Submissions are welcome from innovators around the world – from individuals, academic institutions, charitable foundations and companies, right up to global corporations.
Previous finalists have ranged from a tornado early-warning system, self-adjustable spectacles, a sonar system that enables the visually-impaired to ‘see' with their ears, a compound that can replicate the sensitivity of human skin, a new kind of aeroplane, a storage system for the world's languages and viable electric lighting for the developing world.
Bob Isherwood and the Worldwide Creative Board will select the finalists. The finalists will then be reviewed by a high profile panel of judges, who will choose the winning idea that, in their view, has the potential to provide the greatest communication benefit to the greatest number of people or to a group of people with a particular need.
The 2007 judging panel will be announced soon. Previous judges include Buzz Aldrin, Chris Anderson, Laurie Anderson, David Byrne, Brian Eno, Danny Hillis, Baz Luhrmann, John Maeda, Lou Reed and Oliviero Toscani – to name but a few. Edward de Bono has judged all previous competitions and presents his own Medal For Thinking to one of the finalists.
It costs nothing to enter but winning the prize could change someone's world. The Award ceremony will take place in New York in February 2008.
South African entries are being co-ordinated through Saatchi & Saatchi group creative officer Mick Blore: contact +27 (0)11 548 6000 or email for more information.
