Newswise — Rabat, Morocco – The Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) initiative announces the launch of two projects designed to enable and support entrepreneurship and collaboration across the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. GIST is supported by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by CRDF Global. The projects result from a year-long effort consisting of multinational meetings and partnerships involving more than 200 participants from 25 nations, were a featured announcement during the June 16-17, 2011“Economic Development through Science and Technology Innovation” conference in Rabat, and include:
GIST Accelerator Network (GISTnet) - A web-based “innovation ecosystem” that provides mentorship, resources and tools for young entrepreneurs to collaborate, connect with investors and accelerate technology commercialization. Incorporating popular social networking tools, GISTnet will also facilitate participation in competitions, discussion lists and enable real-time access to training, education and events. GISTnet will be located at the GIST website: www.GISTinitiative.org
TECH-i Idea Competition - Designed to encourage young entrepreneurs in 43 nations, GIST invites applicants to develop innovative solutions to complex economic development challenges. Beginning July 2011, registered GISTnet users can submit two-minute video pitches. 25 submissions will be selected by the GISTnet community, and expert reviewers, to compete for up to $60,000 (USD).
“The merit-based competition will help to identify the region’s brightest, new technology companies and to put forward novel solutions to economic development challenges,” announced CRDF Global President and CEO Cathy Campbell during the conference. “It is our goal that GISTnet will serve as an innovation platform to connect and facilitate collaboration and participation among the region’s entrepreneurial and investment communities, at all levels.”
More information about GISTnet, and the competitions, is available at www.gistinitiative.org. Follow GIST on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/GISTinitiative and Twitter @GISTInitiative.
About CRDF GlobalCRDF Global is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 1995 to promote international scientific and technical collaboration through grants, technical resources and training. CRDF Global has 16 years of experience managing international research funding programs and supporting emerging science and technology infrastructure in more than 30 countries in Eurasia, the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.
RSS