Chemonics is refocusing efforts on boosting the power of technology to uncover game-changing solutions that can enhance our development impact in the most efficient way. Through this company-wide innovation contest, we are seeking successful experiences from our global workforce to tell us what technology has been used in past or current Chemonics’ projects that significantly enhanced project’s outcomes, and improved people’s lives. Also, we want to capture ideas on which technologies our staff would invest in if they had the opportunity.
We are defining technology as a broad term that refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve real-world problems. It may include simple tools, such as a pulley or phones; more complex machines, such as irrigation wheels or drones; or virtual technology, such as computer software (machine learning or virtual reality).
Share ideas with your peers, be recognized for your work, and have the chance to win prizes!
We are interested in hearing the full range of Chemonics’ experiences and ideas on the use of technology to enhance our projects’ results and development impact. There are two categories in which employees can participate: the Successful Experiences category, which focuses on the use of technology in an existing project, and the New Ideas category, which is for potential technology applications that have not yet been tested in a Chemonics project.
The submission can be a solution or approach that has accelerated impact in your project or a creative use of an existing technology that addresses development challenges. We are defining technology as a broad term that refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve real-world problems. It may include simple tools, such as a pulley or phones; more complex machines, such as irrigation wheels or drones; or virtual technology, such as computer software (machine learning or virtual reality).
The application can include a technology developed and/or used by a Chemonics’ project or by a project affiliate (subcontractor, grantee, and partner). Participants can submit more than one entry if desired, and may enter both the “successful experiences” and “ideas” categories with separate submissions.
To be eligible to travel to DC, individuals must be full- or part-time home-office or project-based employees. Subcontractor employees, temps, and interns are not eligible but can participate on the crowd voting. Teams should recognize the participation of 3rd party organizations, such as subcontractors, grantees, and other partners that were involved in the technology design or application during project implementation, but they won’t be eligible to submit an application on their own.
Chemonics will award the following prizes:
For all participants:
For winners in the Successful Experiences category:
For winners in the New Ideas category:
To be eligible for an award, your design proposal must, at minimum:
A diverse group of Chemonics staff will review and score each submission based on the criteria outlined below. Each submission will be independently reviewed and scored by three reviewers. The highest-scoring submission in each category will be selected as the winners.
The judges will take the following criteria into account:
|
Criteria |
Description |
|
Impact of the approach |
How did the technology allow the project’s activities be more effective, cost-effective, and sustainable? Applicants should state the improvement, for whom, and how the solution has helped achieved project outcomes and improved people’s lives |
|
Replicability / Scalability |
Could this technology (or elements of it) be implemented in other regions or countries? Or by other projects? How could it be scaled up in the country in which it is currently being implemented? |
|
Viability |
Viability and robustness of the solution’s functionality, supported by proof or demonstration of concept, pilot/test trials, and/or simulations to substantiate that the system is/was operable, cost effective and feasible. |
|
Crowd Voting |
As ranked by Chemonics’ employees (40% of the final score) |
B. Emerging applications of technologies in our projects (“New Ideas”):
|
Criteria |
Description |
|
Innovativeness of your idea |
How would your emerging application of technology allow the project to be more effective, cost-effective, and sustainable? How innovative is your proposed use of the technology? What are the expected outcomes? |
|
Replicability / Scalability |
Could this technology (or elements of it) be implemented in other regions or countries? Or by other projects? How could it be scaled up, if at all? |
|
Viability |
Viability and robustness of the solution’s functionality, supported by demonstration of concept, and/or simulations to substantiate that the system could be operable, cost-effective and feasible |
|
Crowd Voting |
As ranked by Chemonics’ employees (40% of the final score) |
Registration and Submissions:
Submissions must be made online (only), via upload to the HeroX.com website, on or before 11:59 pm ET on August 2, 2017. No late submissions will be accepted.
Click ACCEPT CHALLENGE above to register for the Contest and begin your application – you will be able to make edits to your application post-submission, until the deadline.
Based on the winning criteria, prizes will be awarded per the Judging Criteria section above. In the case of a tie, the winner(s) will be selected based on the highest votes from the judges.
The final determination of the winners will be made at the sole discretion of Chemonics. Scores and feedback from Chemonics will not be shared.
**Please note that this is an internal competition, and this link should not be shared outside of the company.**
Questions? Please email
