Putting innovative ideas into action: Two Malawian siblings wheel bicycles loaded with buckets to collect water from a community bore-hole as part of the ‘What if bikes could recycle?’ idea.
Shell Ideas360 competition is challenging university students to come up with the next big idea to address issues posed by the growing demand on the earth’s essential resources, the Energy-Water-Food nexus. In doing so Shell is also hoping to inspire and excite the next generation of leaders and innovators.
Whether the idea is big-picture or small-scale, technical or non-technical, the competition will prove to be an exciting opportunity for today’s students to make a positive impact on tomorrow.
Following a three-stage competition, an expert judging panel will pick the best idea at the Shell Eco-Marathon Europe in Rotterdam in May.
Gerald Schotman, Shell Executive Vice President IRD, says: “At Shell, we understand the importance of continuous innovation and the development of ever-smarter technologies. In order to solve many of the key challenges in the energy industry we need to constantly evolve and learn.
“Universities, including the vibrant and exploratory community of students, are amongst the key centres where ground-breaking ideas are unleashed and new solutions and technologies are launched on a daily basis. Shell recognises that and sees new partnerships as a great way to continue to push the innovation envelope and jointly shape the future.
“Shell Ideas360 is a great platform for Shell to foster and encourage innovative ideas from the young and bright minds of the future. I am intrigued and excited to see what ideas will be put forward during this competition.”
Putting innovative ideas into action: Two Malawian siblings wheel bicycles loaded with buckets to collect water from a community bore-hole as part of the ‘What if bikes could recycle?’ idea.
Shell Ideas360 involves three key stages.
Stage 1: Participants share and submit their initial idea, which will then be evaluated by a team of experts before up to 100 ideas will be selected to go forward to the second stage of the global competition.
Stage 2: Participants will further develop their ideas with the help of Shell Mentors and Subject Matter Experts.
Stage 3: Just five teams or individuals will be invited to Shell Eco-Marathon Europe in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, to pitch their ideas to a judging panel made up of thought leaders, other innovators and representatives from business, NGOs and government from around Europe.
Shell Ideas360 not only offers the winning team or individual the chance to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime National Geographic Expedition, the most revolutionary ideas will be considered for funding by the ShellGameChanger programme, which has invested over $300 million to date. Gamechanger has worked with over 1500 innovators, turning more than 100 ideas in reality.
The National Geographic Expedition prize gives students a chance to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Students who are given the opportunity to develop their ideas into a potentially investment-worthy business case will work with mentors and subject matter experts to develop their skills and collaborate globally with like-minded innovators. This will allow them to gain insights into the current and future challenges in the fields of energy, water and food and how they are related.
Building a house with plastic bottles in Nigeria
The thinking behind Shell Ideas360
The world’s water, energy and food systems are closely linked. Water is often needed to extract energy and generate power; energy is needed to treat and transport water; and both water and energy are needed to grow food. Growing populations, climate change and increased resource demands will place stress on the energy-water-food nexus at an unprecedented pace and magnitude in the decades to come.
Sander Nieuwenhuizen, Shell Vice President for Recruitment, says: “With Shell Ideas360, we hope to inspire and excite a future generation of leaders and innovators to think about the challenges the energy industry faces in the coming decades. It is really exciting to think that one day, one of these participants’ ideas can be brought to life with our support.”
Get involved
The scope of the ideas we are looking for are limited only by your imagination. But to give you a little inspiration, game-changing innovative projects that are already up and running include Nigeria’s first house built from discarded plastic bottles; Cycloclean, a bicycle that purifies water for drinking that has been developed by Japanese company Nippon Basic; and a racing car powered by chocolate, steered by carrots and with bodywork made from potatoes that is the brainchild of researchers at Warwick University in the UK.
It’s this type of passion for innovation that fuels Shell’s own business, and now students with creative, innovative ideas, either big or small, can help potentially solve tomorrow’s real-world problems, whether it’s local or global.
• If you know of a student who could enter the Shell Ideas360 competition, please encourage them to submit their entries by 1 December 2013.
• Shell needs reviewers, master reviewers, mentors and subject matter experts to guide successful entrants along the product development path. To register your interest, please email Shellideas360@shell.com and include the role that interests you in the subject line.
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Cheers.
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