem identified, and is it clear that this is a locally-identified need?
Solution: What is your proposed innovative solution? Why is it important? How will it be implemented in the field?
Innovation: How is the idea new and innovative?
Based in Evidence: How is your solution evidence-based? Why will it work? We encourage you to read this article about evidence-based program design: http://www.uniteforsight.org/public-health-management/evidence-based-programs
Locally-Developed and Locally-Responsible: The solution must be based on locally-identified needs, and the role of current local collaborators and partners must be fully delineated.
Outcomes Measurements: What data will be collected, how will it be collected, and what will be the metrics used for outcome measurements to confirm effectiveness? To help ensure that you effectively identify and discuss outcomes (and not outputs), please read about the critical difference between outputs and outcomes: http://www.uniteforsight.org/global-health-university/outcomes
Team: Who are the members of the team, what is the role of each, and does the current team have the necessary background and expertise to effectively lead the program?
Describe Stage of Idea: Are you in the brainstorming stage, early development, or early implementation stage? What is your progress? How much funding, if any, has been raised? When was the idea initially developed? Ideas in the brainstorming, early development, and early implementation stage will be considered equally.
Presentation: The presentation must be professionally articulated and clearly communicated.

Who are the judges?

Paul Ellingstad, Managing Partner, PTI Advisors
Lisa Hirschhorn, Director of Implementation and Improvement Science, Ariadne Labs; Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Bobby Jefferson, Chief Technology Officer, DAI Global Health
Jordan Levy, Chief External Relations Officer, Ubuntu Education Fund
Charles MacCormack, President Emeritus, Save the Children; Executive Chair, Health MDG Alliance

Team members

The conference participant who will be in attendance and presenting the pitch must submit the Social Impact Lab abstract under their name. If selected for participation in the Social Impact Lab, the same team member must apply for the semi-finalist round, and thereafter present in the semi-finalist and finalist sessions.

Innovation Prize cash disbursement

The Innovation Prize must be used for the purposes presented to the judging panel. The Innovation Prize winners will receive the funds in three installments. The first 25% will be disbursed upon submission of a written budget and 1-page written plan for use of the funds. The winners will thereafter submit a written report and receipts for the use of the first 25%, as well as a written budget and 1-page written plan for the use of the next 50% of the funds. The final installment of 25% will be disbursed upon receipt of a written report and receipts for the use of the second funding disbursement.

Conference registration is required

Applying for the Social Impact Lab and for the GHIC Innovation Prize represents a commitment to attend the 2018 Global Health & Innovation Conference, irrespective of acceptance to present at the conference. The opportunity to apply for the opportunities is available only to those who plan to attend the conference for educational and networking purposes, and not to those who wish to attend exclusively for the opportunity to present. Therefore, all persons applying for the Social Impact Lab and for the Innovation Prize must register and submit payment to attend the conference at the time that they submit the social impact pitch abstract.

Innovation Prize Winners

The recipients of the 2017 GHIC Innovation Prize:

Winner of $10,000: "SubQ Assist: Expanding Access to Long-Term Contraceptive Implants Through Task-Shifting Devices," Ibrahim Mohedas, Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Michigan Department of Engineering
Winner of $5,000: "NeMo: Neonatal Monitoring - Providing Tools to Empower Mothers to Identify Neonatal Danger Signs Within the First Week of Life," Rachel An, Project Engineer, Johns Hopkins University

See the 2016 press release here, as well as NextBillion's coverage of the winners.The recipients of the 2016 GHIC Innovation Prize:

Winner of $10,000: “Innovative Clean Cookstove: Saving Lives from Smoke-Pollution,” Maxwell Chinnah, CEO and Co-Founder, Terraoak, Inc.
Winner of $2,000: “Highlight: Powdered Additive for Disinfectants to Improve Infectious Disease Decontamination,” Jason Kang, Co-Founder, Kinnos
Winner of $2,000: “Everwaters: A Social Venture Pioneering Plant-Based, Water Treatment Technology to Combat the Global Water Crisis,” Adrian Lievano, Co-Founder and CEO, Everwaters

The recipients of the 2015 GHIC Innovation Prize:

Winner of $10,000: "An Innovative and Low-Cost Solution for Clubfoot Treatment: The Miraclefeet Brace," Lucy Topaloff, Program Coordinator, miraclefeet
Winner of $5,000:"Mobile Health for Surgical Follow Up: A Global Innovation," Alexi Matousek, Global Health Equity Resident in Surgery, The Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, The Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Dept of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Questions?

If you have any questions, please email Amy Bellman Davis at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Written by Gabriella Gombar