Do you want to change the world? Do you have an interest in Technology and Innovation?

Well, we have an exciting opportunity for you!

Our friends at the Digital Innovation team at Permanent TSB are very passionate about both of these things, and together we’ve come up with a very exciting programme called GirlsPITCH.

The programme aims to promote some of the amazing opportunities that are available to girls in digital innovation. We really want to see more women designing solutions to life’s challenges, and creating a thriving, equal and diverse Technology sector in Ireland’s future. They also want to show us all that careers in tech are exciting, accessible and so, so rewarding.

We believe tech can positively impact people, communities and the planet…

That’s why GirlsPITCH is such an exciting competition:

We want your school to nominate a team of 3-5 female students to come up with an idea for an app or a website that can tackle a social problem in one of these areas:

• Our mental health & wellness, diversity and inclusion
• Making our planet a more sustainable one
• Helping teenagers to manage their money and be more financially independent

 

We aim to totally demystify what a career in tech looks like, and bring five selected teams through the digital innovation process; from idea to prototype.

Tech is not just about making profits and luxury gadgets, and entrepreneurs from all over the globe are putting the latest advancements in technology to good use for the benefit of society.

Founder Sanjay Lobo is one of these amazing social entrepreneurs. His app Onhand looks to combat some of society’s biggest challenges by matching people with volunteering activities such as befriending phone calls, youth mentoring and eco clean-up missions. Since launching in 2019, the app has won several ‘Tech for Good’ awards and raised €1.6million from investors to achieve even more impact.

Tessa Clarke and Saasha Celestial-One are also changing the world for the better. This set of founders were seriously concerned by issue of food waste when they set up Olio, a food sharing app that set out with a mission to share more and waste less. They’ve since gained 5 million users worldwide, raised $43m for their idea, and partnered with Tesco to bring their waste reduction mission to even more people!

How does GirlsPITCH work?

This is a pilot programme, which means that we’re inviting a very small group of schools to take part in year one, so we can make it even bigger and better in year two!

The teams that submit the top 5 ideas will be brought forward to take part in our PITCH innovation bootcamp, during which the five finalist teams (supported by expert facilitators and mentors) will be supported to develop their idea, build their very own digital prototype, and finally pitch their solution for a chance to win some amazing prizes.

Schools can enter multiple teams, and it is possible that a school could have multiple finalist teams selected.

What do I need to enter?

• To sign up, complete and submit the below form by December 11^th    
• Once accepted you will be invited to submit your initial idea by January 10^th to confirm your place in the final.
• The programme will kick off with a virtual session on January 16^th.

 

To enter, please complete THIS FORM!

 

The initial idea will outline a clear problem the team are trying to solve and a very early-stage idea as to how you might solve it at the stage of entering the competition. We do not expect you to have a fully formed solution! In fact, it’s a fundamental part of the programme for our finalist teams to develop their initial idea with the support of our GirlsPITCH mentors.

Our virtual welcome session will take place on the 16th of January, and a kick-off workshop will be delivered with each finalist team over the following 5 days. Sessions will then be delivered weekly on a Wednesday until the 22nd of March (excluding mid-term break). These sessions will be delivered online, with a communications workshop delivered in-person at the programme mid-point (w/c 22nd Feb 2023).

The final GirlsPITCH event and celebration lunch will be held in person on the 29th of March in Dublin and all participating teams are required to attend. This will be a celebration of all your achievements and a chance to showcase your work. This final event is the only part of the programme taking place offsite, all other sessions will be delivered at individual schools or online. We are busy working on finding the best venue to celebrate your success and will have update teams on the selected venue in the coming weeks.

 

What is expected of teams and schools that take part in GirlsPITCH?

• Schools are required to provide time and space for their teams to join the virtual sessions which will take place during school hours.
• Teams are expected to attend all in-person and online sessions throughout the GirlsPITCH programme. If for any reason a team cannot attend any of the scheduled sessions, a teacher is required to alert the GirlsPITCH team as soon as possible.
• All finalist teams are required to create and present their prototype and pitch deck for the in-person final event on March 29th 2023 .
• A teacher is required to be a point of contact for the teams, and provide support as required. They are also asked to ensure that teams attend both in-person and virtual workshops throughout the programme and accompany their team to the in-person final GirlsPITCH event on March 29th 2023. This is the only offsite programme event, the rest of the sessions will be delivered in school and online.

 

For further information contact [email protected]

Timetable

Sessions with school teams are pencilled in to take place on Wednesdays throughout the programme, however, we recognise that due to other ongoing commitments students have in Transition Year these dates may need to be flexible.

	Time / Date	Session	Venue
Programme Week 1	11:00-12:00 16th Jan 2023	Online programme welcome	Online
	Time assigned to individual teams Half day workshop 17th/18th/19th/20th Jan 2023	Innovation Thinking intro & Problem framing workshop – We want to help you create a better future	In-person/online Individual school
Programme Week 2	Time assigned to individual teams 1 hour workshop 25th/26th/27th Jan 2023	Rapid ideation workshop – we want to show you the impact you can have with your ideas	Online
Programme Week 3	Time assigned to individual teams 2 hour workshop 1st/2nd/3rd Feb 2023	Journey mapping & Prototype outlining workshop- you will learn techniques that large brands use to make a difference	Online
Programme Week 4	Time TBC 2 hour session 8th Feb 2023	Coding the prototype – you will bring your amazing ideas to life	Online
Programme Week 5 (post-mid-term break)	Time TBC 2 hour session 22nd Feb 2023	Pitch prep – We will help you embrace your inner entrepreneurial spirit	Online
Programme Week 6	Time assigned to individual teams 2 hour workshop 27th/28th/1st/2nd/3rd Feb/Mar 2023	Pitch feedback / prototype support – You will experience how companies improve their ideas	In-person Individual schools
Programme Week 7	Time assigned to individual teams 8th March 2023 1 hour	Pitch feedback / prototype support – Getting you ready for the finals	Online
Programme Week 8	Time assigned to individual teams 15th March 2023 1 hour	Pitch feedback / prototype support – Thinking about key questions the judges will ask	Online
Programme Week 9	Time assigned to individual teams 22nd March 2023 1 hour	Pitch feedback / prototype support – Reminding you of the great journey you have made	Online
Programme Week 10	10:00-13:00 29th March 2023	Final GirlsPitch event – Celebrating your success in making a difference	In-person Venue TBC

 

 

Session descriptions

 

Online welcome	A one hour virtual welcome session for all teams on the GirlsPITCH programme. Attendees will get an overview of the programme and be walked through timeline, meet their mentors, be introduced to the support on offer and the expected outputs for the programme.
Innovation Thinking intro & Problem framing workshop	An in-person session for each team designed to generate some inspiration at the beginning of the process. Teams will be introduced to innovation thinking and take part in a facilitated Problem Framing workshop run by PTSB Innovation team and their programme mentor. The workshop helps participants to identify problems their users face and prioritise their problem statements.
Rapid ideation workshop	Within this workshop, teams will outline their problem to solve, generate ideas to solve it and then prioritise their highest-value ideas.
Journey mapping & Prototype outlining workshop	Within the Journey Mapping workshop teams will sketch out what the journey of using their product or service will look like for their users. Within the Prototype Outlining workshop, teams will define what they will be building for their prototype.
Coding the prototype	In this session, teams will be introduced to the CodeClub platform and learn how to get started with their prototype build.
Pitch prep	Having defined their concept and begun their prototype build, this virtual session will introduce teams to the art of how to communicate effectively to pitch their solution to a panel of judges!
Pitch feedback / prototype support	In-person and online coaching sessions to support teams through their prototype build and pitch development.
Final GirlsPITCH event	An in-person event during which each team will present their concept, their prototype and pitch to win one of the competition’s top spots. After each team presents their pitch, winners will be announced and prize giving ceremony will take place.

 

WAITING ON SIGN OFF FROM LEGAL TEAM

DRAFT – GirlsPITCH Competition / Terms and Conditions.

1.       GirlsPITCH is an innovation competition sponsored by Permanent TSB, in collaboration with The Shona Project and Code Club.  By entering the competition you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.

2.       The competition is open to secondary school girls across a limited number of schools in Dublin.  Unfortunately, if your school is based outside Dublin, you will not be in a position to enter this competition for the pilot due to resource implications.

3.       The competition is only open to teams of girls, of between 3 and 5 students, comprised of transition year students (4^th year) enrolled at the same secondary school, at time of entry to the competition.

4.       Each team must be supported by a Shona ambassador and/or teacher from the school you are attending, and who can verify your identity and transition year status as a student of the school.

5.       Should school policy dictate, it is the direct responsibility of the schools and teachers to ensure that consent has been obtained by the parents / guardians of the students who are participating, and that the school is responsible for ensuring that all competition entries are free of any third party copyright infringements or restrictions.  By submitting an entry, each team is confirming that any/all consents have been obtained.

6.       Submission of ideas to the competition is limited to three categories; a) financial well-being for teens, b) mental health & wellness, diversity and inclusion, c) sustainability

7.       How to enter – Participating schools will be invited by the Shona Project to enter the competition and must confirm their participation by completing the programme sign up form by December 14^th 2022.

8.      The Competition is then open to idea submissions via the idea submission form provided from until January 10^th 2023 (all times here are Dublin time).  No entries will be considered if they have not been submitted via the programme submission form.  The closing date for entries is 12 pm January 10^th 2023, at which point the competition entry form on the GirlsPITCH idea submission form will no longer be available, and entries received after this time by other media will not be considered. Only one entry per team is permitted to the competition.  A confirmation email will be sent out upon receipt of your form submissions. If you do not receive this following your submissions, then it will be your responsibility to make contact with Caroline Boyd using email [email protected]. Please allow 2-3 days to receive a confirmatory response about your entry.

9.       Winning ideas will be selected on the basis of merit by a selection panel comprising representatives from Permanent TSB, The Shona Project and Code Club.  The decision of the selection panel will be final.

10.   Winning ideas will be brought forward to take part in our GirlsPITCH innovation bootcamp, where finalist teams will learn what it takes to create an app idea and/or website, over 12 weeks from January to March 2023.

11.   Finalist teams will be supported by mentors from Permanent TSB, and enabling technology, as well as support from Code Club.

12.   Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place winners;  a) Third prize – Raspberry Pi computer packages (approx. value = €300) + €50 retail vouchers, b) Second prize – €80 retail vouchers, c) First prize – Apple AirPods.

13.   Competition sponsors Permanent TSB reserves the right in their absolute discretion to substitute the prizes with alternative prizes which may or may not have an equal value without prior notification.  There will be no cash alternative to the prizes on offer. No responsibility will be accepted by Permanent TSB, The Shona Project and/or Code Club, in relation to the use and/or the fitness for purpose of the prizes.

14.   Information on the first, second and third place winners will be published on the GirlsPITCH portal, on the Shona website (https://shona.ie/girls-pitch/).  Winners will be announced in March/April 2023.

15.   Winners and all participants will be invited to a closing ceremony at a city centre location on the 29^th of March 2023, where the winners will collect their respective prizes.  Any expense incurred by the winners in the collection of the prize will be the responsibility of the winner.

16.   By entering this competition you are agreeing that, if you participate and/or win, the name of your school and of the participants in the winning team may be;  a) used for the purpose of announcing the winner and/or, b) distributed to individuals who request details of the winner and/or, c) in any related publicity by Permanent TSB, The Shona Project and/or Code Club, without additional payment or permission.  It is anticipated that some photographs will be taken over the 12 week program and Permanent TSB, The Shona Project and/or Code Club, will retain the right to use these images and details of the school and the winning teams for publicity purposes as well as for publishing on respective websites and across any other external promotional platforms.  You grant to us an exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual and irrevocable licence to copy, store, edit, distribute, transmit and publish your competition entries.

17.   Permanent TSB, The Shona Project and Code Club will not be responsible unless required by law for any loss, personal injury, damages, costs or expenses, arising from or in any way connected with this competition. This competition may be cancelled or altered at any point.

18.   Permanent TSB reserves the right to amend these terms & conditions as Permanent TSB may require subject to applicable law.

19.   Personal data:  Any personal information you give us will be used solely for this competition and will not be passed on to any other parties without your written agreement. Your personal details will be held by Permanent TSB for a period commencing with the date on which you submitted the entry form and ending 6 weeks after the closing date, 2023. You may request a copy of any personal data that we hold about you and to have inaccuracies in that data corrected, by writing to Data Access Request, Document Management Control, permanent tsb, 56/59 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.