Posts Tagged Life Academy

And the winners are…

Jun 30

Posted by Blue E Blogger in Announcements | 1 Comment

After an exciting two months, we are today ready to announce the winners of Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy.

On Friday our 12 finalists battled it out live in front of a high profile judging panel comprising of Professor Robert Winston, entrepreneur and lastminute.com co-founder Brent Hoberman, Countdown mathematician Rachel Riley, Channel 4 technology journalist Benjamin Cohen and Microsoft Director Leila Martine to win one of three £10,000 grants.

The winning ideas are:

Adventurer Explorer Grant

Luke, 22, a medical graduate at Bristol University won the Adventurer Explorer Grant for his charitable idea to build a Vocational Centre in Bweyale, Uganda.  The young entrepreneur will use the funds to help bring the internet and services to Bweyale which will significantly improve their personal and educational needs in the community.  You can see Luke’s live pitch here

http://www.lifeacademy.uk.com/entries/view/a0c3161f51ef4b9a900681a7b85270ea

Online Venture Explorer Grant

Rowenna Davis, 25, a graduate and freelance journalist from London won the Online Venture Grant for her concept Young People: Local Government.  Rowenna entered the competition with an idea to target young people who are disillusioned and disengaged with mainstream politics. The prize money will go towards building a website that will link young people to local governments around the country who are struggling to find new councilors You can see Rowenna’s live pitch here http://www.lifeacademy.uk.com/entries/view/13bf5e648274446bac2bc6d97bda4f91

Creativity Explorer Grant

Nick Palfrey, 23, from Plymouth won the Creativity Explorer Grant for Moofu Education, an e-learning system aimed at maximizing students’ potential by using multi-media tools and new technology to make learning spaces better.   Using cutting edge games technology, and an understanding of students’ needs, it encourages students to design, create and develop their own learning spaces – and interact with the elements within.

You can see Nick’s live pitch here http://www.lifeacademy.uk.com/entries/view/b7d0df6568334198b22d89b7f8780c93

Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy is a national competition launched to give 18-25 year olds a chance to explore their future potential and win a £10,000 grant to make their socially responsible ideas a reality. All entrants had to pitch for a grant in one of three categories.

For more information on Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy including the original 12 finalists checkout our website http://www.lifeacademy.uk.com/

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The IE Generation will Shape Our Future

May 26

Posted by Blue E Blogger in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

It’s amazing to think that IE is now 15 years old, with version 1.0 launched back in 1995.  So today’s 18 year old will have been surfing the net with IE since the age of 3.

Today’s (only slightly older!) IE blogger remembers a time when information was far scarcer. With a nasty history teacher setting an assignment on Romulus and Remus (back in 1992) we found the two books in the library ‘out’ and scrambling for a source, asking relatives for the story of the Greek Myth. Unsurprisingly we didn’t get the best grade in the class.

But a new generation have been used to using Windows and IE from day one. Information is available at your fingertips, on your phone, netbook or laptop. The Future Laboratory call this the ‘slash/slash’ generation:

“The Slash/Slash generation are best described as do it all teens and twenty-somethings that undertake multiple careers – often creating brand names for themselves. In the age of online communities and digital media, the mash up of platforms empowers online creatives to be good at a number of things rather than just one. Why just be the lead singer of your electro band when you can also have a YouTube channel, T-shirt line, club night, record label and you can DJ, sell illustrations and make remixes.” – http://neilbennett.blogspot.com/2008/02/slash-slash-generation.html

This new generation who have grown up with the Internet are sharing information like never before – via social networks, wikis and blogs. Growing up with knowledge at their fingertips will fundamentally drive science and invention forwards faster than ever in the next 15 years – and we cannot wait to see the results.

The next post will look at how the slash/slash generation can mash-up IE with accelerators to speed up search even more. If you’re part of this generation of 18 – 25 year olds and fancy yourself as the next Bill Gates take a look at www.lifeacademy.uk.com

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Entries to the Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy close Thursday 27 May

May 25

Posted by Blue E Blogger in Announcements | 4 Comments

For a chance to win £10,000, 18 – 25 year olds have only 48 hours left to upload their online video pitch at www.lifeacademy.uk.com. The Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy helps 18 – 25 year olds with ambitions to be the next Bill Gates, Bear Gryls or Banksy and win one of three £10,000 grants.

From the environment to the arts, Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy wants 18 – 25 year olds to pitch a socially responsible idea for one of three categories. If entrants impress the high profile judging panel they will be rewarded with £10,000 to help make their idea into reality.

Categories include:

  • The Adventurer Explorer Grant for travel, adventure or environmental projects
  • The Online Venture Explorer Grant for budding technology and business entrepreneurs
  • The Creativity Explorer Grant for creative, media and arts-based ideas. 

Entrants simply need to create a two minute video pitch of their idea – filmed using their mobile if they like – and upload it to the grant website at www.lifeacademy.uk.com by the closing date, 27th May. All entrants need to communicate how their ideas reflect aspects of social responsibility and/ or philanthropy to society.

Twelve finalists will be shortlisted on 15 June 2010 to pitch their idea live in front of a high profile panel of judges consisting of figures from the business, online and media world including Professor Robert Winston, Professor of Science and Society at Imperial College London. Three finalists will be picked and win a £10,000 grant each to bring their ideas to life.

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Students Compete For £10,000 Prize

May 13

Posted by Blue E Blogger in Competitions | No Comments

Just over a week ago we launched Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy to help 18 – 25 year olds with ambitions to be the next Bill Gates, Bear Gryls or Banksy to win one of three £10,000 grants. Since then we’ve been inundated with entries and here at The Blue E we’d like to showcase some of the entrants we’ve received so far….

Nick Palfrey – Fun and effective classroom learning
23-year-old Nick is the founder and managing director of Moofu. After spending his school days struggling against the strict national curriculum he became passionate about using multi-media tools and new technology to make learning spaces better and maximise students’ potential.

Charles Coldman – Helping school kids in rural Kenya
25-year-old graduate Charles Coldman spent his gap year in Kasigau, in rural south-east Kenya. His experience opened his eyes to the lack of education infrastructure, and he made a promise to the headmaster of the local school that he would return to give the pupils a better school.

Laurence Kemball-Cook – Creating green energy from walking
Laurence Kemball-Cook studied Industrial Design and Technology at Loughborough University. One day Laurence had a bright idea. Would it be possible to power street lights, shop fronts, even advertising boards, simply by walking down the street?
 

Do you think you have what it takes to win a £10,000 grant? If so, why not enter? Simply create a two minute video pitch of your idea – filmed using your mobile if you like – and upload it to the grant website at www.lifeacademy.uk.com by the closing date, 27th May.

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Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy launches to help 18-25 year olds explore a brighter future

May 4

Posted by Blue E Blogger in Announcements | No Comments

Microsoft today launched Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy to help 18 – 25 year olds with ambitions to be the next Bill Gates, Bear Gryls or Banksy to win one of three £10,000 grants.

From the environment to the arts, Internet Explorer 8 Life Academy wants 18 – 25 year olds to pitch a socially responsible idea for one of three categories. If entrants impress the high profile judging panel they will be rewarded with £10,000 to help make their idea into reality.

Categories include:

  • the Adventurer Explorer Grant for travel, adventure or environmental projects 
  • the Online Venture Explorer Grant for budding technology and business entrepreneurs  
  • the Creativity Explorer Grant for creative, media and arts-based ideas.   

 

Julia Owen, Internet Explorer Product Manager, Microsoft said: “Students today have grown up with the internet, and Internet Explorer has grown with them, bringing a wealth of possibilities and experiences and helping to support them explore their future potential.

“Universities and colleges are a hothouse for some great ideas for all different sectors from the arts to science and business to education. The internet continues to be a source of knowledge and inspiration for emerging talent and we want to continue encouraging and supporting students to explore and develop their ambitions by giving them the extra boost to get their idea off the ground.”

Entrants simply need to create a two minute video pitch of their idea – filmed using their mobile if they like – and upload it to the grant website at www.lifeacademy.uk.com by the closing date, 27th May.

All entrants need to communicate how their ideas reflect aspects of social responsibility and/ or philanthropy to society.

Twelve finalists will be shortlisted on 15 June 2010 to pitch their idea live in front of a high profile panel of judges consisting of figures from the business, online and media world including Professor Robert Winston, Professor of Science and Society at Imperial College London. Three finalists will be picked and win a £10,000 grant each to bring their ideas to life.

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