Competition, Collaboration & Creativity: Reflections on the Global Innovation Week 2015

Cross-posted from Making All Voices Count, A Grand Challenge For Development. Earlier this month, we announced the winners of the Global Innovation Competition 2015, chosen from hundreds of innovators across the globe who are using innovation to support good governance. In this blog, Programme Officers Melissa Mbuga, Monica Nthiga and Hyshyama Hamin reflect on the unique Global Innovation Competition Week in Jakarta, which brought the ten teams of finalists together for four days of work with expert mentors ahead of the final night of competition.

Hosting finalists from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Mozambique, Ghana, Pakistan, Philippines, Nigeria and South Africa, the final week of the Global Innovation Competition was a reminder of the need to explore new ways to support and learn from these diverse teams applying innovation and technology to governance issues.

During the week, the finalists worked with mentors, pitched their ideas to each other and guest judges, and took part in Jakarta government meetings. Each of these activities gave the finalists something new to think about, and they also provided the Making All Voices Count team with insights into how we can work more innovatively ourselves, and perhaps provide lessons to other global competitions supporting development. Read More >>