“Opportunities for smaller and independent organisations to pitch great
ideas and inventions to a gathering of strategic investors in one place are very rare indeed,” said Craig Ehrlich, Chairman of the GSM Association. “At the 3GSM World Congress next year, we are providing a platform to pitch to the entire industry. One successful organisation will gain unprecedented recognition by winning the Mobile Innovation Award. The potential for access to funding, and a route to market via the Forum and Award is unprecedented,” he added.
The new Forum is an integral part of the GSM Association Awards, a global annual industry awards programme that has recognised and promoted excellence in mobile communications since 1995. Start-up organisations wishing to present their ideas at the Forum should apply through entry to the GSMA’s Mobile Innovation Award at www.gsmawards.com Deadline for entry is Wednesday 30th November 2005.
In early December, a panel of judges comprising the supporting operator and venture capital representatives will shortlist 15-20 organisations that will be invited to pitch their ideas at the Mobile Innovation Forum in Barcelona on 13th February.
Mobile Innovation Forum panellists will assess brief ‘elevator pitch’ presentations by the short-listed organisations, three of which will go
forward to present to the 3GSM World Congress conference the next day.
The Forum culminates in the selection of one final winner to be presented with the prestigious Mobile Innovation Award during the GSMA’s Awards night at the National Palace in Barcelona on Tuesday the 14th February.
The Mobile Innovation Forum & Award is open to companies of small to medium size who are developing products, services and solutions for the GSM mobile industry.
“The GSM Association has created the Mobile Innovation Forum and Award, and brought together some of the world’s leading operators to support and participate because we recognise that innovation is the lifeblood of the industry’s future – and we can provide no better platform than where the industry decision makers gather in one place,” said Craig Ehrlich.
