- What is mBillionth Award & what does it aim to do?
mBillionth Award is an integrated platform for recognizing innovations in Telecom & Mobile content/Applications/Models. It was launched in 2010, by Digital Empowerment Foundation. The most influential & leading platform to explore, recognize & honor the best practices in Mobile & Telecom Industry across South Asia. It is first-of-its-kind initiative in the region recognising and felicitating mobile innovations, applications and content services delivery.
- Who is eligible for applying for this award?
The mBillionth Award is open to any of the following in the content industry in any SAARC countries.
1. Governments
2. Individuals/Students
3. Entrepreneurs
4. Industry (Private Sector Companies/Corporates)
5. Academician and Academic institutions
6. NGOs
- What is the process of entering the awards?
There are two ways of applying for the awards-
1. Fill the Nomination form online & submit it.
2. Download the Nomination form & send to the given ID. (ie.mBillionth@defindia.net)
- Which countries are eligible to participate in mBillionth award from SAARC?
Right now, the participating countries are-
• India
• Afghanistan
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Bangladesh
• Maldives
• Bhutan
• Nepal
- Can anyone outside from SAARC countries apply for the awards?
Yes, of corse. Any Project which has been developed or has the customer base/target market in any of the South Asian Countries can apply for the award.
- Is there any entry fee?
No, there is no entry fee. Any interested participant can apply, in multiple categories, following the guidelines.
- Can I enter the awards if I am a previous winner?
Yes, but it should not be for the same winning project. Any winning organization can apply if it is coming with the different project.
- What are the rules for nomination?
Visit General Rules Section
- Will I be getting any acknowledgement receipt for my entry?
Yes, when any nominee submits complete nomination form along with all the supported documents/material, we send an acknowledgement receipt to the nominee.
- Can I submit multiple nominations for different categories?
Yes, any Nominee can submit multiple product/project for different categories.
- Can I submit one project under 2 categories, if it fits?
No, One Nominee can apply under the best fit category & the project will be considered for that only. Same project cannot be submitted under 2 categories. But the Jury has the right to change the category of the project/product to ensure the ‘Best Fit’.
- What is the process of withdrawing from the nominations?
Any Nominee is required to send an email (to the same ID on which they applied) requesting the withdrawal from the award process quoting the reason to withdraw.
- In what form supporting material is allowed?
Digital Files may be submitted for all categories. Files in PowerPoint, Word, excel, PDF are allowed & Videos, audios in .wmv format. Kindly visit Guideline section to know the required supported documents.
- Can I send the supporting material later after submitting the nomination form?
Yes, any Nominee can send the supporting material to the given email address within two days of submitting the nomination form online. mBillionth Award Secretariat will send a mail regarding the same.
- Will my supporting material/shared material remain confidential & returned to me?
Any information or material related to the product/project & organization will remain confidential & will not be shared with any external entity. On request, The Material will be given back to the Nominee after the final presentation before the Grand Jury.
- When will the judging process starts?
The process of evaluation commences from the date of closing of nominations. Entries will be judged on the predefined evaluation criteria.
- What are the evaluation criteria for the product/project?
Content & Services- Quantify the quality of content and services delivery, relevance of content and its utility value
Impact & Sustainability- The social impact & the commercial viability of the application/product.
Functionality/Navigation- User friendliness & interactive nature of the application & its features.
Interface & Visual Design- Usability as well as the Design of applications and devices having larger user preference, aesthetic value with multimedia.
USP & Strategic Value- Uniqueness of the idea & the easiness of Strategy replication.
Execution & Implementation- Procedures of carrying out & executing the innovation, idea according to the Market demand.
Accessibility- Cost effectiveness matching social and economic capital of different user groups with diverse needs in different income brackets.
Overall Experience- The user base & overall use Experience with the application/content.
- Is it mandatory to fill all the fields in the nomination form?
The fields which are marked as mandatory are necessary to filled by the participant, otherwise the form will be considered as incomplete & might be rejected.
- I have concept note of the project & we are going to implement it soon. Can we apply for the awards?
No, Any project which has not been implemented yet is not eligible to participate in the mBillionth Award process. Pilot projects will not be considered. Any Nominated project has to complete 6 months on-ground by 31st January 2012.
- When will the shortlisted projects be announced?
After the Grand Jury is over, the shortlisted nominations are contacted individually through email/phone from the mBillionth Award Secretariat.
- When will we know about the final results?
Final Results will be declared during the Award Gala on the final event day.
- Is stall setup mandatory for all the finalists/nominees?
Yes, we encourage all, particularly the shortlisted nominations to put up their stall during the final event so that their outreach is maximized & there is greater networking amongst them & all the industry stakeholders attending.
- What is the time limit of the presentation on final event day?
Five minutes will be given to the participant to present the project. (Excluding 3 minutes of interactive query session)
- Is there any mandatory query session after presentation?
Yes, after the presentation there is a Query session. Judges as well as the audience can ask questions from the presenter on their presentation or the product.
- Will I get the Transport/accommodation facility?
No, we request you to please make the necessary arrangements on your own. We can facilitate you in terms of suggesting the accommodation nearby the venue.
- Who is eligible to apply for volunteering for the final event?
Any person who has interest in mBillionth Award or m-domain is welcome to volunteer for the final event.
- Is there any certificate given to Volunteers?
Yes, Certificates for volunteering will be provided to the Volunteers from Digital Empowerment Foundation. Some token money is also given to the most performing Volunteer.
- What are the date & timings for mBillionth awards-2012?
July 21, 2012 (8:00am to 6:30pm)
- Can Press & Media attend these awards?
Yes, Press & Media is welcome for the final event day to cover the best practices development in Telecom Industry. No participation fee is charged from Press.
- How does my company join the mBillionth Award?
To join the mBillionth Award, please register yourself online 20 May onwards.
- How do I contact someone at the mBillionth Award?
You need to write us at mbillionth@defindia.net saying your interest in the subject line of the mail. Our team will contact you back in 2 working days.
- Are there sponsorship opportunities within the mBillionth Award?
Yes. The mBillionth Award has several sponsorship and promotional opportunities available 10th February onwards. To know our current sponsorship details, please contact anamika@defindia.net.