Entrepreneurs / Small Business  April 17, 2015

Verizon offers $6M, accelerator program for tech startups tackling social issues

Verizon Communications Inc. is offering a total of $6 million in cash prizes and a business accelerator program for innovators, developers and entrepreneurs who can create solutions that deliver social good.

As part of its third annual Powerful Answers award program, Verizon (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) is seeking ideas in three core categories, each with three subcategories:

Transportation: How can technology enable better, more efficient ways to reduce the complexities of transportation and distribution in the physical world? Subcategories: Smarter driving, public transport and sharing, and logistics and distribution.

Emergency Response: How can technology enable first responders and emergency crews to locate and save lives faster, and what solutions can improve long-term recovery for survivors? Subcategories: First responders, search and rescue, and long-term relief.

Internet of Things:  How can using technology behind the Internet of Things enable new intelligent actions that will have wide-scale and beneficial impacts in the following areas? Subcategories: Connected health, smart cities and smart agriculture.

Ideas can be submitted through June 18 at www.powerfulanswersaward.com. Submissions will be judged by panels of industry experts, and winners will be announced late this year.

Verizon will award cash prizes of $1 million to the top winner in each of the three core categories. The second-prize winner in each category will receive $500,000 and two third-prize winners in each category will receive $250,000, for a total of $6 million.

The associated accelerator program, designed to strategically accelerate the growth of participating Powerful Answers Award winners, recently was launched for the 2014 winners at BootUp Academy in Menlo Park, Calif. Each year’s winners get intensive workshops and knowledge-exchange sessions that provide best practices  in business planning, product development, UX/UI design, global go-to-market strategies, communications, financing and growth hacking. They also have the opportunity to be connected with mentors, global advisers, investors, thought leaders and industry experts.

Verizon Communications Inc. is offering a total of $6 million in cash prizes and a business accelerator program for innovators, developers and entrepreneurs who can create solutions that deliver social good.

As part of its third annual Powerful Answers award program, Verizon (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) is seeking ideas in three core categories, each with three subcategories:

Transportation: How can technology enable better, more efficient ways to reduce the complexities of transportation and distribution in the physical world? Subcategories: Smarter driving, public transport and sharing, and logistics and distribution.

Emergency Response: How can technology enable first responders and emergency crews to…

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