Rules & Conditions
I. Vision & Objectives
For over 180 years Schneider Electric has been committed to changing the way we access energy. As a global specialist in energy management, with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including utilities & infrastructures, machine manufacturers, non-residential buildings, data centers & networks, and in residential buildings. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, efficient, productive and green, the Group’s 135,000 plus employees achieved revenues of over 27.6 billion euros in 2019 through an active commitment to helping individuals and organizations make the most of their energy.
Schneider Electric’s international business case challenge (the “Contest”), also called Schneider Go Green, aims at supporting the emergence of innovative solutions to meet future challenges in intelligent energy.
The Contest is organized in three steps, with each step followed by a period of review, assessment and selection who will move onto the next stage in the competition.
- Phase I – Submission of the Initial Application.
- Phase II – Semi-finals, as defined below.
- Phase III – The Final Round will run until the final presentations on June 17th, 2021.
The Final award will be announced by the jury upon the conclusion of the Final presentations during June 2021.
II. Eligibility
Only university students eighteen (18) years of age and older at the time of submission of the Initial Application are permitted to submit their proposals.
Students worldwide must be registered in a bachelor’s (at least the 2nd year) or master’s program in business, engineering, Marketing or Innovation to be eligible to compete in the Contest.
The Contest is open exclusively to individual students in teams of two, of which at least one team member is female. Both team members must study in the same region based on the university location for the duration of the competition. They are not however required to be from the same university, nor are they required to study the same subject or be in the same year, as long as they are not in their first year of their undergraduate education. Likewise, the students are not required to be permanent residents or nationals of the country in which they are studying in order to compete. Should an individual student’s entry be disqualified, that Entrant’s team will no longer be able to participate.
Schneider Electric’s permanent employees, customers, their respective affiliates, subsidiaries, and their respective employees, officers, directors, representatives, agents, consultants, contractors and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate. Schneider Electric reserves the right to limit, or restrict upon notice, participation in the Contest to any person who fails to comply with these Rules and Conditions.
III. Submission Guidelines
1. HOW TO ENTER
a. The Schedule
The Competition will start on September 8th , 2020 with the opening of the registration process and will end on June 17th, 2021 after the World Finals ceremony.
PHASES
|
START DATE
|
END DATE
|
Registrations
|
September 8th, 2020
|
No registration will be taken into consideration after March 7th, 2021
|
Regional Selection
|
April 28th, 2021
|
April 28th, 2021
|
World Finals
|
June 15th, 2021
|
June 17th, 2021
|
Based on local needs, countries/ regions might add additional stages between the Registration and World Final periods. Further details regarding the schedule in each one of the participating countries/regions will be given between September 8th, 2020 and June 17th, 2021 through the Platform (gogreen.se.com) or via e-mail.
Dates may change during the Competition, Participants will get updated information of any change.
1.1. Phase I: Initial Applications
You must register for the competition as an individual. However, to submit a full application you must also register as a team of two.
Accepted formats for the initial application:
Infographic: .ppt or .pdf format, max. 10 slides/pages including 1 cover slide, file size max. 15 MB
Make sure to clearly state your objectives and original ideas for a solution to any of the world’s energy problems, or one of the Schneider Electric’s four business case challenges. Be creative! Do not submit ideas that are not your own.
Initial Applications must be submitted online ONLY in English. In submitting the application, the applicant accepts these Rules and Conditions (RAC) and the rules governing the submission of the application form available online at gogreen.se.com by each team. Each individual entrant is allowed to enter the Contest as a part of only one team and to submit only one Initial Application.
1.2. Important Notice
Initial Applications for Phase I shall be treated by Schneider Electric as a confidential and non-publicly disclosed for the duration of Phase I and Phase II. By submitting an Initial Application, each team’s Entrants understand that after Phase II all such submissions will no longer be maintained on a confidential basis by Schneider Electric, and Entrants understand the potential impact of and agree to allow Schneider Electric the right to publicly disclose their Initial Application or any document based on or derived from their Initial Application. Each Entrant agrees that by submitting their Initial Application they waive any claim relating to confidentiality against Schneider Electric for any disclosure or use of confidential information provided to Schneider Electric by any Entrant.
If an Entrant has sold or otherwise committed their idea to a third party, or has obtained or is in the process of obtaining any granted Patent or pending Patent application relating to their Initial Application, whether before or after submitting their Initial Application, each Entrant shall notify Schneider Electric of such event upon submitting the Initial Application (indicating whether such activity is with the prior knowledge or involvement of Schneider Electric) and Entrant hereby a) grants a worldwide, non-exclusive, fully sub-licensable, royalty-free, transferable license (including the right to sub-license) to make, have made, use, import, and directly or indirectly sell and offer to sell, and otherwise distribute and dispose of any product or any service under any Patent based on information described in the Initial Application and b) irrevocably agrees to not assert such Patent against Schneider Electric, its affiliates, distributors, customers and/or clients for the manufacture, use, import, offer for sale, or sale of any product and/or service and the use of any method employed in the manufacture, distribution or use. Each Entrant agrees not to initiate any such action (i.e. filing for a patent application on or committing or licensing any IP rights in their Initial Application) after submission of the Initial Application, without first obtaining the prior formal written consent of Schneider Electric. If an Entrant has any contractual or employment relationship with any other entity, such shall be disclosed upon application.
Initial Applications shall be valid only if the Participation Form is submitted by all the entrants of the team before the end of the submission phase on the Go Green website.
1.3. Selection for Phase II
The jury, composed of Schneider Electric managers, will select regional semi-finalists. All Initial Applications are evaluated on the same basis.
Please make sure to verify countries conditions of selection process.
All participants will be informed about their selection status via the contact details provided when entering the Contest.
The most important selection criteria include:
- Innovation: does the proposal introduce a new, creative, innovative, unique and/or compelling solution to the case?
- Feasibility: is the proposed idea both technically and economically feasible for implementation? How does it fit in with Schneider Electric’s current mission?
2. PHASE II: SEMI-FINALS
2.1. Phase II: Top teams selected as semi-finalists
If your team is one of the regional top teams selected by Schneider Electric to proceed to Phase II, the presented idea needs to be a clear evolution of the idea you submitted in Phase I and must be sent in PPT format (no longer than 15 slides) to be uploaded with your CV.
2.2. Mentoring
Selected teams may be assigned a mentor from the Schneider Electric team. The mentor will coach the team and help them evolve their idea and review their CV.
The mentor’s task is mainly to support and challenge the realization of the team’s solution. Interactions between the mentor and their assigned team will be initiated from the Agorize platform, then can be made by phone, email, Skype or Microsoft Teams. The frequency and mode of communication between the mentor and their assigned team will be decided by the mentor, taking into consideration the preferences of both parties.
2.3 Selection to Phase III
A new jury, composed of Schneider Electric senior leaders, will select up to 10 of the most promising business cases from the previously selected set for Phase II. All participants will be informed about their qualification status via the contact details provided when entering the Contest.
The most important judging criteria include:
- Adherence to the Rules of the contest.
- Innovation: how does the idea introduce a new, creative, innovative, unique and/or compelling solution related to the case?
- Technical feasibility: how feasible is it to implement your proposal from a technical perspective?
- Economic feasibility: how does it fit in with Schneider Electric’s current business scope?
- Students educational backgrounds and curriculum
3. PHASE III: FINAL ROUND
3.1. Phase III: Case Presentation
Once Schneider Electric has reviewed the participant synopses, the top 8 teams will be announced. The top 8 teams will be invited to present the final version of the project on June 15-17th 2021. A final jury, composed of Schneider Electric’s executive leaders, will judge the final presentations. The selected teams for Phase III will have to provide support material for a live oral presentation of 15 minutes, which will be followed by a 5 minutes Q&A session with the jury. After the oral presentations of all 8 finalist teams, the jury will choose one team as a winner, which will be announced at the end of the Final day of the event.
The most important judging criteria at this stage are:
- Adherence to the Rules of the contest.
- Feasibility: how feasible is it to implement this proposal from a business perspective?
- Profitability: what is the return on investment? How much are customers ready to pay for the solution? How is the solution differentiated and how can this be valued?
- Solution Innovation: How creative is it compared to currently available solutions?
- Students educational backgrounds and curriculum
4. MEDIA AND PR
Any participants’ direct or indirect contact with the media, in regards to Schneider Go Green competition, their proposed solution or innovations must be authorized by the local Go Green Manager and the Schneider local or global Marketing Department.
5. DISQUALIFICATION
Schneider Electric may, at its sole discretion, disqualify a Team and/or any of the Team members from participating, if the Team or any of the Team members show a disregard for these Official Rules, or acts in any unsporting or disruptive manner. In the event of any suspected fraud and/or unfair participation, Schneider Electric reserves the right to conduct any such verification, as it may deem necessary. Any established fraud or unfair action shall entail the Participant’s immediate and final disqualification, without prior notice. Schneider Electric may exclude any Team and/or any of the Team members if the Team or any of the Team members intends to damage any Schneider Go Green material or information. Schneider Electric has the right to prosecute any Team and/or any of the Team members if the Team and/or any of the Team members try to destroy, disrupt, damage or alter the proceedings of the Competition.
IV. Winning Team
By the end of the final round, one winning team will be selected.
The winning team will be given the opportunity to travel to one of the following cities: Boston (USA), London (UK), Paris (France), Shanghai (China) or New Delhi (India)- to be scheduled after the final event. The team will have the opportunity to visit Schneider Electric’s offices, network with employees and interact with high level management – Agenda will be set by Schneider Electric.
In addition, Schneider Electric and/or its Affiliates will evaluate further the industrialization of the winning concept and subject to normal business considerations the potential to commercialize the solution. In any manner, none of the above shall be construed as an obligation for Schneider Electric and/or any of its Affiliates to make industrialize/ commercialize the winning concepts and/or recruit any of the Entrants.
V. Intellectual Property
Schneider Electric may, at its sole discretion, file one or more patent applications based on an Initial Application, Semi-Final or Final submission and/or any derivatives thereof. Each Entrant agrees to cooperate with Schneider Electric in the preparation, filing, and prosecution of any such patent application, including completing any requested documentation related to the patent application, such as an assignment of patent rights to Schneider Electric. If Schneider Electric elects to file a patent application based on an Initial Application, Semi-Final or Final submission and Entrant cooperates with Schneider Electric as described above, Entrant shall receive a patent award in a monetary amount equal to the patent award that would be received by an employee of Schneider Electric upon filing from the same country as Entrant. Schneider Electric may, at its sole discretion, file one or more trademark applications based on an Initial Application, Semi-Final or Final submission and/or any derivatives thereof. Each Entrant agrees to cooperate with Schneider Electric in the preparation, filing, and prosecution of any such trademark application, including completing any requested documentation related to the trademark application, such as an assignment of trademark rights to Schneider Electric. Schneider Electric may, at its sole discretion, publish a document based on an Initial Application, Semi-Final or Final submission and/or any derivatives thereof, such as a paper, report, presentation, or summary. Each Entrant agrees to cooperate with Schneider Electric in the preparation of any such document, including completing any requested documentation related to the document, such as an assignment of copyrights to Schneider Electric.
VI. Conditions of Participation
Please read carefully the legal notices available on the gogreen.se.com website. By submitting the application form on the Contest website, each Entrant must check the checkbox to acknowledge their understanding of all Rules and Conditions of the Contest and further agree to those Rules and Conditions.
VII. Contest Modification
By entering the Contest, Entrants agree to waive any right to claim any ambiguity or error in these Rules and Conditions, or the Contest itself, and agree to be bound by these Rules and Conditions and by all decisions of Schneider Electric, which are binding and final. Failure to comply with these Rules and Conditions may result in disqualification from this Contest. Schneider Electric reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify, cancel, terminate or suspend the Contest and/or these Rules and Conditions without advance notice for any reason. Any changes to the Rules and Conditions will be posted on the Rules and Conditions page of the Contest website and an email will be sent to the email address of each Entrant used to enter the Contest. Schneider Electric and its representatives reserve the right to make changes to any elements of this Contest, or these official Rules and Conditions at any time with or without prior notice. Schneider Electric further reserves the right to postpone, amend or modify the Contest for any reason, at its sole discretion of Schneider Electric.
VIII. Governing Laws and Definitions
1. GOVERNING LAWS
The laws of France, without regard to conflicts of law, shall construe any issue concerning the construction, validity and enforcement of these official Rules and Conditions, or the rights and obligations of the Entrant and Schneider Electric.
2. DEFINITIONS
“Intellectual Property” or “IPR” means any and all intellectual property rights including all of the following and all rights in, arising out of, or associated therewith: (i) procedures, designs, inventions, and discoveries; (ii) works of authorship, copyrights and other rights in works of authorship; (iii) mask work rights, (iv) know-how, show-how and trade secrets on a worldwide basis, and (v) all Patents issued or issuable thereon, and all trademarks, trade names, or other forms of corporate or product identification.
“Patents” means all classes or types of patents (including, without limitation, originals, divisions, continuations, continuations-in-part, extensions or reissues) and applications for these classes or types of patent rights in all countries of the world.
Appendix I – Participation Form
All persons involved in the preparation of the Initial Application shall be identified below. Any Initial Application submitted without such form being duly submitted by the date of closure February 28th, 2021, shall be disqualified and discarded and will not be reviewed by Schneider Electric. Participation form is to only be submitted online for each team member on an individual basis.
First Name:
Last Name:
Date of Birth:
Gender:
Nationality:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
University:
Location of Study:
Major / Field of Study:
Expected date of graduation:
User of Information
We will use any personal information submitted in accordance with the Agorize’s Terms & Conditions.
By agreeing to these Rules and Conditions, you agree to abide by the Agorize’s Terms & Conditions in relation to your use of Agorize’s website.
By entering this Contest, you consent to the use by the organizers of the Contest of all images, text, videos and other materials that you submit for any purpose, in any media, for an unlimited period, without remuneration, in accordance with the Agorize’s Terms & Conditions.