Anyone of any age can enter, provided they have access to a Raspberry Pi computer. All that’s needed is an original innovation that is less than five years old and not in commercial use. Entries will be judged for inventiveness and originality, quality of design, potential impact, and how significantly RealVNC Connect is used in the innovation.
The top prize is $1,000 in cash, and the first 100 valid entries will receive a free t-shirt and laptop sticker that say “CERTIFIED INNOVATOR.”
RealVNC Connect remote access software has been included in Raspberry Pi’s base operating system since 2016 and is free for anyone to use for educational or non-commercial purposes. Since the partnership began, over 300,000 RealVNC accounts have been created from Raspberry Pi devices.
Full rules and entry forms can be found on the main RealVNC Raspberry Pi Prize competition page.
Key dates are:
- September 4 (entries close)
- September 25 (shortlist announced)
- November 4 (the overall winner and runners-up announced)
RealVNC was partly inspired to create this competition by one of our customers, Matthew Ireland of MiPi Support.
Ireland used a Raspberry Pi and RealVNC Connect to design a system that delivers essential software to his volunteer fire station in Iowa. Initially a non-commercial project, the solution was so successful that other stations began asking for his help. Ireland rolled out the devices to hundreds of first responder agencies across seven states and now operates the system as a commercial business.
Thousands more people use RealVNC Connect in creative ways on Raspberry Pi devices every day. This competition hopes to recognize them and celebrate their ingenuity and creativity.
Ireland has joined us as a competition judge, together with RealVNC co-founder Tristan Richardson, as well as Emma Smith, the Director of Digital Transformation at the University of Bath.
Anyone interested in more information about the competition should visit the RealVNC Raspberry Pi Prize page on the RealVNC website.
