FAQ

Do I or my company need to be an IPSO member to enter?

No. The purpose of the contest is to find and promote new technology related to IP-based M2M and IoT applications, designs and products. The contest is open to the entire IoT community, from students/individuals to small and large companies from all over the world.

If my company is an IPSO member, can I still enter the Challenge?

YES – absolutely. The member companies of  IPSO employ many truly innovative thought leaders in the IoT space and we encourage them to enter. You are only excluded from entering if you are a member of the IPSO Board of Directors, TAB, one of the CHALLENGE judges or a member of their immediate families.

Are students eligible to enter?

Yes – not only are they eligible, they are encouraged to enter to show off their talents and concepts. All entrants must be 18 years of age by 1 March 2015 in order to enter the competition.

Is there a fee to enter the competition?

No, there is no entry fee.

How do I submit my application, device or product?

The contest has three phases. In the first phase you must complete the entry form describing your concept, product, application or device. Entries must be received no later than 15 July 2015. You may submit a video if you believe it would help to explain your concept more clearly to the judges.

www.ipso-alliance.org/challenge/enter

Semi-finalists will be selected by the judges from the completed entries. The semi-finalists will be notified no later than 31 July and asked to bring/ship their finalized, working prototype no later than 1 December.  The semi-finalists are invited to display their entries in the IoT Pavilion at a major Silicon Valley tradeshow. Space within the Pavilion will be provided by IPSO  and their sponsors at no charge to the contestants. IPSO will provide a stipend of up to $1,000 USD to assist the contestants with airfare and hotel accommodations for one team member during the judging phase at the tradeshow. Semi-Finalists will also need to submit a 5 minute video of their working prototype to be shared on the IPSO website and social media.

The judges will select three finalists from the semi-final entries received. There will be an award presentation on 2-3 December 2015. A People’s Choice Award will also be given to the entry which receives the greatest number of unique votes from visitors to the IoT Pavillion.

What are the requirements for my entry?

* It must be an IP Smart Object or incorporate an IP Smart Object (i.e. an IP communicating sensor, actuator, …)
* It must NOT use a proprietary protocol and/or protocol translating gateway to the Internet (i.e. using zigbee/zwave, …)
* Entries must be an actual working, communicating device
* It can use any phy/mac (802.15.4, 802.11, ethernet, plc)
* It can utilize existing products, provided they are incorporated in a novel manner
* It can use IPv4 or IPv6

Can I use IPv6 or IPv4?

We are agnostic to the version of IP used in the submission.

Thanks for adding the chance to win development hardware and software! How can I win one of those?

On the entry form there is a page to review and request kits and software from some of our sponsor companies. You can request up to 3 kits that you think would help you to design the best project submission, but you can win only one. Each sponsor company has a representative who will review all of the requests and award kits based on the ingenuity of the idea and how the kit would be used in the entry. Please be as descriptive as possible as demand is great and supplies are limited.

How will I know if I win one of the development packages?

Entries received before 6 May will be reviewed at the May IPSO Member Meeting in Stockholm. We will contact the first round of winners at that time. Any remaining kits will be distributed until the final entry deadline of 15 July.

We will not be using any of the kits offered by the sponsors. Is there an advantage to entries using those kits?

Our judging panel is made up of many judges who are not associated with the companies involved in the development kit sponsorship, including represeentatives from Eaton, Proto6, Oracle, Ericsson, Centero, Itron, etc., and we are still adding to the jury.

The addition of the dev kit hardware and software is intended to give assistance to individuals without financial backing to develop their projects. Entries which receive these kits have no greater chance for being selected for the top 10 chosen to build their prototypes; the development kits are there to help show what is available in the marketplace to foster new development using IP.

Does my entry need to be in English?

While entries should be submitted in English, our judges speak many different languages. If English is not your first language and you would like to submit your entry in another language also, we will make every effort to have both versions reviewed by a fluent speaker of both languages.

Are software platforms an acceptable entry to the Challenge?

Yes, any creative use of IP which fits the requirements above is an acceptable entry to the competition. But, IPSO by definition is Internet Protocol for Smart Objects, which implies some type of physical object that is connected via IP.  While software only solutions do qualify for submission, it is expected that the software would control some sort of device or devices over an IP network.

How will I know if my entry has been received?

There are multiple pages to the entry form. You will begin by setting up a username and password which will allow you to return to your entry and make edits at any time. The final page reads “Confirm and Submit Your Entry”. When you click “Submit Contest Entry”, your entry is officially entered into the contest.

[toggle title=”Can I make updates to my submission after entering?” border=none]You can add more information or make changes to enhance your submission any time prior to 15 July.  All entries must be completed and submitted before the initial phase deadline at Midnight Pacific Time on 15 July. Just be sure to let us know that there is additional information available so that we can make sure that the judges review the complete entry! Remember that different judges may view your entry at different phases of the competition, so be sure that you include any important information in each part of your entry.

Do you have a sample entry I can look at?

Yes, you can read the original entry from IPSO CHALLENGE 2013’s Grand Prize winner, Redwire Consulting, LLC,  here.

Can I submit more than one entry for the competition?

Yes, but no more than one entry per entrant will be selected as a semi-finalist and any entry submitted by an entrant must be substantially different than any other entry submitted by that entrant.

Do I have to protect my concept before submitting it for competition?

We strongly recommend that you take steps to sufficiently protect your intellectual property before submitting your entry to the competition. Contestants maintain the rights to their entries.

What can I win?

The 1st place winner will receive $10,000 USD. The second place winner will receive $5,000 USD and the third place will receive $2,500 USD. Up to ten semi-finalists will receive display space in the IoT Pavilion at a major Silicon Valley tradeshow, along with the chance to network with industry experts and benefit from the various media and marketing outreach by the IPSO Alliance and its member companies. The Alliance and its sponsors are offering up to $1,000 USD to defray the cost for airfare and hotel accommodations for one representative to travel to the show. Qualified entries can also win hardware/software development kits from our sponsors.

Who are the judges and how will they evaluate submitted concepts?

The judges consist of M2M and IoT industry and research experts from around the globe. The judges will evaluate the entries based on the criteria set forth in the IPSO Challenge Official Rules. The contest is a skill-based contest and, as such, the winners will NOT be selected randomly.

What criteria will the judges use to evaluate concepts?

Entries will be evaluated on the level of innovation as well as opportunity for successful implementation and marketability of the design.

What will happen to my entry if it is not selected as a semi-finalist?

If your entry is not selected as one of the semi-finalists, your name and concept will not be published. The IPSO Alliance has the option to contact entrants not selected as finalists if there is further interest in evaluation or promotion of their ideas.

Will my entry be returned to me?

Contestants retain all rights and ownership to their entries. If the prototype is shipped to the judging panel, it will not be returned unless prior arrangements have been made for return shipment. Costs for return shipping are the responsibility of the contestant.

When will I be notified about the status of my submission?

The submission period for entries closes at Midnight Pacific Time on 15 July 2015. The judges will select and notify the semi-finalists on or before 31 July 2015. The prize-winning finalists will be selected from the working prototypes  on 1 December and awards will be presented during a major Silicon Valley tradeshow in early December (time slot TBD).

What if I am unable to attend the Judging or Award Ceremony?

To take full advantage of the networking and marketing opportunities presented by IPSO CHALLENGE, one member of your team should plan to be present in San Jose all three days for judging and exhibition at the tradeshow. IPSO will provide assistance in making plans for travel and accommodations for each semi-finalist team. While we expect a member from each team to participate in the semi-final judging, teams unable to attend will not be penalized and may still enter – please ensure prototype setup/installation instructions are detailed and complete. Shipping instructions will be given and entries must arrive no later than 3 days before judging. We are not responsible for lost or misdirected shipments.

Who can I contact if I have any questions?

Click here if you have any further questions.