Tech Prize Competition
Client Need: Organize and run a 15-day competition with more than $1 million in prize money at stake for inventors of wearable power sources for warfighters.
Challenges: Provide a one-stop solution for every element of the event - held in summer at a military base in the desert. In summer. In a barren field across from the water treatment plant. And make it cool, literally and figuratively. And figure out how to physically protect everyone’s tech gear while ensuring their intellectual property was also secure and no classified material was compromised. Did we mention handling all the media relations and prep?
Vox Optima Says Yes: We negotiated a contract with a tent supplier for a one-vendor shelter solution, contracted with a company to install temporary trailers and office equipment, contracted with Pinkerton’s Government Services to secure sensitive areas on site and located, vetted and contracted with a caterer and determined menus for daily meal service ranging from 60 to more than 100 meals per day. Vox Optima also negotiated hotel rates and blocked rooms for the client and participants, arranged dinners and receptions and solved logistical issues including transportation and base access.
Vox Optima located a flag supplier and bought and erected 120 flagpoles, alternating military service flags at intervals to transform the event site, and even set up a laundry service and found mannequin torsos required to test the power packs.
Vox Optima provided media training to all judges and competitors, and generated coverage in Slashdot.org, MSN.com, CNN.com, The Wall Street Journal, United Press International, Reuters, The Conservative Voice, TreeHugger.com, Physorg.com, Wired.com and IEEE Spectrum, as well as a Discovery Channel special. To further involve the community, Vox Optima engaged the local school district and more than 1000 students visited the display tent where participating organizations hosted STEM activities.
169 teams entered the competition, with a down-select to six finalists, and a final selection of three prizes - conforming to the client’s request for power solutions under nine pounds that would last for 96 hours (“four kilos for four days”). Vox Optima is proud to help enable game-changing technology to support our military.