Blue flame challenge Hackathon FAQ

The Event

FAQ 2018 Blue Flame Challenge

1

F R E Q U E N T LY ASKED QUESTIONS

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

1 Challenge?

What is the Blue Flame

Challenges are based on the premise

“Young minds are not vessels to be filled, but fires to be ignited”

that,

-Alexander Pope

The Blue Flame Challenge is an annual feature of Innovate Barbados, focused on a call to imagine and create better futures. The hottest part of a flame is the blue core –where talent and passion intersect. Blue Flame

The 2018 Challenge With corporate sponsors IBM on board, the 2018 Challenge features multidisciplinary, creative, talented and visionary teams working to find solutions around export and foreign sales challenges through artificial intelligence (AI) technology.

Over the course of eight weeks, Challengers can receive free AI training, participate in a Hackathon and refine creative solutions with the help of valuable industry mentors.

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

2

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

DO I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO

2 CODE? 3

WHAT TECHNOLOGIES ARE BEING USED IN THE BLUE FLAME CHALLENGE?

Teams are multidisciplinary with

The BIDC will be working with IBM

roles for coding, business and design.

and its cloud-based next generation

Skills in any one of these areas are an

technologies as the core assets to

advantage. As the developer for your

run the Blue Flame Challenge and

team in the Hackathon you should

Hackathon. These include IBM’s

have basic coding skills - some front-

assets for artificial intelligence

end work and the ability to build a

(or cognitive computing), namely

basic website.

Watson.

4

Teams that present a good balance of coding, design and business skills are given priority. Individual entrants and incomplete teams may be assigned to

HOW ARE PARTICIPANTS

form teams on a suitability and first come, first serve basis. Developers are

SELECTED? 2018 Blue Flame Challenge

given priority for the purpose of the Hackathon.

3

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

5

WHERE WILL THE

BLUE FLAME HACKATHON BE HELD?

Some aspects of the Challenge allow for remote participation while some, like the Meet & Greet and Hackathon, are live. All live sessions will be held at Suite 202, Building #2, Harbour Industrial Estate (the white building on the corner opposite Oran Ltd. and Chefette Restaurants along Harbour Road).

6 DEVICES 7 WINNERS WHAT

HOW ARE

ARE REQUIRED?

DECLARED?

We ask that you BYOD (Bring

A panel of judges, including executives

Your Own Device). Challengers

from IBM, BIDC and industry players, will

are asked to bring their

evaluate your solution. Judging criteria

laptops to access IBM’s suite

will be shared with all registrants of the

of services and develop their

Challenge prior to the Hackathon.

software solutions as part of the The teams with the highest score per

challenge.

challenge area at the Hackathon will be declared the winner of that challenge

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

4

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event 7 HOW ARE WINNERS DECLARED? area and automatically advance to the

winner is selected from the Hackathon

refinement phase. Special mention teams

teams who advance and create the best

may also be given the opportunity to

solution after the refinement phase. The

advance to the refinement phase. The

ultimate Challenge winner also gains

team with the highest overall score will

the opportunity to engage in a further

be declared the Hackathon winner, but

relationship with the BIDC’s Bajans

not the ultimate challenge winner.

Connect Campaign.

The ultimate Blue Flame Challenge

8 after?

what happens

what about

ip?

Your intellectual property belongs to

a strategic partner with Bajans Connect.

you. There are many paths forward for

You could register a company or pursue

implementing your solution, including

opportunities with an existing company

but not limited to the following:

and benefit from business and design support that the BIDC offers to developing

Your solution could become a part of

businesses.

the BIDC’s Bajans Connect campaign through engagement with the BIDC. Your team or company could become

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

5

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

9

ai & Exports? why

As the premiere export support organization in Barbados, the BIDC is leading the charge with an integrated export marketing campaign called Bajans Connect*. Based on research and fuelled by creativity, Bajans Connect uses digital platforms and solutions to support export growth to diaspora communities.

Research and insights show that • The diaspora can be a key export market

have become critical elements of doing business today.

to target, not only for a sales base but as a strategy for market penetration that can lead to financial growth.

• First impressions are 94% design-related. 1

• Many Barbadians abroad seek out goods,

• Challenges surrounding exports provide

experiences and connections from home.

opportunities for innovative solutions that can be internationally competitive when combined with AI, blockchain, design and technology.

• Innovative strategies, technology and

approaches focused on user experiences

* Bajans Connect is an integrated export marketing campaign, information portal and gateway to Bajan lifestyle, products and everything Barbadian, designed to encourage Barbadians and people with Barbadian roots across the diaspora to markedly increase their purchases of Barbadian goods and services.

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

6

https://www.invisionapp.com/blog/statistics-onuser-experience/ as sourced from https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/221516871_Trust_and_mistrust_of_ online_health_sites 1

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

10

Bidc ibm?

why &

The BIDC has partnered with IBM on the Challenge to help achieve its strategic goals to: • Promote innovation as a key

• Deepen the start-up culture and

mechanism for economic diversification

promote dynamic funding and market

and social transformation;

entry/exports;

• Facilitate the harmonization and

• Be a catalyst for innovative thinking

alignment of the policy environment

across productive sectors in Barbados.

and entrepreneurial development;

In addition, the Blue Flame Challenge provides the BIDC with a unique opportunity to introduce local talent to IBM’s cloud- based, next generation technologies, giving developers exposure, training and support in the use of tools that can be used to build solutions that have a national and international impact.

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

7

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s

The Event

11

why run the

Blue flame challenge?

One of the BIDC’s aims is to encourage

talent in Barbados and tap their

the development and implementation of

experience and know-how to build

innovative solutions to Barbados’ biggest

practical solutions while supporting

problems. The challenges are real. The

the growth of Barbadian software

solutions are real. Innovations that could

development and start-up communities.

drive growth for export-ready businesses

Through the Challenge, the BIDC hopes

throughout Barbados and potentially the

to contribute to building out the local

region are waiting to be discovered!

developer ecosystem, while offering access to networks and business and

The BIDC seeks to identify developer

technology mentoring.

Visit

www.innovatebarbados.com/blueflamechallenge to gain more information and register as a participant in the 2018 BlueFlame Challenge.

2018 Blue Flame Challenge

8

F r e q u e n t ly A s k e d Q u e s t i o n s