I3A VISION 2020 Imaging Innovation Awards
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the VISION 2020 Competition?

The VISION 2020 competition seeks to recognize innovators in the imaging space whose ideas move us toward a vision of the future of intelligent imaging.

Who can enter?

Any individual, team, organization or company from anywhere in the world is welcome to enter. This is a truly global competition.

I work for a PR company. May I nominate clients?

Yes. However, such clients must make the entries with their own representation.

What kinds of innovations are eligible?

All entries will be imaging related; however, the innovation may be related to any part of the imaging value chain. Entries may also come from anywhere along the product life cycle. The innovation may be early in the life cycle, embodied as an innovation with great promise for changing the landscape, but which has not yet been proven in the market. The innovation may be an emerging technology that has been introduced to the market but perhaps not yet proven as a market success. Or the innovation may be farther along the life cycle, having already demonstrated its success in the market.

How recent does the innovation have to be?

The entry must be truly innovative, bringing real present or future value in the area of imaging. This is more important than the newness of the innovation.

My innovation is at a very early stage. Must the innovation be commercially available?

No. We don’t want to exclude any innovations before they become viable. However, an innovation by definition must demonstrate some form of unique market value. For early stage entries, a case may be made for the future impact of the innovation. The judging panel will take this and any other aspects of the entry into consideration on a case-by-case basis.

Am I required to submit my entry on your application form?

Yes. You can apply directly online or by downloading and completing the Word document. The completed Word document must be submitted electronically according to the instructions provided. No postal entries will be accepted.

What sort of supporting documents should I send?

While entries with clear and concise supporting documents to ease the review process will be appreciated, candidates can determine on their own what documents are necessary to include, as long as the document types and formats are compatible with the electronic application process, such as Powerpoint presentations, brief white papers or short videos. Some flexibility will be provided so that entrants may present their innovations in the best possible light. Please do not send patent applications or lengthy technical documents.

How will the winners be chosen?

An independent panel of judges will review submissions and select the winners. An initial screening will determine the pool of finalists. Judges may request additional information from the finalists before the winners are selected. The number of finalists will be determined by the judging panel. The judges will then select Gold, Silver and Bronze winners for the entire competition.

I have several innovations. May I make more than one application?

Yes, but please use a separate form for each entry.

May I nominate myself?

Yes.

What’s the deadline for entries?

All entries must be received, complete, by 4 PM EST on December 31, 2008 (GMT -5). We will not consider applications that arrive after the deadline, nor will we grant any extensions.

Is there an entry fee?

No.

What’s the prize?

Recognition and publicity. We will honor the winners at an awards presentation at the June 2009 I3A Annual Conference. The winners will then be invited to present their innovations to the influential audience at the Conference, which is comprised of the gurus of the imaging industry: technologists, entrepreneurs, executives, analysts and other thought leaders. Winners will also be announced to the press, and publicized in I3A’s Eye on Imaging newsletter and on I3A Web sites.

When do you inform the winners?

Winners will be informed prior to the June 2009 I3A Annual Conference.

What is your best advice to applicants?

Do NOT make unsubstantiated claims in your application. We will disqualify applications if the candidates offer little or no evidence supporting the claims they make for their entries. You need to be able to convince I3A and our panel of judges that your innovation creates the value you assert. The best way to do that is to stick to a factual presentation, citing third-party validation of your claims, etc. Include any supporting but relevant material with your application to help the assessment task. Be clear but concise, and avoid unnecessary technical jargon, as a clearly presented case will help the judging process.

What if I have further questions?

For questions about the Awards or submission process call I3A in the U.S. at +1 (914) 285-4933, or send an email message to Vision2020@i3a.org and we will do our best to reply.