<div dir="ltr">for information and dissemination...<div><br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Gowne, Aloysious D</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:GowneAD@state.gov">GowneAD@state.gov</a>></span><br>
Date: 30 June 2014 09:16<br>Subject: PLEASE SHARE: GIST Technology Idea Competition open until July 21<br><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:#231f20">The U.S. Department of State’s
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><a href="http://gist.crdfglobal.org/" target="_blank">Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative</a> announces its
<b>fourth annual Technology Idea (Tech-I) Competition</b>. The GIST Tech-I Competition provides an opportunity to address economic growth and innovation priorities by encouraging young science and technology entrepreneurs to accelerate the success of their
venture, connect with a global community of like-minded innovators, and showcase their ideas internationally. Thirty finalists will attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Morocco. Applications for Idea Stage and Startup Stage ventures by young
science and technology entrepreneurs are welcome through 9:00 a.m. EDT on July 21, 2014.
<b>To apply, applicants</b> <b>should send an Executive Summary of their science or technology innovation along with a 90 second video explaining their idea or product/service to
<a href="http://www.aaas.org/gist-tech-i" target="_blank">http://www.aaas.org/gist-tech-i</a>.</b>
<b><span style="color:#c00000">Application period closes July 21, 2014.</span><u></u><u></u></b></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Initiative, which is led by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental
and Scientific Affairs (OES), operates at the intersection of science & technology (S&T), innovation, and entrepreneurship to strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems and to empower individual innovators. GIST equips young men and women around the world with
the skills they need to be successful entrepreneurs and leaders who turn their ideas into new ventures that transform their communities. GIST has connected over 2.5 million youth with entrepreneurship resources through social media platforms, has trained
over 3,500 startups, and has created a network of over 230,000 young motivated entrepreneurs. These young entrepreneurs, who serve as role models and agents of change in their home countries, have created remarkable scientific and technological innovations
–from creating <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KMBd8ignlU" target="_blank">customized self-sanitizing surfaces</a> to developing a
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX2HccS3X7o" target="_blank">GPS-enabled continuous heart rate monitor</a>.
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The 2014 Tech-I Competition will have two tracks for which S&T entrepreneurs can apply: the Idea Stage and the Startup Stage. The Idea Stage is perfect for entrepreneurs
who have an idea or prototype but who have not launched their company. The Startup Stage is designed for new companies that are further along the growth process—for example, companies that have completed some market analysis, have a launch timeline or have
recently launched a product/service for distribution, or have a realistic strategy to sell a product/service. To apply, applicants should send an Executive Summary of their science or technology innovation along with a 90 second video explaining their idea
or product/service to <a href="http://www.aaas.org/gist-tech-i" target="_blank">http://www.aaas.org/gist-tech-i</a>. Applications for Idea Stage and Startup Stage ventures are open from June 10 to July 21, 2014.<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The top 30 applicants will be identified through global public voting (from September 1 – October 1) and will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the 2014 Global Entrepreneurship
Summit for the final round of the Tech-I Competition</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">. The finalists will gain international visibility from pitching their ideas at the GES while competing for $70,000 in awards.
All finalists will also receive extensive training and mentoring before the GES, up to three months of mentorship after the GES, and a year’s membership to the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">To learn more about the 2014 GIST Tech-I Competition or for a copy of the program announcement with full details, please contact
<a href="mailto:GISTinitiative@state.gov" target="_blank">GISTinitiative@state.gov</a><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#0d0d0d">_________________________<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#0d0d0d">Aloysious Gowne<u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">United States Consulate-General
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Cape Town, South Africa<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<a href="mailto:GowneAD@state.gov" target="_blank">GowneAD@state.gov</a> <u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black">Tel: <a href="tel:27-21-7027392" value="+27217027392" target="_blank">27-21-7027392</a> || Fax: <a href="tel:27-21-7027372" value="+27217027372" target="_blank">27-21-7027372</a><u></u><u></u></span></p>
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</div><br><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br>Kevin Govender<br>IAU Office of Astronomy for Development<br><a href="http://www.astro4dev.org">www.astro4dev.org</a><br><br>
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