#THEGREENIMPACTWEEK is a 60 hours-Virtual Design Thinking Challenge organized by the Impact Week. It is a unique opportunity for bright minds to discuss and engage current and urgent challenges such as climate change, sustainabilty, education and preservation of biodiversity. Using Design Thinking and user-centric design toolkits, solutions and strategies will be developed in teams. Each team consists of 5-6 participants and will be supported by 1-2 international design & innovation experts. Winning ideas will be rewarded with financial support and mentorship from Impact Week in order to implement their solution in economy and/or society.

When and where is the #THEGREENIMPACTWEEK?

The impact week will take place from June 19th to June 21st. In line with rules of social distancing, due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, we have set-up a virtual challenge. Advancements in modern digital technology enable us to tackle challenges and solve problems despite physical distance or boundaries between us. The team of the green impact week will create a virtual space for innovative minds to come together.

Why should you participate in this challenge?

The green impact week challenge gives you the unique opportunity to create an impact during a critical and challenging time. By joining this virtual challenge, you will be part of an initiative which aims to create new and innovative insights, ideas and solutions for environmental problems.

You will meet new people and learn new skills. You will become part of a global community that is practicing the Design Thinking methodology, alongside international experts. And you will learn how to understand any challenge and design solutions in a user-centric manner based on rapid prototyping. Modern-day technology enables collaborative innovation despite physical restrictions.

By joining this impact week, you will get the opportunity to create an impact for your community and nation.

The Design Thinking methodology comprises 6 phases. Participants will complete the entire process of Understanding - Observing - Synthesizing - Ideating - Prototyping - Testing within three days. Virtual Design Thinking is an attempt to bring the globally acclaimed Design Thinking methodology into a fully digital environment.

Participants will be brought together in a digital briefing session via Zoom and will work in individual virtual workspaces using collaborative tools such as MURAL, Slack and Google Suite.

Ten to fifteen teams will partake in this intensive digital journey and will be mentored by subject matter experts and design thinking coaches. Participants will use their skills, ideas and passion to develop user-centric solutions that solve environmental problems. Therefore it is important that members of a team have different professional backgrounds. Each team will present its result/ idea to everyone at the end of the challenge. Our panel of expert jury members will evaluate the solutions and the participating teams will have the possibility to get financial support initiated by the Impact Week.

Each participating team will work on one of the three focus areas. Note, that each individual or team decides which focus area they want to participate in during the registration process. The teams will then ideate together on how they would like to approach the challenges within the focus areas - as a problem, need or an opportunity.

SOCIAL COMMITTMENT – Environmental challenges have a fundamental impact on our lives, our economy and our society. Overpopulation, human behaviour and life style affect our environment locally and globally. In order to establish a net-zero greenhouse gas emission economy and society, we need new concepts and strategies. How can we act as a community to counteract the climate change? How can we help to increase the communities awareness for climate change, environmental changes, species extinction and that we are part of the problem and the solution? How can we develop local and global strategies and share experiences?

BUSINESS – AWARENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY – Many companies are allready implementing sustainable strategies that were shown to positively affect their value. To fulfill the goal of becoming a net-zero greenhouse gas emission country, all businesses need to manage and implement sustainability in their production process, packaging and transport. How can we make sustainabilty a priority during and after Covid19? Can we motivate businesses to implement sustainability? Can we help companies and smaller businesses during this process? Do general strategies apply to different types of businesses? Can we use technlogies to enhance the communication and learning processes between businesses? Can we implement these strategies now, when many businesses are struggling during the Corona-crisis?

(GREEN) EDUCATION – Teaching people about climate change, environmental problems, biodiversity and sustainability is an important step. Can we implement special mandatory classes for everyone on these topics in the curriculum of schools and universities? Can we implement annualy workshops and projects on the climate action day for a broad public? Can we motivate pupils and students to act together in local and global projects supporting for instance reforrestation and cleaning? How can we bring together people from different countries and backgrounds to learn about different life styles and sustainable strategies? How can we bring together education and politics to discuss urgent problems, concerns and innovative strategies and ideas? Can we connect pupils and students with scientists? Educational institutions have currently been shut down during the Corona pandemic. Can virtual and collaborative tools for teaching demonstrate not only the local but also the global changes of climate change?

The challenge will be scheduled in the german time zone (GMT +2:00)

Participation in the challenge is FREE but there are limited seats available. Only ten to fifteen teams will have the chance to participate in this challenge. Therefore, we ask only candidates who can fully devote 2.5 days of their time to register. You can register as an individual or as a team. Those who have registered individually will be allocated a team by the organizers, based on their challenge interest and their professional background.

Requirements to participate:

• You must be German citizen or currently living in Germany
• Germans abroad are also invited to register and join the Impact Week.
• You must devote your full time virtually for 2.5 days while participating in the challenge
• You must be fluent in German. English is a plus.
• You must have a strong internet connection in your home which can be accessed with a laptop or PC

Requirements to register as a team:

• Each team must have 5-6 members, if you are fewer please register individually
• Each team must have participants from different backgrounds (engineering, computer science, business, social science, life science, medicine, …). Diversity is a must.
• Each team must have at least 2 members who are currently living in Germany.

If you have any further questions or require additional information, don’t hesitate to contact our organizers. You can email us at info@impactweek.net or directly contact Sylvia Speichinger on WhatsApp under +49 173 6123108.

We are looking forward to your participation and support.

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