Moonshot Open Innovation Challenge

Join Expand North Star’s cornerstone activity for 2023 and scout disruptive solutions and talent from over 300,000 global startups! Launching on 10th April 2023, now is the time to get involved.

Apply to Sponsor

SET YOUR CHALLENGE STATEMENT IN ONE OF THESE AREAS

A Carbon Neutral Future

Living in Technology

A bio-based world: Biotech and Biomaterials

Future Foods

What is the Moonshot Open Innovation Challenge?

Expand North Star proudly introduces its cornerstone activity for 2023: a very unique 4-month open innovation programme for tech corporates and government agencies to uncover the most ambitious and future-thinking solutions from a global network of startups and digital talent spanning over 300,000 businesses and entrepreneurs. Each sponsor will set a unique challenge for the international startup ecosystem to find solutions to global challenges to discover new technology, programmes, access resources, grow their talent pool, gain a competitive advantage and position their corporation at the forefront of the innovation ecosystem.

Why sponsor your own challenge?

The end-to-end innovation programme is operated by the world’s leading startup platform. It connects global corporates and government entities with the innovators and entrepreneurs defining our new tomorrow providing them with the unique opportunity to access resources, mentorship, and capital provided by corporations to help them scale their solutions.

Apply to Sponsor

What’s in it for challenge owners and startups?

End-to-end project management
Speaking slot and exhibition showcase at Expand North Star 2023
Tailored funnel of tech, solutions, dealflow, and access to talent
Scouting to over 300,000 startups
Inclusion and exposure in an international marketing campaign
Booth at Expand North Star

Continued Pilot and incubation with Challenge Owner
Cash prizes, grants and incubation
Market access to UAE, Middle East, Africa and Asia
Business license, business set-up and visa support from DCDE
Concierge Meetings Programme during Expand North Star 2023 to meet investors, buyers, and government players
Marketing exposure and media opportunities

What are the steps for the Moonshot Challenge?

1Set your Challenge Statement
2Offer Prizes
3Decide Criteria for Applications
4Choice to Evaluate all Submissions or Selection by our Expert Committee
5Short Workshops with 10 Semi-Finalists to Select 5 Finalists
6Join Expand North Star in October with pre-built Exhibition Stand and Demo day Showcase with all Finalists

Challenge Timeline

Application

10 April - 29 june 2023
Application Final cut off

29 May - 29 june 2023
Shortlisting

30 June - 28 July 2023
Deepening

30 July - 20 Aug 2023
Selection

21 Aug - 3 Sep 2023
Announcement

4 Sep 2023
Journey Prep

15 Sep - 5 Oct 2023
Demo Day

15 -18 Oct 2023

Prizes and support for challenge winners

Challenge owners can select between 1 to 3 prizes of their own choice.

Some examples are given below:

Prize Money: USD$10,000
Paid Trial Opportunities: Up to USD$30,000
Pilot deployment support: USD$15,000
POC Development Grant: Up to USD$20,000
Project management and engineering support
For Talent: Opportunity to join the corporate team, job offers, visa and relocation support
Incubation support: Challenge Owner to host challenge winners in their offices for a number of days/weeks

Support for POC/Pilot, project management and access to pilot sites
Access to in-kind tests and operational testing
Test-bedding of solution and support from potential manufacturing partners
Facilitate conversation with corporate and government partners or regulatory authorities
Project marketing grant: USD$20,000
For Startups: Office set-up in UAE
Access to facilities and operations

Apply to Sponsor