The Helsinki Challenge is a science-based competition that brings together multidisciplinary teams to co-create solutions for societal challenges. Teams develop ideas and solutions over the course of an accelerator program, receiving support from the science community. The competition aims to spur creative thinking and cooperation across different sectors to address grand challenges. Winners will be selected based on criteria like originality, creativity, and impact to receive a total prize of 375,000 euros.

2. HELSINKI CHALLENGE
A SCIENCE-BASED COMPETITION WHERE
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS CO-CREATE SOLUTIONS FOR
GRAND CHALLENGES AND THE FUTURE OF THE WELFARE STATE.
THE HELSINKI CHALLENGE IS A UNIQUE LEARNING PROCESS AND
IDEA ACCELERATOR, WHICH COMBINES STUDENTS AND
THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY FOR INTENSIVE INTERACTION.

3. INVESTMENT IN
CREATIVE THINKING
SCIENCE PROVIDES THE BASIS FOR RADICAL INNOVATIONS.
REACHING FOR THE TOP REQUIRES EXTRAORDINARY
THINKING, QUESTIONING OF THE CUSTOMARY,
NEW PRACTICES AND GLOBAL ENCOUNTERS.

4. INVESTMENT IN
COOPERATION
SOMETHING ALWAYS HAS AND WILL SPRING FROM
THE ENCOUNTERS BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT SOCIETAL ACTORS:
SCIENCE, THE COMMUNITY, INDUSTRY, POLICY MAKERS,
THE MEDIA, THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND ALUMNI. IT IS ELEMENTARY
FOR OUR VITALITY. THIS IS WHY WE WANT TO FURTHER
INCREASE CO-OPERATION WITH DIFFERENT ACTORS.

10. JOIN HELSINKI
CHALLENGE
THE SCIENCE COMMUNITY AND THE STUDENTS OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI INVITE
INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE COMMUNITIES, PARTNERS,
AND SOCIETAL ACTORS TO JOIN THE HELSINKI
CHALLENGE.

11. JOIN HELSINKI CHALLENGE
A. REGISTER
AND IDENTIFY
Register for the competition and identify the
challenge that you want to solve.
B. BUILD A TEAM
Min. 3 persons, UH member in each team. Or
create the team in cooperation with the
Helsinki Challenge organization.
C. SHARE YOUR
CHALLENGE/IDEA
and involve partners @Thinkfest 4.9.2014!
D. CREATE THE
COMPETITION ENTRY
It may be an idea, invention, concept,
research project, business idea, initiative
or a new research question.
E. RETURN THE
COMPETITION ENTRY
Entry for the semifinal jury’s evaluation
17.10.2014
F. WAIT
For the jury’s selection of participants
to the idea accelerator programme.!

12. HELSINKI CHALLENGE PRE-QUALIFICATION 2014
JOIN CHALLENGE SUBMIT SEMIFINALISTS
5/14 9/14 10/14 11/14
Invitation to
participate in the
Helsinki Challenge.
Introduce the challenge
your team wants to solve
@Thinkfest 4.9.2014.
Submit the competition
entry for assessment by
the semifinal jury.
Wait for the jury’s selection
of participants to the
accelerator programme.

13. HELSINKI CHALLENGE IDEA ACCELERATOR 2015
THINK&DO SOLVE SHARE FINALISTS
1/15 4/15 9/15 11/15
Meet and work with
other teams at the
Helsinki Challenge
Base Camp.
Develop your idea
with the
international
science
community,
business, policy
makers, the
media, the public
sector and alumni.
Introduce your
idea to both the
jury and the
public.
Submit your
proposal for
assessment by the
jury and await their
selection of the
shortlist.
AWARDS
10/15
Announcing
the winners.

14. EVALUATION
CRITERIA
ORIGINALITY
CREATIVITY
IMPACT
SOLUTION FOCUSED
SCIENCE BASED

15. THE PRIZE 375,000 €

16. GET INSPIRED
OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SOMETHING NEW
PARTNERSHIPS
COOPERATION
VISIBILITY
RESOURCES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, DESIGN AND CO-CREATION
PRIZE 375,000 €

17. JOIN
CHALLENGE.HELSINKI.FI