Do you have an innovative AI solution that could improve department or company-wide operations? The AI-dea Contest is your opportunity to explore and present your ideas while competing for a total of 30,000 BGN in cash prizes.

How to Participate
1. Form a Team: Participants must form a team of 2 to 4 employees. Each employee can only be part of one team. Temporary or contract employees are ineligible unless specified otherwise.
2. Complete the Entry Form: Describe a problem and present your AI solution to address it in up to 2 pages.
There is no limit to the number of ideas that a team can submit, however, only one idea will be considered for the final live event.

SBT Solution reserves the right to disqualify any entry that:

● Violates the AI-dea Contest rules or the company’s policies.
● Is based on an idea already in use within the company. Participants are encouraged to research existing AI initiatives within SBT Solution to ensure their idea is original.
● Includes confidential or proprietary information that should not be disclosed.
● Proposes unethical or illegal AI applications.
● Is deemed inappropriate, offensive, or misaligned with company values.

3. Video Submission (Optional): You may submit a video pitch to communicate your concept more effectively.
○ Length: Maximum of 2 minutes.
○ Platform: Use a publicly accessible video platform (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo) and include the video link in your entry form.
○ Privacy: Videos should be set as "Unlisted" or "Public" to ensure access by the review committee.
○ While not mandatory, videos will contribute to the overall communication and creativity score in the judging process.

Evaluation Process

The evaluation for the SBT Solution AI Idea Pitch Contest will follow a multi-phase process to ensure a fair and thorough assessment of all submissions. Each phase is designed to evaluate both the technical quality and potential impact of the proposed AI solutions:

Evaluation Phases:
1. Initial Review Phase

• During the first phase, an independent panel of judges i.e. Innovahub members will review all submitted ideas.
• After this review, a selected group of teams will move forward to the next phase.
• Teams that advance will receive feedback and benefit from mentorship to refine their ideas.

2. Second Evaluation Phase:

• The final group of teams will be evaluated one last time before the live event.
• Judges will assess how teams have improved and developed their ideas based on the initial feedback and mentorship.
• In this phase, judges will consider the overall quality of the proposals, the solutions' feasibility, and their potential business impact.
• The top 5 teams will be selected to present their AI solutions during the Final Event.

3. Final Event

• At the Final Event, the 5 finalist teams will have the opportunity to present their ideas live.
• Each team will present their solution, followed by a Q&A session with the judges and audience.
• The final winners will be determined through a combination of judges’ scores and audience votes. Judges will focus on factors such as innovation, feasibility, and integration potential, presentations and idea appeal.

Judging Criteria

1. Efficiency and Productivity Improvement: How significantly does the idea improve our efficiency levels? What improvements in productivity can be expected from implementing this AI solution?
2. Best Process Optimization: How effectively does the idea streamline our existing workflows? To what extent does it eliminate bottlenecks and reduce unnecessary steps in our processes?
3. Seamless Integration: How practical is the idea in terms of implementation? How easily can it be integrated into our day-to-day operations?
4. Best ROI - What is the economic value versus the cost of implementation?

5. Presentation Skills - How effectively does the team communicate their idea during the pitch? Are the concepts presented clearly, and does the team demonstrate strong communication and persuasion skills?

Timeline

The competition will follow this schedule:
● Idea Submission Phase: until 30.10.2024
● Evaluation Phase: 31.10 - 29.11.2024
● Finalist Announcement: 13.12.2024
● Final Event: 17.1.2025

Prizes

● First Prize: 10,000 BGN (awarded to the winning team at the end of the final event).
● Runner-up Prizes: 4 awards of 5,000 BGN each (awarded to the teams).

Team members are responsible for dividing the prize among themselves.

By participating in the competition, teams agree that SBT Solution may use, modify, or further develop the ideas submitted, with appropriate credit given to the originating team.

Mentorship Program

To support teams throughout the competition, a structured group mentorship program will be provided, offering guidance and expert insights during key phases of the contest. The program is designed to help teams refine their ideas, overcome challenges, and improve their presentations. Each mentor will work with a maximum of 2 teams.

Additional rules:

• Teams are allowed up to 4 hours per week during working hours to dedicate to the project. However, if an employee’s daily work responsibilities suffer due to participation, the team may face disqualification.
• Employees who are part of Innovahub are not allowed to participate.
• SBT Solution reserves the right to change or update the contest rules at any time without providing a reason.
• By participating in the competition, teams agree that SBT Solution may use, modify, or further develop the ideas submitted, with appropriate credit given to the originating team.