How to participate
| Q | How do I apply for the contest? |
| A | Fill out the idea proposal form on the website and submit it within the contest period. |
| Q | Can I submit more than one idea? |
| A |
Those who would like to submit more than one idea proposal must log in with a different SNS ID for each submission. Each received idea will be evaluated independently. |
| Q | Do I need to join the contest in a team? |
| A |
A one-person team can apply. However, we recommend that you participate in a team composed of members who will share ideas and work together to find solutions. |
| Q | Can I edit/update my submission? |
| A |
Modifications to the proposal can be submitted until the end of the application period. However, re-submission through the website is not possible, so if you request re-submission by email at the bottom of the web page, we will notify you individually. |
| Q | Do I have to agree to the collection of personal information? |
| A |
It is required under applicable laws. If you refuse to have your personal information collected, you cannot participate in the contest. |
| Q | Who can participate in the contest? |
| A |
Anyone can apply for any topic if they have an idea/solution for solving our social problems. However, it must be a concrete and realistic idea/solution with the potential to solve the problem. For children under the age of 14, parental consent is required. For further information on the application, please contact us by e-mail at the bottom of the web page. |
Idea Proposal
| Q | Should I go technical with my proposal? |
| A |
You need to be specific about the solutions and technologies that are likely to materialize your ideas to achieve a higher score on the assessment. For example, you can suggest specific technical and functional goals for the idea, and also provide specific plans for how to turn your idea/solution into reality. |
| Q | Can I submit proposals based on an existing idea? |
| A |
Even if the idea has already been recognized as an intellectual property right, it can be submitted as long as you clearly state what your team has developed further. However, the proposer is responsible for the infringement of the intellectual property rights of others. |
| Q | Are there any differences in scores between the contest themes? |
| A |
There are no differences in scores based on the theme. There is no particular advantage or disadvantage to whichever theme you choose. |
| Q | Is there no limit for the Free Theme category? |
| A |
Yes, anyone can apply for any topic if they have an idea/solution for solving our social problems. However, it must be a concrete and realistic idea/solution with the potential to solve the problem. |
| Q | Can I attach additional material to further explain my idea? |
| A | You are allowed to attach an additional image or video file up to 50 MB to specify your idea. |
| Q | Are my intellectual property rights protected once my idea is published upon submission? |
| A |
The duty and responsibility for the protection of the proposed idea rest with the proposer, and the host(The Circle Foundation) and organizer(Technovation Partners) do not bear any legal responsibility for intellectual property-related issues that may arise from public exposure, such as the explanation and presentation of ideas. However, we plan to do our best to protect information including confidentiality pledges when conducting events such as the selection of finalists, Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop, and final contests. Since published ideas cannot be legally protected, we recommend that you apply for intellectual property rights before participating in the contest to protect them. |
Idea Finals
| Q | What do finalists get? |
| A | All teams that advance to the finals will receive an idea development support of KRW 2 million, and through the Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop, they can receive help from the mentor group in the process of materializing and upgrading the idea into an action plan. |
| Q | What happens if, after making it to the finals, I don't get to submit my idea? |
| A |
Participants who fail to submit their final ideas will be excluded from screening for the Demoday.(The final evaluation) Even if you have not finalized your idea, you can still submit the results of your work by the deadline. |
| Q | What if I can't attend the workshop? |
| A |
Teams qualified for the finals must attend the scheduled Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop. If, for any reason, it would be difficult for you to participate in the workshop, please contact us via the email provided at the bottom of the web page and we will guide you individually. |
| Q | What kind of experts make up the mentor group? |
| A | It consists of technical experts related to the topic of idea/solution and civil society experts who work to solve social problems. |
| Q | Where can I check the finalists? |
| A | The finalists will be announced in an official notice on the website, as well as notified by email to the team representative. |
| Q | When is the workshop? |
| A | Specific details including the schedule and location of the Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop will be notified separately to the finalists. |
| Q | What is the Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop? |
| A |
The Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop is designed to develop ideas and solutions presented by participants. Through various activities to produce creative and innovative ideas and solutions, your projects will become more specific and attractive. |
Evaluation Standards
| Q | How is the idea proposal evaluation process going? |
| A |
The evaluation is conducted fairly by a jury composed of academic and industry experts according to the evaluation standards. The detailed evaluation results for each team are not disclosed outside, and through a redundancy review and written evaluation, ten finalists will be selected from the teams that meet the evaluation standards, regardless of themes. |
| Q | How is the final review conducted? |
| A |
After the Idea+Solution Coaching Workshop, each team undergoes final revisions and submits the final idea proposal in PPT format for the Demoday competition. In the final evaluation of the Demoday, experts evaluate the idea's ripple effect, urgency, innovativeness, feasibility, and PT presentation to determine the final winner. |
| Q | What are the awards? |
| A |
All teams that advance to the finals receive KRW 2 million in idea development support, one 1ST Prize (up to KRW 50 million ), one 2ND Prize (up to KRW 10 million), and three teams with 3RD Prizes (up to KRW 3 million) will be selected through the final screening. In the final screening, the awards and benefits may be adjusted according to the screening and award standards announced on the website. In the case of commercialization of the winners' idea and solution, the organizer(Technovation Partners) plans to provide consultation for business start-ups and technology commercialization (investment linkage, BM model establishment, etc.), and after reviewing of host(The Circle Foundation) support related to the Foundation's programs can be provided. Those afterwards' support will be planned by identifying the needs of the winners for consulting through internal discussions. |
| Q | Can I apply with content I used for other contests? |
| A |
Ideas that are identical to those awarded or supported in other contests will be excluded from the evaluation process, and the award may be withdrawn even after being selected. In other words, you can apply with ideas that haven't been awarded or supported in other contests. |
Other Inquiries
| Q | What happens to the submissions after the screening is over? |
| A |
Materials related to ideas received during the contest will be destroyed within a year from the date the contest results are announced. However, ideas selected as award-winning works may not be discarded with the consent of the proposer. |
| Q | Can I withdraw my idea proposal after submission? |
| A |
The proposer of the idea may request the withdrawal of the application before the date of the announcement of the result, and the idea requested for withdrawal will be treated as if it had not been submitted. All materials related to the idea requested for withdrawal will be discarded. |
| Q | How are ideas similar to or the same as others treated? |
| A | Any impersonation or theft of other contest winners will result in the award being canceled, and any claims resulting from this will be the responsibility of the person who proposed the idea. |
| Q | Who will own the intellectual property rights of the submitted idea? |
| A |
The winner retains ownership of the concept or method chosen for the prize and any resulting intellectual property rights, but the Circle Foundation may conditionally use the winning work after considering whether to do so in accordance with the "Universal Access Right." ※ The Universal Access Right is a concept derived from the "Humanitarian License" used by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It refers to broadly disseminating the best idea/solution of the final winners selected through this contest, and allowing domestic educational institutions or consumers in developing countries to use or access the excellent ideas or solutions at a reasonable price. The Foundation does not take any profits from Universal Access Rights and is not focusing on returns on investment or commercial success indicators. In addition, it does not restrict the use of the final winners' rights, such as receiving royalties and commissions from third parties. However, in the case of limiting the scope of Universal Access Rights, such as transfer of ownership and exclusive license agreement, a separate discussion with the Foundation is required. |
| Q | What is the tax rate on receiving the prizes? |
| A | The winner will receive the prize money excluding taxes and utility charges that you (your team) pay. |
| Q | I have other questions besides the FAQ. Who can I contact for related inquiries? |
| A | If you contact us by email at the address provided at the bottom of the web page, we will respond in sequence. |