Innovate or die! is an innovation competition for students in higher education, where students from different study areas generate new, out of the box solutions for the clients’ business challenge.

The Lapland University of Applied Science had 2 teams from Tornio campus and 1 team from Rovaniemi campus there – students of International business – Katarína Hollá, An Tran, Sahand Arefi Oskui, Dilxat Polat and Matti Hämäläinen. The competition took place in Jämsä, Himos on 17th-18th of November 2016.
For the Rovaniemi team, the journey started already on Wednesday 16th of November when they left Rovaniemi and arrived in Tornio in late hours. At 5am on Thursday morning all 3 teams met and left Tornio together with the coach – Joonas Koivumaa. After almost 8 hours long ride from Tornio, the bus arrived in Himos and Lapland UAS teams were ready to start the competition!

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After introduction speeches, teams received their cases. Our team of IB students received a case of Helsingin Sanomat when they needed to create a new paid digital concept for this famous newspaper to attract more young people. Everyone had only 24 hours to solve this case and they did it really well! By creating and application with multiple interesting features, creating pitch, practicing it and finally on Friday afternoon presenting it they did a great job! Even the Helsingin Sanomat representative said that it is one brilliant idea which has a future.

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After the pitches, winners were chosen and unfortunately none of our teams were part of them. Even though they didn’t become winners of the competition, they became winners for themselves.
Being able to create such amazing ideas in such a short time is a great ability to have and everyone should be proud of themselves for taking part in this competition and gaining valuable experiences for their future life.

Author: Katarína Hollá
Photos: An Tran