Innovation & Technology

Nat Geo, GSK Launch 'Chasing Genius Challenge' to Tackle Climate Change, Global Health

In an effort to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the world today, National Geographic and GSK Consumer Healthcare have joined forces to launch the Chasing Genius Challenge. The competition aims to uncover innovative solutions for issues related to sustainability, global health and food security and will provide $25,000 to winners to scale their ideas.

By Sustainable Brands | Published 7 years ago | About a 2 minute read

In an effort to tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the world today, National Geographic and GSK Consumer Healthcare have joined forces to launch the Chasing Genius Challenge. The competition aims to uncover innovative solutions for issues related to sustainability, global health and food security and will provide $25,000 to winners to scale their ideas.

The challenge was inspired by National Geographic’s first scripted series GENIUS, based on the book, Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson.

Using the hashtag #chasinggenius, National Geographic has crowdsourced ideas and identified issues that the global community is most concerned about:

Creating a more sustainable planet. Creating solutions that balance human aspirations with the planet’s ability to sustain them.
Addressing growing needs for improving global health. From basic access to clean water, sanitation, medicine and vaccines to new approaches to fighting both infectious and non-communicable diseases, uncovering new ways to help people across the globe live longer, healthier lives.
Ensuring we will be able to feed nine billion people by 2050. One out of nine people doesn’t get enough to eat, while others are living in food deserts. Finding new solutions that ensure makes its way to those who need it the most.

To participant in the challenge, applicants are asked to create and submit one-minute videos describing their “genius” idea and how it tackles one of the aforementioned challenges. Submissions will be evaluated on innovation, creativity, viability and inspiration. Members of the Chasing Genius Council — which includes experts from a wide range of sectors — will choose one winner for each category at the end of the competition. The general public will also have the opportunity to choose an additional “People’s Choice” winner through the Chasing Genius platform.

“You don’t need to be a research scientist to come up with the next big idea. At National Geographic, we believe transformational ideas can come from anyone,” said Brendan Ripp, Executive VP of Brand Partnerships for National Geographic. “Chasing Genius provides a platform for ‘everyday geniuses’ to share ideas, big and small, that can create real impact in the world.”

“Through the Chasing Genius Challenge, we are excited to combine the power and reach of National Geographic and GSK to provide budding geniuses with a platform to explore their curiosities, share their ideas and turn those ideas into catalysts for global change,” said Theresa Agnew, Chief Marketing Officer for GSK Consumer Healthcare. “Problems around the world — big and small, global and local — can be solved with a single idea from scientists and researchers like us, as well as everyday geniuses, like you. And together, our ideas can save lives and change everything.”

Applications are open until July 31, 2017.