1776 Prepares for 2014 Challenge Cup Festival
April 3, 2014
Last month, 1776, a platform in Washington, D.C. for accelerating the world’s most promising startups tackling major global challenges announced the culmination of its global Challenge Cup Tournament: the Challenge Festival taking place May 10 – 17, 2014.
Thousands of people from around the world will join the Challenge Festival in May for a week of events showcasing Washington, D.C. as the epicenter for startups disrupting regulated industries and the culmination of 1776′s Challenge Cup, a global competition featuring startups revolutionizing education, energy, healthcare and cities. Headlining the Festival is the Challenge Cup Global Finals, where the 64 winners from 16 international competitions will compete to win the Challenge Cup.
“Since October, we have traveled the globe to 16 cities, from Cape Town and Austin to Moscow and New York, to find the most promising entrepreneurs,” said Evan Burfield, cofounder of 1776. “The Challenge Festival will bring the top startups together to compete and spend a week connecting to the political, social, intellectual and financial capital that are unique to Washington, DC.”
The Challenge Festival will run from May 10 to May 17, with the headline event, the Challenge Cup Global Finals, taking place the afternoon of May 17. View the schedule and register for badges here.
“In addition to the Challenge Cup Global Finals, the Festival will showcase how the next wave of the Internet revolution will disrupt the industries most important to our global future,” said Donna Harris, cofounder of 1776. “We’re convening lunchtime panels including Grand Challenges: The Rise of Startups, The Corporate Revolution, Accelerating Impact, and Returns on Capital, as well as a day spotlighting policymakers at the local, state, and national level discussing how to unlock government as a enabler of innovation, a keynote speaker night and numerous networking opportunities.”
In addition to 1776 produced events, the Challenge Festival will feature events led by key partner organizations centered around how the expertise of Washington, D.C. can be mobilized to solve our generation’s biggest challenges. Organizations interested in proposing an event can find details here.
1776 is producing the Challenge Festival in partnership with iStrategyLabs and Tech Cocktail. 1776 is also pleased to announce that the US Chamber of Commerce, the District of Columbia, Microsoft, Pearson and Booz Allen Hamilton have signed on to sponsor the Festival. Organizations interested in further sponsorship opportunities can contact 1776 at partnerships@1776dc.com.
The Challenge Cup is a global competition to identify and celebrate the most promising startups tackling the biggest challenges. Startups with the potential for transformative solutions in areas of global importance will compete in regional competitions in 16 cities around the world from October 2013 through March 2014. For more information, visit: challengecup.1776dc.com