Announcing the five finalists in the Smart Ageing Prize Seoana Sherry-Brennan Seoana Sherry-Brennan Digital Communications and Prize Engagement Officer View profile 07 Oct 2020 The five finalist teams in the third Smart Ageing Prize have now been selected, after an intense deliberation session by an expert panel of judges. Five ideas were selected from the original semi-finalist cohort of 15, which were chosen back in March, and represented a wide and innovative range of solutions that aim to empower older adults to engage in entrepreneurship. The final five were identified as having the most potential to support older adults looking to re-engage with the world of work, particularly during the current uncertain economy. The judging panel, which is made up of some of the top industry experts in the field of ageing and enterprise, had a tough time whittling the 15 semi-finalists down to just five at the virtual judging event, which took place on Friday 2nd October. Over the last few months, the semi-finalists have been engaging in a range of support activities to develop their concepts, including online coaching and business workshop sessions, all of which have been moved online due to the ongoing pandemic. The game-changing ideas include: Diaspo Diaspo’s vision is to unite generations by rekindling their appreciation and connection to cultural heritage through food. From the comfort of their own kitchens, older adults can be supported to become virtual teachers, hosting live and interactive cooking classes for younger people via a video conferencing platform. Grandnanny A new type of childcare service that connects communities. It matches older adults who are looking for rewarding, part-time work with local families who need after-school childcare. Parlangi Parlangi connects people from different generations, cultures and nationalities. Younger adults who want to learn a language are matched via the Parlangi app with older adults who are native speakers of that language, to help tackle different problems such as loneliness, prejudice and the feeling of being useless. The Care Hub A platform that provides dignified work for older adults by connecting them with families in need of care services. The work is flexible and designed around the abilities of the older adults, encouraging entrepreneurship within them and empowering them as productive contributors to the economy. Silver Starters An online training programme for older adults focused on teaching start-up principles. The programme has been developed with older adults so that the content is specifically tailored to their needs. Adaptive learning has been incorporated into the programme both online and offline to ensure a personalised training experience. Constance Agyeman, Head of International Development and Communities at Nesta Challenges said: “Now more than ever, it is vital that anyone who is looking to pursue a passion or develop a business has access to the tools they need to do so. Too often, the older generation are forgotten about when it comes to technology and the future of work, which is why the Smart Ageing Prize is so important, to help provide new opportunities for older adults to contribute their extensive skills and experience to a changing and precarious economy.” The finalists will now be crossing their fingers until November, when the winners will be announced via a virtual awards ceremony] during the European Online Week of Active & Healthy Ageing 2020. The first place team will receive an €35,000 to refine their solution and bring it to market. The first runner-up will also bag €10,000 and the second runner-up will be awarded €5,000. For more details about the finalists in the Smart Ageing Prize, follow us on AAL and Nesta Challenges Twitter!
