The School of Good Ideas Lesson #5: Submissions

So you've found a great open innovation challenge and you have an amazing idea. But how do you make sure your submission is the strongest it can be?

Here are three important tips for making your submission shine:

Look at any judging criteria closely before beginning your submission. Make sure you understand everything the judges are expecting from you, and ensure you don't miss any vital requirements - such as creating a video about your idea or submitting the CVs of your team members. Take the time to research the challenge judges as well, in order to understand their background and what will impress them!

Explain your idea in a maximum of two sentences. Keep it short and sweet! A strong, short explanation of your idea will help grab judges and encourage them to keep reading. Think about keeping it simple and engaging. How would you explain your idea to your friend? To a colleague? To your grandmother?

Make sure you include references. Depending on the type of challenge, you will need references to show how you came up with the idea, and how you have tested (or will test) the idea to prove it works. Inspiration can come from unlikely places--be sure to tell an engaging story of how you came up with your brilliant new idea!

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