August 02, 2016

Accenture Launches Fifth Season of ‘Innovation Jockeys’ Contest



This year’s hunt for India’s most innovative students–powered by Yahoo India–will focus on social issues


BENGALURU, India; August 2, 2016 – Accenture, in association with Yahoo India, has launched its fifth season of #InnovationJockeys: The Hunt for India’s most Innovative Minds – a contest inviting full-time undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate students in India to use technology to develop innovative ideas. The goal of this year’s contest is to bring a positive change to society, through the three themes: detecting fraud and preventing business malpractice; creating an inclusive digital India; and empowering women.

“The last four seasons of Innovation Jockeys have generated more than 9,300 ideas from students across India,” said Raghavan Iyer, managing director, Technology Delivery and Innovation Council lead for Accenture in India. “They have also inspired innovative ideas on emerging technologies and given young minds an opportunity to stand out. This year, we urge students to think about inclusive innovation and to develop pioneering ideas that tackle challenges that society faces every day.”

“This year marks the fifth season of Innovation Jockeys and we are expecting a grander participation. It has been very exciting to be associated with a platform that encourages young minds to take on challenges, innovate and envision a better tomorrow,” said Unni Aravindakshan, Vice President – Production Engineering and Head, Yahoo Software Development India Pvt. Ltd. “We look forward to identifying even more such individuals this year, and providing them with the inspiration to take their ideas forward.”

Applicants for the #InnovationJockeys 2016 contest can register solo or in teams of up to four members as they submit:

The deadline for submitting ideas is August 17, 2016. The submissions will go through an initial round of review by the contest’s jury, and the final shortlisted participants will be invited to present their ideas to the jury in the grand finale in Bengaluru on October 20, 2016. For complete information on Innovation Jockeys: The Hunt for India’s most Innovative Minds, log on to http://innovationjockeys.net/.

Members of the Grand Prize winning team will receive an Apple MacBook Pro. They will also have the opportunity to visit the Accenture Technology Labs in Dublin, Ireland, or in Silicon Valley, California, USA, or visit the Accenture Internet of Things (IoT) Center of Excellence in Singapore. Winners for each of the three themes will receive an Apple Watch, and the Jury’s Choice Award winners will receive a Bose SoundLink BT Speaker. Accenture has also introduced a new award category in this year’s contest: a Women’s team will be recognized separately, and members of this team will receive a Kindle Paperwhite. Additionally, all eligible participants of the grand finale will be given a chance to participate in a fast-track recruitment process with Accenture.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 375,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

About Yahoo
Yahoo is a guide to digital information discovery, focused on informing, connecting, and entertaining users through its search, communications, and digital content products. By creating highly personalized experiences, Yahoo helps users discover the information that matters most to them around the world -- on mobile or desktop. Yahoo connects advertisers with target audiences through a streamlined advertising technology stack that combines the power of Yahoo’s data, content, and technology. Yahoo is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, and has offices located throughout the Americas, Asia Pacific (APAC) and the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regions. For more information, visit the pressroom (pressroom.yahoo.net) or the Company’s blog (yahoo.tumblr.com).

Yahoo and Yahoo Finance are the trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Yahoo! Inc.

All other names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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Contact:

Kiran Balasubramanian
Accenture
+ 91 80 41060000
kiran.bala@accenture.com