Good news: Uutisraivaaja goes for a second round! The application period will officially start in the Fall 2012, and the most eager ideators probably start planning and building their ideas now.
Uutisraivaaja run for the first time in 2011. We designed an innovation challenge, in which the best ideas for innovations in the delivery of information were awarded, in maximum by 250,000 euros, by the Helsingin Sanomat Foundation. The model of the challenges is from the Knight News Challenge, run by the Knight Foundation.
The first round was kind of a pilot, in which we wanted to test whether this sort of an innovation challenge can have a positive impact. The impact refers here not only to supporting the best ideas for execution, but also to spurring ‘the making culture’ around the future of journalism. Now we are convinced that yes, it can, and that there is potential for much more.
To explore that potential further, Uutisraivaaja will be slightly redesigned. The gist will still stay the same: Uutisraivaaja seeks for innovations in the delivery of information, in a wide spectrum. The redesigned Uutisraivaaja, among other things, will encourage rapid execution of the ideas. Prototypes and developed plans will be appreciated. This is not only to show the feasibility of the idea, but also the team’s execution skill.
I will post more information about the redesign as soon as possible. Meanwhile: The game is on again! If you are interested in applying this year, I’ll recommend following the story of Scoopinion, the Uutisraivaaja winner 2011, on this blog. They are sharing the lessons of the execution process on the blog.
The Uutisraivaaja Alumnis are happy to share their experience and insights about the process. You can find the 2011 finalists here and you can find their contact details on the Web.
Happy ideating!