It’s on! Competition heats up as first-round winners advance in Zurich Innovation Championship
Startups with bold ideas from 68 countries and territories answered the call and now must show how their work can help solve some of the world’s biggest challenges, together with Zurich. For those that made it through round one, a lot is riding on potential pilot projects that will determine who takes the next step
Watch the highlights from the country round below:
If you don’t think innovation can get intense, try telling that to the 25 local winners who will advance in the Zurich Innovation Championship 2020, the competition underway now to find the world’s brightest startups and entrepreneurs with bold ideas to help protect the next generation.
The country round winners emerged from a field that began with more than 1,350 entrants in the second edition of the competition. Selected from North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Europe/Middle East/Africa, they now begin work with local Zurich business units on potential pilot projects that will be judged to further winnow the competition during the regional round “super days” in June and determine eight global round finalists.
“We received many exciting submissions and it posed a real challenge to narrow it down to 25 local winners,” said Stuart Domingos, Head of Group Innovation at Zurich, “They answered the call to bring new ideas to tackle challenges around such big issues as climate change, health care, automation and others that are particularly important to the next generation. It will be even more difficult pick the winners from such an abundance of bold ideas, but it’s important to point out that it’s not just about the winners for us – we’ll look beyond and see their ideas as a pool of opportunities. We will be looking for those who can make a real difference for our customers and the world.”
"We will be looking for those who can make a real difference for our customers and the world.”
Working with some of the brightest minds in the world on issues that are expected to strain the next generation will lead to more than new insurance solutions, Mr. Domingos pointed out. “Together,” he said, “we want to make a lasting impact and build a more sustainable tomorrow for our customers around the world.”
The first-round winners have developed a number of intriguing – and widely varied - ideas that fit well with Zurich’s emphasis on sustainability and responsible living. Among them, Energía Vectorial in Colombia has developed a method for converting cars powered by fossil fuels into electric vehicles, while Italy-based AWorld’s app lets users track the impact of their lifestyles and earn rewards for sustainable behaviors. In Hong Kong, Mellow provides debit cards for kids with a personal finance app, helping them develop good money management habits before they face financial decisions as adults.
The championship’s winners will be named in late summer, when the eight regional winners will make their final pitches to Zurich’s Executive Committee, and three winners – Gold, Silver and Bronze - will be announced.
The winners will collaborate with Zurich and receive resources to bring their pilot plans to life for Zurich’s customers. Widespread media exposure and recognition from Zurich’s Group Leadership Team will help shine a global spotlight on the winners’ efforts.
Winners who will advance from the other regions and the Zurich business units they will work with are:
