The Prize
The Nokia Bell Labs Prize is a competition for innovators from participating countries around the globe. It seeks to recognize innovations that solve the key challenges facing humanity and provides selected innovators the unique opportunity to collaborate with Nokia Bell Labs researchers to help realize their vision.
The Brief
We welcome applications from innovators from participating countries around the globe. If you have a game-changing idea and are interested in developing it with leading Nokia Bell Labs researchers, you have come to the right place. Registration and submission from a laptop provides an enhanced user experience as compared to a mobile device with a smaller screen.
The Process
To Participate
- Press Register: First create a SurveyMonkey Apply account
- Press Apply: Select the 2023 Bell Labs Prize, and start the application process
The competition is open to anyone in the participating countries who meets the eligibility requirements. Register and submit your idea in 250 words or less (Applicants are also strongly encouraged to attach additional documentation detailing their proposals such as papers or publications). The deadline to enter the contest is April 21, 2023. From the hundreds of applications we receive, 5-7 finalists are selected to compete for three prizes at an event (all expenses paid) in October/November each year in front of a panel of renowned experts and industry leaders. The innovation will be judged in three distinct dimensions.
- Innovation Potential - How is your proposal novel? What is the disruptive thinking that could result in a rethinking of the current limits of technology?
- Technical Merit - How technically sound is your proposal? On what current principles and capabilities does it depend? Would it require future advancements and innovations to succeed?
- Feasibility - Has a proof of concept, simulation or demonstration already been built, or could it be built in the course of the competition?
Key Dates
- February 13, 2023 - Call for proposals
- April 21, 2023 - Proposal deadline
- June 5, 2023 - Selection announced
- June 19, 2023 - Virtual Innovathon
- August 18, 2023 - Stage 2 submission deadline
- September 11, 2023 - Finalists announced
- October 2-3, 2023 - Judging & winners announced
The Eligibility Requirements
This prize is open to all eligible applicants who register and submit proposals in the general areas of information and communication technologies. Participants must meet the following criteria:
- Own their ideas
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Possess a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree
- Reside in one of these listed countries:
United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada (except Quebec), China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom - Employees, partners, and consultants of Sponsor and its affiliates and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
- Interns employed by Sponsor or its affiliates are eligible to participate in the Contest. For the purpose of this Contest, an “intern” means a student currently pursuing a degree at an accredited college or university, hired to work for Sponsor or its affiliates on a temporary basis.
Teams of up to four are allowed to participate, provided each member of the team meets the full eligibility requirements. The entire team must be included in the submission and accept the Terms and Conditions.
The Rules
This prize is open to all eligible applicants who register and submit proposals in the general areas of information and communications technologies. Applicants who apply have to acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to the Terms and Conditions. If the applicant wants to include team members, then all team members (team size is maximum of four) have to register and accept the Terms and Conditions.
The Awards
Nokia Bell Labs awards a first prize of $100K, a second prize of $50K and a third prize of $25K, all paid directly to prize winners. All three winners are also considered for the unique opportunity to work within the world-renowned Nokia Bell Labs to further explore their ideas, following the end of the competition.
For more information, visit the Bell Labs Prize website.
2023 Bell Labs Prize
The Prize
The Nokia Bell Labs Prize is a competition for innovators from participating countries around the globe. It seeks to recognize innovations that solve the key challenges facing humanity and provides selected innovators the unique opportunity to collaborate with Nokia Bell Labs researchers to help realize their vision.
The Brief
We welcome applications from innovators from participating countries around the globe. If you have a game-changing idea and are interested in developing it with leading Nokia Bell Labs researchers, you have come to the right place. Registration and submission from a laptop provides an enhanced user experience as compared to a mobile device with a smaller screen.
The Process
To Participate
- Press Register: First create a SurveyMonkey Apply account
- Press Apply: Select the 2023 Bell Labs Prize, and start the application process
The competition is open to anyone in the participating countries who meets the eligibility requirements. Register and submit your idea in 250 words or less (Applicants are also strongly encouraged to attach additional documentation detailing their proposals such as papers or publications). The deadline to enter the contest is April 21, 2023. From the hundreds of applications we receive, 5-7 finalists are selected to compete for three prizes at an event (all expenses paid) in October/November each year in front of a panel of renowned experts and industry leaders. The innovation will be judged in three distinct dimensions.
- Innovation Potential - How is your proposal novel? What is the disruptive thinking that could result in a rethinking of the current limits of technology?
- Technical Merit - How technically sound is your proposal? On what current principles and capabilities does it depend? Would it require future advancements and innovations to succeed?
- Feasibility - Has a proof of concept, simulation or demonstration already been built, or could it be built in the course of the competition?
Key Dates
- February 13, 2023 - Call for proposals
- April 21, 2023 - Proposal deadline
- June 5, 2023 - Selection announced
- June 19, 2023 - Virtual Innovathon
- August 18, 2023 - Stage 2 submission deadline
- September 11, 2023 - Finalists announced
- October 2-3, 2023 - Judging & winners announced
The Eligibility Requirements
This prize is open to all eligible applicants who register and submit proposals in the general areas of information and communication technologies. Participants must meet the following criteria:
- Own their ideas
- Be 21 years of age or older
- Possess a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree
- Reside in one of these listed countries:
United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada (except Quebec), China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom - Employees, partners, and consultants of Sponsor and its affiliates and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
- Interns employed by Sponsor or its affiliates are eligible to participate in the Contest. For the purpose of this Contest, an “intern” means a student currently pursuing a degree at an accredited college or university, hired to work for Sponsor or its affiliates on a temporary basis.
Teams of up to four are allowed to participate, provided each member of the team meets the full eligibility requirements. The entire team must be included in the submission and accept the Terms and Conditions.
The Rules
This prize is open to all eligible applicants who register and submit proposals in the general areas of information and communications technologies. Applicants who apply have to acknowledge that they have read, understood, and agree to the Terms and Conditions. If the applicant wants to include team members, then all team members (team size is maximum of four) have to register and accept the Terms and Conditions.
The Awards
Nokia Bell Labs awards a first prize of $100K, a second prize of $50K and a third prize of $25K, all paid directly to prize winners. All three winners are also considered for the unique opportunity to work within the world-renowned Nokia Bell Labs to further explore their ideas, following the end of the competition.
For more information, visit the Bell Labs Prize website.