Skills to a more effective use won the open vote – now we look for problem solvers for the million euro competition

The voting for the Ratkaisu 100 Challenge has been won by the theme of Skills to a more effective use, whose aim is to better recognise and utilise people’s competences and skills.

Thousands of Finns voted to choose this challenge from a shortlist of four. The search for a solution to this challenge will take place over the coming year. In addition to the winner, the voting included challenges dealing with care, local energy generation and working life.

The competition will now proceed with the search for problem solvers. We are looking for teams of 3 to 5 people to participate: their task will be to develop and brainstorm solutions for the problem set by the winning solution. Thus the competition is just beginning. If you want to be a part of the solution, we welcome your application to participate.

The public voting was extremely tight and collected thousands of votes

“Everyone is competent in something, as long as the right setting is provided and the opportunity is given. Learning by doing is often the key. An actively engaged person maintains physical and mental health,” one voter said, justifying his vote.

A majority of the voters emphasised that recognising competence and various skills is very important. Moreover, the voters felt that if competence cannot be properly mobilised, it goes to waste both for the individual and for society as well.

“Recognising competence and through that being able to enter working life are a big thing, which, if realised, would support the well-being of our whole society,” another voter wrote.

“For future’s sake, it is indispensable that the strengths/competences of us all are recognised. To build a better future, the expertise of all is needed, also of those who are partially disabled. When the work we are doing is meaningful, in one’s own areas of strength, we find ourselves at the heart of a good life,” commented a third voter.

Enter your team in the competition

How do we better recognise and utilise everyone’s competences?

Teams can apply to be included in the competition for the Ratkaisu 100 Challenge prize during the application period (27 October 2016 to 13 February 2017). Twenty teams will be accepted for the second-round interviews, and based on these 10 to 15 teams will be selected to participate in the competition. During the competition, Sitra will provide support to the selected teams for developing concrete, effective and implementable solutions. The best teams will be rewarded with a million euros.

Interested? More details and the application instructions can be found in the competition programme (available in English soon) and on the www.ratkaisu100.fi page. Find out about the programme and send your application in PDF format to ratkaisu100.hakemukset@sitra.fi by 4 p.m. on 13 February 2017.

To get all the solvers involved, we will travel around Finland for the rest of the year meeting potential competitors: events will be arranged in Oulu, Rovaniemi, Mikkeli, Turku and Helsinki. We will also participate in events at the Universities of Technology in Tampere, Lahti, Jyväskylä, Joensuu and Kuopio. Read more about the events and apply at the following link: www.ratkaisu100.fi/tapahtumat.

Challenge competition fto mark Finland’s centenary celebrations and Sitra’s 50th birthday

The task of Sitra is to anticipate the future and find new operational models for our society. A challenge prize competition is one researched and proven way to tackle wicked problems and create novel ways of thinking to solve our complex problems. The aim of the competition is not only to find solutions but also to implement them: to move beyond rhetoric to practical action as well as enable the transfer of innovation to practice.

“A challenge prize competition is an excellent way to find new innovations, speed up co-operation and create a solution-centred and future-oriented culture,” says Sitra’s President Mikko Kosonen.

“The challenge competition works best with complex problems whose solutions require extensive understanding in different fields,” explains Kalle Nieminen who works with Ratkaisu 100. “At its best, the challenge competition works in tandem with other societal developments and accelerates the change.”

Ratkaisu 100 is part of the programme celebrating the 100th anniversary of Finland’s independence and the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra.

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