The competition is designed to find two major proposals that, when implemented, will transform our economy - or significant elements of it - by creating jobs and opportunity.
PHASE ONE
So that the Judges can decide in Phase 1 whether a proposal wins or not they have to be able to understand clearly what the proposal is all about.
The Judges will be looking specifically for:
- The degree of fresh thinking and creativity that has been applied in building the proposal
- The scale of what is being proposed - does it have the possibility of generating significant employment opportunities?
- A convincing case for implementation - do we have the resources (financial, human, technical, infrastructural...) - or could we get them? what barriers need to be overcome? how long is implementation likely to take?
Addressing these areas comprehensively - and better than anyone else - is what it takes to win one of the two €100,000 prizes.
Proposals might involve new models for doing business or delivering
services, or they may identify a completely new industry, type of business or service, or a new way of developing or expanding an existing industry, business or service.
PHASE TWO
Implementation will commence before the end of the year 2010. Winning proposals may require legislative, administrative or procedural change before implementation can be effected. This will be part of the task of the implementation phase of the competition.
The Promoters of the competition will have the services of a pro-bono professional advisory group, including representatives from key government departments, and up to €1 million of a development fund to implement the two winning proposals i.e. €500,000 each.
This competition is not about creating new products. It’s about creating something that will have a long-term positive impact on the Irish economy.
Your Country, Your Call is all about Ireland. It’s about helping to create sustainable employment and prosperity, whilst at the same time generating hope, confidence, and positive thinking.
Your Country, Your Call is open for proposals.
Get thinking, talking, and proposing!
Is leatsa é
The competition is designed to find two major proposals that, when implemented, will transform our economy - or significant elements of it - by creating jobs and opportunity.
PHASE ONE
So that the Judges can decide in Phase 1 whether a proposal wins or not they have to be able to understand clearly what the proposal is all about.
The Judges will be looking specifically for:
- The degree of fresh thinking and creativity that has been applied in building the proposal
- The scale of what is being proposed - does it have the possibility of generating significant employment opportunities?
- A convincing case for implementation - do we have the resources (financial, human, technical, infrastructural….) - or could we get them? what barriers need to be overcome? how long is implementation likely to take?
Addressing these areas comprehensively - and better than anyone else - is what it takes to win one of the two €100,000 prizes.
Proposals might involve new models for doing business or delivering
services, or they may identify a completely new industry, type of business or service, or a new way of developing or expanding an existing industry, business or service.
PHASE TWO
Implementation will commence before the end of the year 2010. Winning proposals may require legislative, administrative or procedural change before implementation can be effected. This will be part of the task of the implementation phase of the competition.
The Promoters of the competition will have the services of a pro-bono professional advisory group, including representatives from key government departments, and up to €1 million of a development fund to implement the two winning proposals i.e. €500,000 each.
This competition is not about creating new products. It’s about creating something that will have a long-term positive impact on the Irish economy.
Your Country, Your Call is all about Ireland. It’s about helping to create sustainable employment and prosperity, whilst at the same time generating hope, confidence, and positive thinking.
Your Country, Your Call is open for proposals.
Get thinking, talking, and proposing!
Is leatsa é
David Byrne, Chair of Judges has assembled the team to join him in evaluating the proposals submitted. The job of the Judges is to decide initially on the top 20 semi finalists, to select 5 finalists, and ultimately to select the two winners who will be awarded €100,000 each
David´s team is :
John Bell, Head of Cabinet, EU Commission for Research & Innovation
Tim Cody, Senior Executive, Accenture Ireland
Mary Davis, Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
Paul Kerley, Chief Executive Officer, Norkom Technologies
Damini Kumar, European Ambassador for Creativity & Innovation
Pádraig Ó Ceidigh, Entrepreneur, Businessman and Mentor
Amanda Pratt, Creative Director, Avoca
A brief biographical note on David and the team follows:
David Byrne - Chair of Judges
David began his career as a barrister in Ireland in 1970, became Attorney General of Ireland in 1997, and was appointed the first European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection in 1999.
David is Chancellor of Dublin City University (DCU). He is Chairman of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) Advisory Committee, and Chairman of the National Concert Hall. David also serves on a number of Irish and international advisory and management Boards.
John Bell - Head of Cabinet, EU Commission for Research & Innovation
John Bell is Head of Cabinet Head of Cabinet of Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, EU Commissioner for Research & Innovation.
John has been a Commission official since 1993 and has worked on a range of issues from project and financial management to public administration reform across Central and Eastern Europe. John managed the Europe Agreement´s trade, legislative and political pre-accession relations and prepared the Commission´s Opinion on Poland´s Membership.
Prior to entering the Commission he completed his doctorate on cultural nationalism in Northern Ireland at St. John´s College, Oxford, which followed his academic career specialising in Anglo-Irish studies at University College Dublin. John was born in Dublin.
Tim Cody - Senior Executive, Accenture Ireland
Tim Cody is a Senior Executive within Accenture Ireland. A graduate of Engineering from Trinity College Dublin. Tim´s work in Ireland, the UK and across Europe focuses on advising clients on the development of re-structuring and growth strategies, designing new operating models and helping clients lead large scale capital investment programmes and structural transformation change.
Tim is currently Honorary Secretary and Committee member of the Trinity Business Alumni (TBA) - a global association of graduates of Trinity College Dublin who are engaged in business activities.
Mary Davis - Managing Director, Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia
Mary Davis is MD of Special Olympics Europe/Eurasia. She is the former CEO of Special Olympics Ireland and prior to that she served as Chief Executive Officer for the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
She became National Director of Special Olympics Ireland in 1989 and was Events Director of the 1985 European Special Olympics Games in Dublin. Prior to that Mary was a teacher with St. Michael´s House in Dublin. Mary has served on many Special Olympics international committees and chaired the International Advisory committee for 4 years. She was one of the main driving forces behind Ireland´s bid to host the 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games.
In addition to her role in Special Olympics, Mary serves on many committees and Boards.
Paul Kerley, Chief Executive Officer, Norkom Technologies
Paul is a founder and CEO of Norkom Technologies, the leading provider of financial crime and compliance solutions. With clients in over 100 countries, including seven of the world´s top ten banks, Norkom has aggressively grown its revenues and profits, and is ranked on the Global FinTech 100.
Prior to Norkom´s inception in 1998, Paul was a senior manager at Capgemini, responsible for building out its consulting capabilities, and held senior roles with Amdahl Corporation and System Industries. A graduate of Dublin City University, Paul was named the ISA´s Technology Person of the Year (2009).
Damini Kumar - European Ambassador for Creativity & Innovation
Award winning designer Damini Kumar is the European Ambassador for Creativity & Innovation and in this role fosters the principles and value of innovation and creativity at all levels of European society.
Damini came to Ireland in 2004 to work in research for Media Lab Europe - European partner of Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Damini directs the BSc honours degree in Product Design in the National University of Ireland Maynooth. Also at NUI Maynooth she created and organised ´Imaginate 2009´ - an exciting design competition encouraging creativity to all secondary school students across Ireland.
Pádraig Ó Ceidigh - Entrepreneur, Businessman and Mentor
Pádraig began his professional career as a secondary school teacher, he then started to work as an accountant with KMPG and studied law at night. In 1993, he set up his own legal practice in Galway. A year later, he became part owner of Aer Arann, an airline that served the three Aran Islands and that has since grown into a formidable regional airline.
Pádraig represented Ireland in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of Year Finial and was a member of the Irish Entrepreneur Of The Year judging panel for two years. He currently holds the position of Chairperson of the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Competition.
Pádraig was recently named as Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at NUI Galway.
Amanda Pratt - Creative Director, Avoca
Amanda Pratt is creative director of Avoca, a family-owned company with successful stores, cafes and restaurants that employs more than 600 people in Ireland.
A graduate of Trinity College Dublin and the London College of Fashion, Amanda is firmly entrenched in the creative end of the business and has recently developed Avoca´s accessories & homewares collections abroad. Amanda is also responsible for buying for the retail stores, marketing, merchandising, strategic planning, architecture and expansion as well as designing for the Avoca Weaving Mill, which dates back to 1723.
Amanda was recently a judge of Nokia Young Fashion Designer of the Year, is Advisor and helper to a few of the Fashion Colleges in Ireland and was on a Government Review Board of Fashion & Textile Dept in NCAD.
We have 8 categories and, of course, "OTHER".
Connecting us with each other and helping us to do things instantly, efficiently, and everywhere
Creating the world we live in, making it safe and interesting, and helping us to make the most of what we have
Expressing ourselves, extending our learning, and growing our knowledge
Using our resources wisely and protecting the future for generations
Applying learning and technology to our roots
Living well, keeping fit for life, and applying science to our lives
Guiding us, giving us standards, and creating opportunities to build businesses
Presenting our culture and our heritage on a world stage
If your proposal does not easily fall into any of our listed categories then this is category to select.
There will be two competition winners and each will receive
Please note that the prize is for the winning proposers - this is similar to architectural competitions where the winning architect may or may not be involved in the subsequent construction.
A development fund of up to
is committed for the implementation of each of the winning proposals.
A maximum of 20 proposals will be considered at the semi final stage of the competition. Semi-finalists will be assigned a Coach for a 6-week period. During this period, Coaches will be available to work closely with each semi-finalist to help develop their proposal but not to materially influence its substance.
At the end of the 6 weeks coaching period, each semi-finalist will be interviewed by our key decision makers.
Following the interviews, a maximum of 5 finalists will be invited to participate in a two-day event in Ireland that will conclude with awards being presented by the Patron of Your Country, Your Call, Mary McAleese, President of Ireland.
Although not shortlisted, you might have a proposal that should be considered by a development agency. If that is the case you will receive an email suggesting your next steps.
Competition opens 16.00 GMT
Competition closes 23.59 GMT
Latest date to select semi-finalists
Latest date to complete interviews
Final selection and awards
