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AI Innovation Challenge Regulation

Article 1
Promoting Company

The promoter and organizer of the 1st edition of the AI Innovation Challenge 2024 is PwC AG?  with headquarters in Palácio Sottomayor, Rua Sousa Martins, Nº 1, 5º Andar 1050-217 Lisboa hereinafter referred to as “PwC”.


Article 2
Scope 

This regulation defines the terms applicable to the 1st Edition of the AI Innovation Challenge 2024, as well as the attribution of the prizes awarded.


Article 3
Main Purposes

PwC intends to promote the adoption of artificial intelligence solutions applied to different industries by promoting a proof-of-concept acceleration program between startups and its client companies.

2. In this regard, the current Contest aims to:

a) Promote an innovative culture grounded in science and technology;
b) Stimulate entrepreneurship and the transfer of knowledge and technology generated within academic, research, and development activities;
c) Contribute to sustainable economic and social development.


Article 4
Categories for Competition – industries covered

 Proofs of concept must fall into one or more of the following categories:

a) Healthcare: use of AI/Generative AI to revolutionize personalized medicine, and patient care plans by analyzing vast datasets to predict outcomes, simulate patient responses to treatments, and generate personalized health solutions.
b) Financial Services: leveraging AI/Generative AI for fraud detection, personalized financial advice, risk management, and automated customer service, enhancing security, customer experience, and operational efficiency.
c) Retail and E-commerce: use of AI/Generative AI to transform customer and retailers experiences through personalized shopping, inventory management, driving sales and improving supply chain efficiency.
d) Automotive and Manufacturing: use of AI/Generative AI to optimize production lines, reduce waste, improve product design through simulation, and enhance predictive maintenance.
e) Energy and Utilities: utilizing AI/Generative AI to optimize energy distribution, predict maintenance for infrastructure, and support the development of sustainable energy solutions by analyzing patterns and optimizing grid operations.
f) Education and Training: creating personalized learning experiences, simulating complex training environments, and automation of administrative tasks, use of generative AI to enhance learning outcomes and operational efficiency.
g) Real Estate and Construction: utilizing AI/Generative AI to enhance project planning, design simulation, predictive maintenance, and real estate market analysis, improving decision-making and cost-efficiency.
h) Agriculture: utilizing AI/Generative AI to predict crop yields, optimize farm operations, and simulate environmental changes to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability.
i)Telecommunications: enhancing network optimization, fraud detection, customer service, and predictive maintenance, ensuring better service delivery and operational efficiency.
j) Public Sector: Using AI/Generative AI to aid in urban planning, public safety, and service delivery optimization, contributing to smarter cities and improved public services.
k)Entertainment and Media: leveraging AI/Generative AI to personalize content recommendations, automate video editing, enhance visual effects, and generate immersive virtual realities, elevating user engagement and creative possibilities.


Article 5
Eligible Participants

1. National or international startups, which aim to initiate proofs of concept with previously identified customers in the field of artificial intelligence, can compete for the AI ​​Innovation Challenge.
2. Applications that do not fit into the mentioned industries referred in Article 3 are not accepted.
3. Administrators, employees, service providers or PwC collaborators are not eligible to participate in this competition.
4. PwC reserves the right to exclude applications to the program from entities that do not meet the requirements contained in its "risk management" or independence procedures, and, in any case, whenever a situation of conflict of interest is identified. 


Article 6 
Eligible Applications

1. PwC determines that will be eligible the following proofs of concepts:

a) Aim at creating technology-based products or processes within the scope of artificial intelligence;
b) Demonstrate scalability, economic and business viability and robustness;
c) Have an impact on at least one of the following industries: Healthcare, Financial Services, Retail and E-commerce, Automotive and Manufacturing, Entertainment and Media, Energy and Utilities, Education and Training, Real Estate and Construction, Agriculture, Telecommunications or Public Sector.


Article 7
Program Process 

1. Applications for the AI ​​Innovation Challenge must be formalized by submitting the appropriate form, available at www.pwc.pt/ai-innovation-challenge.
2.  The stages of the AI Innovation Challenge are the following:

2.1. Submission Phase
2.2 Submission Review
2.3 Participant Selection
2.4 Client Engagement
2.5 PoC Phase
2.6 Closing Event - Winner Announcement

3. By submitting the registration, the Participants agree with the terms set out in this Regulation.
4. The Participants declare that the technology used in the proof of concept does not infringe third party rights according to the 14th article.
5. There is no limit on the number of applications to be submitted by each startup;
6. Applications must be submitted in English.


Article 8
Applications Deadline

1. Applications for the AI ​​Innovation Challenge can be submitted until May 7th.
2. Applications sent after the deadline defined in the previous number will not be accepted;
3. Under the terms and for the purposes of the provisions of the previous paragraph, the deadline will be measured by the time of reception on the server associated with the website http://www.pwc.pt/ai-innovation-challenge.


Article 9
Evaluation of Applications

1. Applications to the AI ​​Innovation Challenge will be subject to prior eligibility analysis by the jury appointed.
2. Whenever the formal analysis of the process results in the identification of situations of non-compliance with the rules set out in this regulation, the application will be excluded.
3. If it proves to be important, this team may request additional information from the candidates (clarification of doubts, videos, presentations, technical information, etc.) that is deemed relevant for the correct identification of the proof of concept, this additional information constituting an integral part of the submitted application.
4. Subsequently, all members of the Jury will evaluate all submitted applications, assigning a classification, using the criteria listed in Article 10.
5. The applications with the highest classification, which results from the average evaluation of each member of the Jury, will move on to the next phase.


Article 10
Jury

1. The AI ​​Innovation Challenge Jury includes representatives from PwC.
2. The President of the Jury will be the representative of the Emerging Technologies and Startup Ecosystems department.
3. The Jury will evaluate the applications as described in Article 10 of this Regulation.
4. The Jury's deliberations are taken by a simple majority of its members, with the President having the casting vote.
5. The Jury reserves the right not to award any monetary prize if none of the applications reaches the minimum score.
6. The Jury will guarantee the confidentiality, rigor and transparency of all procedures related to the AI ​​Innovation Challenge.


Article 11
Assessment Criteria

1. The Initial Assessment of projects will take into account the following dimensions and criteria, according to the competition categories:

1.1. Innovation and Creativity:

    - Originality of the Solution: The degree to which the startup's solution presents a novel approach or a unique application of AI / Generative AI technology.
    - Technological Innovation:  The extent to which the startup utilizes cutting-edge AI technologies and methodologies to solve problems.

    1.2. Customer Impact and Relevance

    - Solution Relevance: How well the solution addresses a specific, clearly identified problem or need for the target customer segment.
    - Customer Value Proposition: The tangible benefits the solution offers to customers, including efficiency, cost savings, improved user experience, or new capabilities.

    1.3. Feasibility and Scalability

    - Technical Feasibility: The practicality of the proposed solution in terms of technology and resources required for implementation.
    - Scalability Potential: The ability of the solution to grow and adapt to larger markets or different customer segments without significant changes to the core technology.

    1.4. Business Model and Strategy

    - Viability of Business Model: The soundness of the startup's business plan, including revenue models, cost structures, and market positioning.
    - Strategic Alignment: How well the startup's solution aligns with PwC's strategic goals and the potential for a successful partnership.

    1.5. Presentation and Pitch Quality

    - Clarity and Persuasiveness: The ability of the startup to clearly articulate their solution, its benefits, and its market potential in a compelling manner.
    - Professionalism and Preparedness: The overall quality of the presentation materials and the team's readiness to answer questions and engage in discussions.

    1.6. Team Composition and Capability

    - Expertise and Experience: The skills, experience, and qualifications of the team members, particularly in AI and the target industry.
    - Team Dynamics: The ability of the team to work together effectively and their capacity for innovation and problem-solving.

    1.7. Market Potential and Competitiveness

    - Market Understanding: The depth of the startup's research and understanding of the market, including customer needs, competition, and trends.
    - Competitive Advantage: The startup's edge over existing solutions, including proprietary technology, partnerships, or business model.

    1.8. Ethical Considerations and Societal Impact

    - Ethical AI Use: The startup's commitment to ethical principles in the development and application of AI, including privacy, transparency, and fairness.
    - Positive Societal Impact: The potential of the solution to contribute positively to society, such as through inclusivity, accessibility, or environmental sustainability.

2. The candidates are responsible for providing all the information to comply with the previous numbers, and the Jury might request additional information or clarifications to better understand the solution and team.


Article 12
Awards

1. The winning startup will be awarded with the following  prizes:

First Place – Monetary prize money worth 12.500 Eur.
Second Place – PwC advisory working hours to be used by startup, worth approximately the amount of 7.500 Eur.
Third Place – PwC advisory working hours to be used by startup, worth approximately the amount of 5.000 Eur.

2. The prize referred in clause a)  will be paid by bank transfer to the account of the winning company, with any fees or taxes that, under applicable legal terms, being levied on the prizes referred to in the previous paragraphs.


Article 13
Confidentiality

The Candidates must clearly and expressly identify distinguish between public and confidential information (means non-public information, know-how and trade secrets in any form, that are designated as “confidential”  when providing it that they provide to the members of the Jury assigned to the AI ​​Innovation Challenge.

The members of the Jury responsible for organizing and promoting the AI ​​Innovation Challenge guarantee:

1. the complete confidentiality of confidential information regarding the applications presented throughout the process;
2. do not disclose the other’s Confidential Information to third parties, apart from sponsors.
 

Article 14
Marketing , Content and Public Disclosure

1. The public disclosure of the results and the awarding of prizes to the winning startups in each category of the AI ​​Innovation Challenge will be made in a Public Session, at a place and date to be announced, with the final results also being publicly disclosed on http://www.pwc.pt/ai-innovation-challenge and on the respective social networks of the PwC.
2. The members of the Jury assigned to the AI ​​Innovation Challenge reserve the right to communicate and disclose  the results of the AI ​​Innovation Challenge by the means and forms PwC deems appropriate, without prejudice to the provisions of article 14 of this Regulation.
3. Startups may disclose and publicize their participation in the AI ​​Innovation Challenge and the results achieved, in the form and means they deem appropriate, but must, however, respect the rules regarding the image and advertising of PwC and the AI ​​Innovation Challenge, according to Annex 1..
4. By participating in the AI Innovation Challenge, Candidates express their full agreement with the rules of the competition, including freely, definitively and irrevocably giving in to PwC the authorization and the right to use Candidate logos and marks to disclose marketing materials in the media, national and international, which PwC Portugal uses, directly or through third parties, to advertise, publicize or promote the respective services.
5. Participants authorize the collection of images that may be recorded during  the AI ​​Innovation Challenge sessions, such as photographs, videos or images collected through another type of telematic medium, for future disclosure  related to the object of the AI ​​Innovation Challenge.
6. PwC Portugal owns the brand, logo and/or other distinctive signs or support materials that may be designed for the AI ​​Innovation Challenge which are protected by copyright..  Participants cannot, except for the purposes referred to in previous numbers of this clause, brand and logo without the previous written  authorization from PwC.


Article 15
Intellectual Property

1. Intellectual Property rights over Candidate ideas belong to the respective Candidate, without prejudice to the obligations set out in the Portuguese Industrial Property Code (CPI) and other specific regulations of the entities of which these startups may be affiliates.
2. Startups participating in the AI ​​Innovation Challenge authorize the use of non-confidential information regarding their proofs of concept by  PwC in order to organize and promote the activities  referred to in Article 13 of this Regulation.
3. Without prejudice to this Regulation, it is solely and exclusively up to candidate startups to timely safeguard, using the means of protection they deem appropriate, their proofs of concept.
4. The members of the Jury and the technical team involved in the AI ​​Innovation Challenge cannot be held responsible for the violation of Intellectual Property rights, misuse or plagiarism that may occur.


Article 16
Final dispositions

1. The Candidates acknowledge that participation in the AI ​​Innovation Challenge  is subject  to the full acceptance of the terms incorporated in this  Regulation and PwC Code of Conduct.
2. Any situation not covered by this  Regulation will be duly  analyzed  and considered by the members of the Jury, who will take the measures they deem most appropriate;
3. The Candidates acknowledge that:

a) The members of the Jury responsible for organizing and promoting the AI ​​Innovation Challenge do not assume any responsibility for applications that do not meet the requirements specified in this Regulation or that are lost for reasons beyond the control of these entities.
b) The members of the Jury responsible for organizing and promoting the AI ​​Innovation Challenge  reserve the right to exclude s any applications that do not respect the purposes and values ​​of the ChallengeAI ​​Innovation Challenge, as well as to exclude, at any time, any application and/or Participant (s) that violates the rules and/or adopts m) prejudicial actions and /or behaviors that might damage the purpose of the  AI ​​Innovation Challenge.
c)  PwC reserves the right to change, suspend or cancel the AI ​​Innovation Challenge, if force majeure situations occur, without this implying any compensation to participants.
d)  Any Candidates who acts in bad faith and participates in the AI ​​Innovation Challenge using false information, thus tainting the competition, will be excluded from it.
e) In the event of fraudulent participation, PwC reserves the right to exclusion of the participant and cancellation of the respective prize. The participations considered fraudulent claims will be reported to the competent authorities and may be subject to judicial procedures.
f) PwC reserves the right to adopt measures resulting in timely measures to avoid any conduct that PwC suspects is intended or effect any attempt to act fraudulently in relation to this Challenge or in non-compliance with its rules or to the detriment of other participants, whose first and immediate consequence will be the exclusion of the Participant and the loss of any and all rights to prize that might have obtained.

4. Any issues arising between the parties, relating to the interpretation or application of this Regulation, will be submitted to the courts of the district of Lisbon, with express waiver of any other, except for mandatory legal provisions that provide otherwise.

Any questions or doubts related to the participation in the AI Innovation Challenge must be addressed to our email. 

 

Regulation updated on March 1, 2024.
 



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