Sensing the Earth

The challenge

Welcome to the 2018 Sigfox University Challenge!

As a feature of our Universities Program, Sigfox and Hackster have joined hands to lead this important challenge on Earth Day 2018 with an aim to encourage university students worldwide to use Sigfox technology in developing projects that will benefit the planet.

IoT digitizes the physical world, giving a voice to our planet and a unique opportunity to us. Sensing the world and its resources through Sigfox technology allows us to have an impact in protecting and preserving the Earth, the environment and its species.

We'll choose 10 of the best project submissions to enter into Phase 2 of the contest. Three lucky winners (your teams, too!) from Phase 2 will win an all-expense-paid trip to Berlin, Germany to pitch their solution during Sigfox’s annual event, Sigfox Connect for a shot at the ultimate grand prize: an internship at Sigfox’s Hacking House.

Freedom to participate: Any student (undergraduate, graduate or postgraduate) or group of students (up to 3 max.) can sign up to our challenge.

Freedom to build: There are no restrictions on hardware. You just need to use Sigfox technology in your solution to an improved world! To see which development kit modules are compatible with us, check out our partner network.

Aside from the opportunity to travel to Berlin to pitch your project during Sigfox's annual event in front of a jury of IoT specialists (including Sigfox's founders, industrial partners and operators), there are many additional chances to win great prizes! Read below for more information.

Timeline:

• Project Submission Opens: April 22nd, 2018 at 8:01 AM PT

• Project Submission Deadline: July 31, 2018 at 11:59 PM PT

• 3 Finalists Announced: September 17, 2018

• Finalists Pitch during Sigfox Connect: October 24, 2018 Berlin

• Winners announced during Sigfox Connect: October 25, 2018 Berlin

Not a Student? Be a Mentor:

Although we are looking heavily to solutions and projects produced by university students - we would also love to encourage seasoned creators to join this challenge too as mentors.

To qualify as a mentor, you must be a non-student industry professional (electrical engineer, data scientist, etc.) or university professor. The role of the mentor is to advice and counsel participants throughout the entire process. Advising students may include answering discussion questions on the contest page, commenting on projects, or answering questions over the contest discussion tab.

We will be monitoring the activity of the top mentors and award them with mentor prizes.

Prizes:

Phase 1: Top 10 projects

• You'll be interviewed online

• A development kit of their choice (Arduino, Pycom, ST, Yadom)

• Top 3 will be selected to Phase 2, to win one of the 3 places to pitch their solution in front of IoT industry and technology experts during Sigfox Connect in Berlin (24-25 October 2018)

Phase 2: Top 3 projects

• You and your team will win an all-expense-paid trip to Berlin, Germany to compete in the final competition.

• Invited to Sigfox Connect in Berlin (24-25 October 2018)

• Chance to pitch their solution in front of a jury of IoT industry and technology experts during the event*

• University whose students win will be upgraded to Global Excellence Partner (access to connectivity, free devkits and custom care relation with Sigfox adoption team)**

* If applicable, participants will be in charge of processing and paying the corresponding VISA fees to come to Berlin.

** Depending on coverage conditions in the institution's country.

Phase 3: Winner

• Internship in one of the Hacking Houses (depending on availability and nationality of the winning students) : USA, Europe, Asia ***

***Eligibility for Hacking House internships will be dependent on the participant meeting the required VISA conditions of the country where the internship will take place.

language:

projects must be submitted in English

More Prizes

• Cherry picked: one day of mentoring by the IoT agency

• Cherry picked: one day of mentoring by one of the Ambassadors’ from Sigfox’s Foundation

How Do I Enter?

Step 1: Register for the contest

Start by creating a free account on Hackster.io (or sign-in if already a member)

Register for the contest by clicking "Register as a participant/team"

Step 2: Enter to win the grand prizes by building and submitting your project

Build your project using the any development kit or module Sigfox compatible

Submit your project by July 31, 2018 at 11:59 PM PT

Sigfox truly believes that small messages can have a great impact, and its already contributing through its Sigfox Foundation.

Prizes

Phase 3

1 winner

Internship at one of the Sigfox Hacking Houses (in USA, Europe or Asia) *full description in brief **provided VISA conditions are met for participants

Phase 2

1 winner

An all expenses paid trip to attend Sigfox Connect in Berlin from Oct 24-25 to pitch your project in front of a jury of IoT specialists (including Sigfox's founders, industrial partners and operators) *full description in brief **provided VISA condit...

An all expenses paid trip to attend Sigfox Connect in Berlin from Oct 24-25 to pitch your project in front of a jury of IoT specialists (including Sigfox's founders, industrial partners and operators)
*full description in brief
**provided VISA conditions are met for participants

Phase 1

11 winners

The Top Ten Projects will be chosen to interview for a chance to pitch their project during Sigfox's annual event in Berlin + A Development Kit of Your Choice!