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Young Pioneer of the Year (People’s choice)

What are we looking for?

We are looking for new talent who are using engineering, science, and technology to accelerate societal development and develop new solutions to important social and environmental challenges.

We also welcome applications that can refer to any of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Who is invited to apply?

The Young Pioneer Award is open to individual or group (5 people max) between the ages of 18- to 25-year-old based in the UK and Europe.

Finalists will need to demonstrate:

  • How they are solving a clearly defined problem.
  • How their project differs from tech solutions already available
  • How they intend to develop or grow their project.
  • To have developed at least a prototype (from idea to practice)

Application process

Applications will close on Friday, 28 June at 5pm.

When completing your application please note the following:

  • You may enter up to three categories with each innovation but will require a separate entry for each – use the duplication feature to do this.
  • The title of your entry should describe the content and not include the name of your company or organisation with no more than 10 words.
  • Please make sure that you describe how your innovation works, your description should not simply repeat the entry title.
    The description you provide may be used to describe your innovation in any general marketing and publicity that the institution does on your behalf if you are a finalist. This marketing will reach a very broad audience and will be in non-technical terms.
  • Be specific to the questions posed and remember the more innovative the submission the better.
  • Please remember that it is quality over quantity and pay attention to the guideline word lengths.
  • Supporting photographs, graphics and videos should be used to help explain specific aspects of your submission or and/or to demonstrate your innovation in action. Posed team photos, pictures of standard hardware etc are not valid.
  • Every entry is required to provide a photograph of either their innovation or a headshot of themselves depending on the category, the requirements are specified in the application system.
  • Marketing material relating to your innovation should only be used to provide a good description of how the innovation works or a detailed description of how benefits are achieved by the innovation. Please do not use your entry form as a sales pitch as this will be disqualified at the judging stage.
  • To enter the Excellence and Innovation Awards you must be at least 18 years of age.

If you have any queries regarding your application, please email excellenceandinnovation@theiet.org.