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Frequently Asked Questions
The following FAQs relate to the 2016 event in San Diego, and are subject to change.
No. However, please note the special conditions for Health Care Professionals below.
Yes, you are responsible for your own accommodations and travel to the event. No travel assistance or accommodations will be provided.
The term “Health Care Professional” includes clinical or non-clinical physicians (including MDs and MD/PhDs), and physician assistants, nurses, technicians, research coordinators, administrators and purchasing personnel and entities (including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, home health agencies, clinics and group purchasing organizations, managed care organizations, physician group practices, medical directors for health insurance organizations) and their employees and representatives who are involved in the actual provision of health care services.
Yes, but you must tick the “I am a Health Care Professional” box in the RSVP form and on the day of the event you must sign in at registration confirming you are a Health Care Professional. This is for our reporting requirements for any food and/or beverages provided to you at the event.
No, employees of Thermo Fisher and its affiliates, as well as their immediate family members and household members, are not eligible.
Yes, and there is no purchase required.
No, the applicant is not required to grant any intellectual property rights.
No, but if appropriate, Thermo Fisher may be interested in further discussions relating to how we can work with you to commercialize your innovation.
Semifinalists will be notified several weeks before the event, preferably by email.
Semifinalists may bring their own computer and, preferably, presentation handouts due to the quick presentation format. Please note that no audio-visual support will be provided– e.g., no external power, projector screens or the like. Each semifinalist will have five (5) minutes to present and five (5) minutes of questions and answers by the judges.
Up to 24.
During the morning session of Innovation Day (October 12, 2016), you will present to a panel of judges. You will be judged based on the judging criteria. See “What are the judging criteria?” below. There may be other semi-finalists presenting to another judging panel at the same time in the same room.
Finalists will be notified in the afternoon during Innovation Day (October 12, 2016) after all semifinalists have been judged. Please be prepared to present during the afternoon session on the same day starting around 1:00 p.m., as no additional preparation time will be provided. If you wish to present slides during your presentation, your slides must be provided to the Sponsor by October 10, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. US Pacific Time by emailing: InnovationDay@thermofisher.com.
Up to six (6).
Each finalist may present up to four (4) PowerPoint slides if the slides were previously provided to Thermo Fisher by the October 10, 2016 deadline. Finalists may provide other materials for their presentation, but no support or assistance will be provided other than a computer (PC) with the Microsoft™ PowerPoint™ software, and screen. Finalists will have ten (10) minutes to present their innovation and five (5) minutes of questions and answers by the judges.
October 10, 2016 is the deadline to provide up to four (4) slides to Thermo Fisher. These slides will only be used during Innovation Day if you are selected as a finalist. These slides will not be used during the semifinalist presentations. Your slides are required in advance due to logistical reasons.
Please email your slides in PowerPoint format to: InnovationDay@thermofisher.com.
No, once the slides have been submitted, no changes may be made. If you are selected as a finalist, these are the slides you can present. If you are selected as a finalist on Innovation Day, you should be prepared to give your finalist presentation during the afternoon session between about 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Each participant may submit no more than five (5) entries.
Yes, a participant may win more than one prize.
At approximately 4:00 p.m., during Innovation Day, October 12, 2016.
Yes, you or your appointed proxy must be present to win.
No, submissions may not contain any confidential information, proprietary information or trade secrets.
No, submissions must relate to ideas that are for research purposes only.
Judging criteria:
- Degree of innovation: is the submitted idea original and innovative? For example, does the idea challenge existing paradigms, or address an innovative hypothesis / critical barrier to progress in the field? Does the idea develop or employ novel concepts, approaches, methodologies, tools, or technologies? Is this a ‘game-changing’ innovation? (25%)
- Value to customers: is there a pent-up demand, or does the idea solve an unmet need of customers? (25%)
- Technical and/or commercial feasibility: if the innovation is still in development or at concept stage, how likely is the innovation to be technically achievable? For example, is there a working prototype demonstrating proof-of-concept, or does the innovation rely on established and proven concepts or components that will likely work in a new combination? If the innovation is product-ready, how likely is the product to be a commercial success? For example, is the path to market well defined, is the product customer-friendly or easy to implement, is the product easy to manufacture, is the product able to be scaled up to meet demand? (25%)
- Commercial opportunity: is there an estimated large commercial opportunity for the submitted idea? For example, is there a large addressable market? Are customers willing to pay for the innovation? Are there few competitors in the space? (25%)
Please email your questions to: InnovationDay@thermofisher.com.
Winners will receive their prize money within 14 days after notification of their being selected as a potential winner, after providing the Sponsor: (1) written approval from the institution or company employing a potential winner that the potential winner can accept the prize from Sponsor; (2) a signed Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability/Prize Acceptance/Publicity Release form completed by the potential winner; and (3) an IRS form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number).
No, only an applicant can win the prize, but the innovation may be created by a team. After receiving the prize, a winner may determine if and how they wish to share any prize money with other parties.
Winners are required to provide the Sponsor, within 14 days after notification of their being selected as a potential winner: (1) written approval from the institution or company employing a potential winner that the potential winner can accept the prize from Sponsor; (2) a signed Affidavit of Eligibility and Release of Liability/Prize Acceptance/Publicity Release form completed by the potential winner; and (3) an IRS form W-9 (Request for Taxpayer Identification Number).
The People’s Choice winner is selected by votes from the audience. The audience will be able to place one vote each through a text in voting poll. The winner will be decided by the most number of audience votes. The prize is a $1,000 Thermo Fisher Scientific product credit. If there is a tie, the $1,000 award will be divided equally.