The challenge is open to everyone, age no bar.
Dipesh Khanal, project coordinator, says DCDC 2015 was born out the need to demonstrate the existing abilities of students to industrialists. “We felt that the industrialists didn’t find us capable enough. We hope through this challenge we can assuage their doubts. And we chose the dairy industry because this includes small scale farms as well as bigger companies,” he says.
The organizers have already made field trips to different dairy farms in Birgunj, Hetauda and Kavre, and have also been approached by farmers with problems.
Participants have till May 8 to apply to the competition, with at least two people and a maximum of four in the team. All participants will then be invited to an idea pitching session after a week. In case of two or more similar ideas, the session will be a good place to showcase their grasp of the problem, their ideas about the solution and what research they have conducted on the topic. Jury members will decide on the best team from these groups who will then go forward to the competition. Out of the top 10, the best five will head to the main competition while the other five will also receive mentorship and moral support from the organizers if they want to proceed with their idea.
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The top five will receive Rs 10,000 each to help with their idea. “They can use this sum to buy materials or go on field trips,” says Khanal.
Team members are expected to attend a weekly workshop for two months after which they should be ready to present a prototype during a one-day hackathon. This will be presented after two weeks to a jury. From the presentations, the best two will be chosen and they will go through a two-month weekly workshop session again.
During the workshops, teams will be taken through the technical aspects of the challenge as well as guided through product design, meetings will dairy entrepreneurs, etc.
The top two teams will also have the opportunity to exhibit at the upcoming Yantra competition.
The winning team will receive prize money of Rs 50,000.
For more information and for applications, visit www.ran.org.np.
