Radical Innovation, an initiative that challenges creative thinkers at the professional and student level to pioneer compelling ideas in travel and hospitality, is accepting entries to its annual competition.
New in 2020, the competition is adding a Hospitality Product category. Radical Innovation is asking participants to submit their most innovative hospitality product(s) capable of transforming the industry standard and offering new strategic career and investment growth opportunities.
This year, the submission categories are:
- Professional and/or Student: Radical Hospitality Design, Concept or Product, either new or existing.
“Radical Innovation discovers and spotlights creative thinkers from around the world with the ideas to propel the hospitality industry forward,” said John Hardy, founder of Radical Innovation/CEO of The Hardy Group. “It’s our goal to connect them with experienced business leaders that have the connections and resources to bring those ideas to reality, while supporting their effort, through year-round marketing and PR verticals. We are thrilled to add products to this year’s competition.”
A panel of jurors leading the fields of hospitality, design and investment evaluate all entries based on their originality, creativity, design and potential impact on the industry. Feasibility is key. While Radical Innovation seeks brave ideas, the program requires achievable visions with a clear, compelling brief accompanied by a high-level presentation that illustrates how the concept could be achieved in the next three-five years with design renderings and video pitch.
Since its founding in 2006, Radical Innovation has awarded nearly $200,000 to its international network of creative talents who to push the boundaries of travel and hospitality. The 2019 winner, ‘Connectic’, by Cooper Carry Architects demonstrated this by citing the technological advances necessary for their idea to operate, detailing anticipated costs and logistics in addition to a clear timeline and the design process.
Submission fees for professional submissions will be $250. Student submission fees will remain complimentary. Finalists in the Concept/Design category will be flown to New York City to compete in a live event held in fall 2020, where they will present their ideas. Audience members vote to determine the grand-prize winner, who takes home a $10,000 prize. The runner-up receives a $5,000 prize. The winner for the Product category will receive $1,500 (for either a student or professional). The specific location of this event will be revealed later in 2020.
The student winner, who is determined prior to the event by the jury, will earn a $1,500 prize and be invited to apply for a graduate assistantship in the Master of Architecture program at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. The total two-year value is estimated at more than $50,000. The awarding of funds will be based on certain prerequisites that must be carried out by the potential recipient. Radical Innovation has sent two students to this graduate program with one, Yasmine Soliman graduating in spring of 2019.
The Radical Innovation Award is organized by leading development services firm The Hardy Group with support from founding sponsor Global Allies.
Process:
- Through a blind judging process, the jury will review all submissions entered online.
- All concepts will be judged on originality, creativity, design, feasibility and quality of presentation.
- Finalists will be shortlisted and the jury will mentor the concepts of their choosing.
- Finalists will be flown to New York to present their ideas live at the Radical Innovation event in fall 2020, in front of a room of top hospitality, design and business leaders.
Radical Innovation Jury:
- Claude Amar, managing director, The Hardy Group International
- James Woods, WeWork
- Jena Thornton, principal hospitality, Kinzer Partners
- John Hardy, president/CEO, The Hardy Group
- Michael Medzigian, chairman/managing partner, Watermark Capital Partners LLC
- Simon Turner, managing director, Alpha Lodging Partners LLC
