University of Newcastle’s Grand Challenge 2019

Rules & Guidelines

Proposals are due by Thursday 29 August 2019 11 AM AEST.
I. Overview

The University of Newcastle’s (the University) Grand Challenge (GC) supports teams developing early-stage projects, including untested ideas and innovations, from a wide range of disciplines and backgrounds that could lead to new interventions in controlling mosquitoes.

II. Eligibility
  • All Teams members must be registered by 5:00 PM (AEST) Tuesday 27 August 2019.
  • Teams must consist of a minimum of three to a maximum of five members.
  • At least one team member must be a University of Newcastle student, staff or alumni based in Australia.
III. Participation
  • Participants agree to take part in the Grand Challenge in an open and respectful manner and agree to comply with the University’s Code of Conduct.
  • A Team can submit only one application. An individual Team Lead may lead the submission of only one application but be a member of other Teams also making an application.
  • All participants must join the Grand Challenge Slack Team.
  • It is recommended that each Team consider participating in as many of the scheduled supporting workshops and events to ensure the highest chance of a successful funding outcome.
III. Project Applications

Key dates

Tue 27 August 11 AM AEST

Registrations close www.newcastle.edu.au/grandchallenge

Mon 26 Aug 2019

Grand Challenge HQ Opens Brennan Room, Callaghan

Thursday 29 August 2019, 11 AM AEST

Project application deadline via DevPost

Thursday 29 August 2019

Applications reviewed, funded projects advised and pitch finalists notified

Friday 30 August 2019

Demo Day (9AM-1PM), Brennan Room, Callaghan

Pitch Competition (1-2:30 PM), Godfrey Tanner Bar, Callaghan

Monday 2 March 2020

Progress short report due Email

Project Application Submission

All Teams must be registered with Devpost submit their proposal to the University of Newcastle Grand Challenge Devpost page by 11:00 AM (AEST), Thursday 29 August 2019. The Devpost team page must include the following:

  • Team name
  • Team member’s full names
  • Team Lead’s name
  • Name of Project with a one-sentence description
  • A longer description of what your Project is about, including these headings (no more than 1,000 words in total):
  1. Define the problem you are seeking to solve.
  2. Describe your big idea (what is the vision?).
  3. Describe and illustrate (if possible) your proposed solution.
  4. What is the core foundation of your research or solution (this could be technology, research, know-how, etc)?
  5. Describe who you think your end-user and/or paying customer could be.
  6. Describe your Technology Readiness Level or Research Literature Level.
  7. Describe the top three critical hypotheses you want to explore, including:
  • How you will test them;
  • Describe your experimental plan, including any new technologies or tools to be developed; and
  • If your experiment/s in the testing phase is successful what are the next steps?

8. Describe how would use the funding to progress your hypotheses, including:

  • How will the work described be performed within the budget (up to AU$5,000) and time period (6 months) allocated for the testing phase (resources, capability, etc)?
  • What essential outcomes will you generate during your testing phase?
  • Include a brief breakdown of allowable costs.

9. What you’ve done to date, including challenges and wins.

10. Why your idea is an unconventional or creative approach to the problem.

  • Graphic that best captures your concept i.e. a logo or image
  • Create a link from YouTube to a video of no more than 3-minutes duration that outlines your project and its proposed outcomes.
IV. Judging

All Hackathon entries will be judged by the Hackathon Judging Panel against the following criteria:

  • Preliminary discovery: Demonstrated progress the team has achieved during the application window.
  • Clarity of Problem: Ability to describe well the part of the problem the team is looking solve.
  • Vision / Solution: Exciting, innovative and unique aspects of the proposal.
  • End-user / Customer: Demonstrated understanding of the end user and/or paying customer and the benefits of the proposed solution or research for them.
  • Testability: Shows a clear, logical and thoughtful description of up to three hypotheses to be tested and potential results that will be produced.
  • Outcomes: Describes with clarity what the expected minimum viable product will look like or how the minimum viable experiment will be performed within budget and the 6-month timeframe allocated, including what value and/or learnings are planned to be achieved.
  • Action plan: Clearly articulates next steps and how the funding will be used.
  • Team: Demonstrates the uniqueness of the team to tackle the challenge and their commitment to their proposal.

The Grand Challenge Project Application Judging Panel will determine all recipients and will consist of a mix of Organiser representatives and industry supporters.

All submission elements detailed in ‘Project Application Submission’ section of this document must be completed by the required time. No requests for extensions will be considered.

Final arbiter is the Grand Challenge Project Application Judging Panel whose decision is final.

No correspondence will be entered into. This is a competition of skill. Chance plays no part in this competition.

All Teams selected to receive funding will require the Team Lead to liaise with and provide their details to the Organisers following funding announcements. They will be responsible for ensuring that all spending of funds is reported as required.

V. Use of Funds

• The Funds provided may only be used for the purpose of delivering on the Project outlined in the Application. Grant funds cannot be used to reimburse any expenses incurred prior to the awarding of the Grant.

• Funds can be used for the purchase of equipment so long as the assets are used exclusively for the Project during the term of the grant and the cost of any single item does not exceed $5,000 ex GST.

• Funds may not be used to pay for indirect costs. Indirect costs are defined as (1) overhead expenses incurred as a result of the Project, but that are not easily identifiable with the Project and (2) administrative expenses that are related to overall general operations and are shared among projects and/or functions. Examples of indirect costs include:

  • Salaries / wages and related benefits
  • General office supplies (pens, paper etc)
  • Phone plans

• Grant funds cannot be used for the following activities:

  • Salaries/wages and related benefits of team members working directly or indirectly on the Project
  • Trainee / participant costs, such as stipends, tuition & fees, travel
  • Travel costs (airfares, meals, lodging, conference fees)
VI. Intellectual Property

• The University of Newcastle makes no claim over the intellectual property (IP) generated by you as part of the University of Newcastle’s Grand Challenge (subject to the University’s IP Policy and Procedure) provided your use of the IP acknowledges that the IP was developed as part of the University of Newcastle Grand Challenge (unless it is unreasonable to do so).

• If you are employee or student of the University of Newcastle, you agree and acknowledge that ownership of the IP will be in accordance with the University IP Policy and Procedure, as amended from time to time. IP Policy found here. IP Procedure found here.

• Teams may request the assistance of University to commercialise the IP noting that the University is entitled to recover the costs of any assistance.

VI. Photography and Video

Participants acknowledge that the University will be recording the Challenge events on video, photographs, audio recording and other media, and therefore agree that:

• The Organisers have the unrestricted right to use your likeness, image, voice, opinions, and appearance, and also any images of your projects, developments, materials and belongings made at or brought to the Hackathon, captured through video, photographs or other media during the Hackathon for the express purpose of creating promotional material (the “Images”), for the purposes of use in websites, promotional materials, publications and other media of any of the Organizers, whether in print or electronically (the “Materials”). The foregoing right includes permission to copyright, use, re-use, publish, and republish Images in which you may be included, intact or in part, composite or distorted in character or form, without restriction as to changes or transformations, in conjunction with your own or a fictitious name, reproduction in colour or otherwise, made through any and all media now or hereafter known;

• The Organisers shall solely own the Materials in which you or your Images, in whole or in part, may appear, including copyright interests, and you have no ownership rights therein;

• You give all clearances, copyright and otherwise, for use of your Images, and waive any moral rights that you may have in the Materials in which you or your Images may appear. The rights granted to the Organisers herein are perpetual and worldwide. For greater certainty, my Images may continue to be used after the completion of the Hackathon;

• You relinquish any right that you may have to examine or approve the Materials in which you or your Images may appear or the use to which they may be applied; and

• You hereby release, discharge and agree to save harmless each and all of the Organisers from any liability by virtue of any blurring, distortion, alteration, optical illusion, or use in composite form of the Images whether intentional or otherwise, that may occur or be produced in the recording of the Images or in any subsequent processing thereof, as well as any publication thereof, including without limitation any claims for libel or invasion of privacy.

VII. Privacy

We advise that the information you provide is collected by the University and its contracted service providers and may be used to make you aware of future University events and opportunities. The University and its contracted service providers may use your personal information to invite you to participate in surveys or market research activities. The University abides by the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (NSW), under which you have the right to access your personal information held by the University. The University’s Web Privacy Statement and Privacy and Information Access Policy provide further detail.