It’s that time of the year again!
Pakistan Innovation Foundation, better known as PIF, is the talk of the town for its upcoming event, the third PIF Annual Conference – The Pakistan Innovation Forum 2016 on December 8, 2016 at Serena, Islamabad.
The yearly event enjoys the unique significance of being Pakistan’s only National Conference on Innovation. In efforts to promote a knowledge-driven and progressive Pakistan, the private-sector-driven & donor-supported non-profit organization PIF delivers through a three-pronged strategy of awareness building, reward & recognition, and research & advocacy.
As has become its tradition, every year the Forum assigns a theme to its proceedings, and this year’s Pakistan Innovation Forum 2016 is themed Innovators of Tomorrow. It is a By-Invitation-Only event that seeks to bring Pakistan’s leading innovators as well as business, government, social, and technology leaders to engage with a bold and refreshing innovation agenda for Pakistan. The Conference shall also feature an Innovation Showcase focusing on innovative displays of technology in STEM/STEAM Education and innovation and entrepreneurship suited to Pakistan’s needs. The forum is expected to cover STEM/STEAM, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Incubation, Acceleration, and Venture Investing in the local context.
The highlight of the Forum is the second annual, National Innovation Awards. Charged with promoting Innovation across the society, particularly within the corporate sector of Pakistan, PIF’s National Innovation Awards supports and celebrates those who tend to think differently – and ‘out-of-the-box’ – through social and economic infrastructure.
In a bid to recognize the achievements of innovative, entrepreneurial minds, the National Innovation Awards is an opportunity for those who embody Einstein’s ‘creativity is seeing what everyone else has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought‘, to showcase their innovation and ideas, and meet other progressive minds.
The National Innovation Awards 2016 is a gathering of individuals, institutions and companies in recognition of their ideas, achievements and innovations. PIF has already opened nominations for the awards.
This year nominations for National Innovation Awards are being sought in 12 general categories and 3 special categories: Lifetime Achievement, Young Innovator, and People’s Choice Innovator of the Year.
Nominations can be made at: http://www.pif.org.pk/national-innovation-award
The 12 nomination categories of innovators, startups and universities are:
- Most Innovative University (Programme)
- Social / Development Innovation
- Corporate/Business Innovation
- Technology Startup
- Finance/Fintech Innovation
- Civic Innovation
- Government Innovation
- Health Innovation
- Education Innovation
- Agri+Rural Innovation
- Industry Innovation
- Art+Design Innovation
Last year, the winners of the First National Innovation Awards against the corresponding categories have been:
Lahore University of Management Sciences, School of Science and Engineering.
Pink Rickshaw
Qarshi Industries for Johar Joshanda
SoloInsight
Telenor Pakistan/Tameer Bank for Easypaisa
The Second Floor(T2F)
NADRA
ProCheck for Counterfeit Medicine Detection
School of Visuals and Practicals (SOVAP) by IBA Sukkur
National Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering – NIBGE for Indigenous Developed Insect Resistant Cotton
Packages Limited
Coke Studio
The interesting bit is that last year’s nominees (not Winners) are eligible to apply again at this year’s awards. The awards are judged by a distinguished jury of leading CEOs, Government, and Civil Society Leaders from across the country.
Use this nomination form and nominate anyone you think deserves to be a part of the National Innovation Awards for their unique idea / product/ service. For all those who had been a day late and a dollar short for the nominations, here’s the good news … the deadline for nomination submissions has just been extended to November 20th, 2016.
The National Innovation Awards 2016 is going to be the swan song for the three years old Pakistan Innovation Foundation. Aimed at inspiring and energizing Pakistani youth, professionals, and citizen innovators to find innovative solutions to Pakistan’s development challenges and enhance its competitiveness, the event shall address the challenges and opportunities of boosting innovation in the country by engaging all the relevant stakeholders.
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