The COINS Grand Challenge is first and foremost a competition to find new ideas or innovative approaches that will solve problems and enable the construction industry to make a positive impact on society. Given the broad range of allowable topics, these Guidance Notes and the examples and definitions included herein are only there to help people complete the online Application Form. They are not intended to place any limit or constraint on the creativity of the Applicants’ thought processes and ideas.
Once selected as a Finalist, your application is one part of the assessment of the judging panel. Once at the Grand Final, Finalists will be judged on the following criteria. All Applicants are advised to read this Guidance Notes page along with the detailed Terms and Conditions in order to give themselves the best chance of success.
- To enter the COINS Grand Challenge, Applicants must be 18 years old or over on 1 January 2022. Applicants short listed for the Grand Final Judging (the Finalists) may be requested to provide proof of age in the form of a passport or photo driving license.
- Applicants may be of any nationality and citizenship but must be fluent in English. Applications must be submitted in English using the official online Application Form.
- If COVID conditions allow for in-person final judging and/or awards, Finalists may need to obtain entry into the United Kingdom for the purposes of attending Grand Challenge activities. Contact the COINS Grand Challenge Manager using the contact page on the website if travel is not possible.
- Use of a false name, email or address will result in disqualification. Incorrectly completed or misleading applications will be disqualified as well.
- Incorrectly completed or misleading applications will be disqualified as well as applications that are not applicable to the built environment, construction industry or related fields.
- No entry fee is required for any of the COINS Grand Challenge competitions.
- A list of the available prizes appears on the Prizes page on this website. The COINS Grand Challenge Team will have sole discretion on the final allocation of prizes. Prizes are not transferable to another individual.
- In the event of a Challenge prize being unavailable, the COINS Grand Challenge Manager reserves the right to offer an alternative prize of equal or greater value.
- The COINS Grand Challenge is not open to present employees or contractors of Construction Industry Solutions Limited (COINS) or other companies in the COINS group.
- In addition to the prizes discussed above, COINS is offering a special discretionary COINS Investment Prize to one of the Open Competition finalists for what it considers to be the most promising idea or business. The winner of the COINS Investment Prize will be offered an investment of up to £100,000 GBP in their business or to set up a business in order to further their idea. This may involve COINS entering into a commercial agreement with the winner of the COINS Investment Prize in order to provide the investment funding. The COINS Investment Prize will be awarded at COINS’ absolute discretion and no correspondence will be entered into. For the avoidance of doubt, the COINS Investment Prize could be awarded to any of the Open Finalist Applicants including the eventual Winner or Runner Up.
- COINS is also offering two COINS Software Innovation Prizes, which are special discretionary prizes for what it considers the most promising software-related submissions in the Grand Challenge. The winner will receive a 3-month internship and the runner up a 2-week work experience placement with COINS research and development to further develop their ideas.
- The Undergraduate competition is specifically for people currently studying for a university undergraduate degree. However,undergraduates may also enter the Open competition if they believe their idea can meet the Open competition requirements.
- The Undergraduate Competition is an essay contest that looks for understanding and the ability to discuss new and emerging technologies that impact the construction industry. The essay can but does not need to be based on the applicant’s personal research. In all cases, sources should be properly referenced on the application form.
- Only one entry per competition is allowed per person. If multiple applications are entered inadvertently, the one with the earliest completion date will be used and the others will be disqualified.
- To enter the COINS Grand Challenge, Applicants must complete and submit the official online Application Form.
- The Applicant should receive a confirmation email upon the successful submission of the Application Form. If no confirmation is received within 24 hours of submission of the application, the Applicant is advised to contact the COINS Grand Challenge Manager using the contact page on the website.
- The Winners and Runners Up shall be determined by the panel of Judges. The decision of the Judges will be final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
- The COINS Grand Challenge will open and close for submissions as per the timeline on the Grand Challenge home page. The applicable time zone is GMT. The COINS Grand Challenge Management Committee reserves the right to amend the COINS Grand Challenge start and end date at any time.
- The names of the Finalists and the Winners will be posted on the COINS Grand Challenge website after the closing date for finalist selection and the Grand Final respectively. If a Finalist cannot be contacted, or is unable to comply with these terms and conditions, the COINS Grand Challenge Management Committee reserves the right to select another Finalist.
- By entering the COINS Grand Challenge, the Finalist agrees to participate in promotional activity as reasonably required by the COINS Grand Challenge Management Committee. This includes but is not limited to the name of the individual, information about their idea and images and video footage of the individual before or after the Final Judging.
- The COINS Privacy Notice tells you how the organisation uses any personal information collected about applicants entering the COINS Grand Challenge.
- This COINS Grand Challenge is being run exclusively by COINS Grand Challenge (operator and the promoter based at COINS Building, 11 St Laurence Way, Slough, SL1 2EA, UK).
- All time limits will be strictly enforced and no exceptions will be made.
- By entering the COINS Grand Challenge, the Finalist agrees to participate in promotional activity as reasonably required by the COINS Grand Challenge Management Committee. This includes but is not limited to the name of the individual, information about their idea and images and video footage of the individual captured for the Grand Final event.
- COINS Grand Challenge reserves the right to amend these rules at any time. If COINS Grand Challenge does amend the rules, they will be published on the COINS Grand Challenge website at https://coins-grandchallenge.com
- Due to the nature of the competition, we are not able to ask Judges, or the audience at the Grand Final to agree to or sign non-disclosure statements. COINS Grand Challenge Management Committee cannot guarantee that other individuals will not obtain access to electronic or hard copies of their presentation materials but will make every effort to limit their distribution. Finalist presentations to the judges may be recorded for internal purposes.
- Copyrights & Permissions: If an Applicant uses copyrighted materials and/or images from a third-party in their submissions or presentations, they must obtain permission and authorization in advance from the owners to use this material.
- The Laws of England and Wales apply to the COINS Grand Challenge. The Gambling Act (UK) defines and differentiates lotteries, betting(which can include certain prize competitions) and gaming (that is playing a game of chance for a prize). Skill competitions and free prize draws remain outside the Gambling Act, and for the avoidance of doubt, the COINS Grand Challenge is a skill competition, and does not fall within the definition of a lottery, betting or gaming.
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