Temat: Henkel Innovation Challenge

Vision 2050: Take a Henkel brand into the future!

The Henkel Innovation Challenge is an international business game which will be played in 11 European countries starting at the beginning of September 2008. The 11 participating countries in this year’s edition are Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain and Turkey. So take up the challenge, form a team of three students, register online and compete with your vision of Henkel’s brands in 2050.

The game focuses on innovation and creativity. This 2nd edition is focused on two Henkel business units; Cosmetics / Toiletries and Laundry & Home Care. In teams of three, you will act as the Henkel Business Development Manager, preparing your vision of how product needs in terms of personal care and laundry & home care will develop in 2050 in people’s homes. Imagine what a Persil detergent looks like in 2050. How could people’s needs develop in terms of Schwarzkopf’s products. In this context you may either concentrate on existing products or think of a new one.

For this year’s Henkel Innovation Challenge, you can either register as an individual and then look for team mates from the country you apply from or, you can register directly as a team of 3 students. Once you have registered as a team, you can start working on your 1st round project which is to create a video. In total, you will have to compete in and win two national rounds to qualify for the international finals in Brussels, Belgium.

A selected Henkel top management team will support and assist your group as mentors not only during the national finals but also in the preparatory phases for the international finals. This will give you and the managers plenty of opportunities to get to know each other.

Rounds
Registration: Deadline 12th January 2009
1st Round: Pre-Selections  Deadline 3rd February 2009
In round 1 the HIC student teams have to work on the following tasks:

1. Your vision of the world in 2050 (i.e. how will life be in 2050?)
2. Your motivation for the product or product category you selected (i.e. which Henkel brand would you like to take to 2050? Explain this in relation to how you envisioned 2050)
3. What exactly your innovative product idea is. Introduce only one idea. (be creative! It is 2050!)

Teams have to upload a 120 second video on to the HIC webpage. For this game, Henkel is more interested in the minds behind the ideas than the ideas themselves.
2nd Round: National Finals  Deadline 3rd April 2009 (based on organization by each country)
Every country will select the top 10 teams from the 1st round to present their projects to a national Henkel Jury which will choose the finalist that goes on to the international finals. During the 2nd round, the top 10 teams will be supported by a mentor from Henkel’s Cosmetics & Toiletries or Laundry & Home Care business units. The mentorship program gives you the opportunity to meet Henkel employees and start building a professional network. In addition, a 12th team (from one of the participating countries) will be selected by public internet voting. In this case you can invite your friends and fellow students to vote for their favourite video on the internet.


3rd Round: International Finals  23rd -25th April 2009
The 12 winning teams will meet in Brussels for a three day final challenge. In two different leagues the teams will give their presentation and highlight their analytical, communication and business skills in front of a Henkel top level management jury. From each league, the best three teams proceed to finally compete in a last presentation for the 1st, 2nd or 3rd place. These three days will not only be challenging but also full of fun and entertaining activities.

Prize for the Winning Team
Winner’s Prize: A Trip to the Caribbean

As the winning team of the International Finals you will win an all expenses paid one-week trip to the fabulous Caribbean, full of adventures and surprising activities. You will have a chance to discover the exotic culture and magnificent sunsets of the islands. Celebrate and enjoy snorkelling, diving or windsurfing courses of your choice.

Target group
The HIC is open to students from all fields of studies, e.g. business, engineering, science, etc. Exchange students can also participate, but have to be enrolled at the hosting university until at least April 2009. Good English knowledge is mandatory and an essential prerequisite to be able to take part in the HIC successfully.

Website link
All relevant information about the HIC as well as the registration form can be found on the following website:

http://henkelchallenge.com

Registration for HIC
• Only online registrations on the website are processed
• Team registrations of three or individuals sign up are possible. In the case of an individual application, students can look for team mates via the web site from their own country.
• For more information check the HIC Participation Rules and FAQs on the website.
• Deadline for online registration: 12th January 2009