Contact Information: For further information, please contact: For HSIEC Bronwen Murray (847) 467-0151 bronwen@northwestern.edu Linda Muskin (847) 432-7300 lmuskin@teamclarus.com For Northwestern University Megan Fellman (847) 491-3115 fellman@northwestern.edu
Northwestern University to Host Midwest Event of Global Security Challenge
| Source: HSIEC
EVANSTON, IL--(Marketwire - June 3, 2009) - Northwestern University, along with the
Homeland Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center, will host the
Midwest regional event of the Global Security Challenge (GSC), the world's
largest international security innovation competition. The competition
offers researchers, entrepreneurs and start-ups the opportunity to showcase
their security inventions and compete for more than $500,000 in cash
grants.
The regional event for Midwest entrants will be held September 22, 2009 at
the Feinberg School of Medicine on Northwestern's Chicago campus. The
deadline for Midwest regional entries is June 15. Awards are offered in a
number of different categories, and all Global Security Challenge entrants
will receive feedback on their submission.
"Northwestern University has a long history of creating and supporting
successful start-up companies," said Bret Johnson, Director of the Homeland
Security Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at the University. "And we
believe hosting the regional Global Security Challenge competition is an
excellent contribution to the economic development of the state and
region."
The competition began in 2005 as the brainchild of two London Business
School students. Since that time the GSC has partnered with leading
research universities around the world to host the competition.
The founders of the GSC, Simon Schneider and Janeen Chupa, commented in a
joint statement about the event, "We are proud that our top contenders from
previous competitions have subsequently raised over $52 million in fresh
capital."
Underwriter's Laboratories, a multinational company known for product
safety certification and compliance solutions, is a local sponsor for the
Midwest regional event. In addition to sponsorship, during the event
Underwriter's Laboratories will hold a panel discussion on mass
notification.
The Global Security Challenge Grand Final will take place in London this
November and is hosted by the London Business School.
For more information about the competition please visit the Global Security
Challenge website:
http://www.globalsecuritychallenge.com/gsc_competitions.php.
About Northwestern University - Regional Host Institution
Founded in 1851, Northwestern University is one of the country's leading
private research universities, with an annual budget of $1.5 billion and
sponsored research in excess of $439 million. Located on two lakeshore
campuses -- one in Chicago and one in Evanston, the first suburb north of
Chicago -- Northwestern enrolls about 17,000 students and has some 2,500
full-time faculty.
The University has a long history of leadership in interdisciplinary
research programs and centers. More than 90 school-based centers and 20
University centers support interdisciplinary research that spans a wide
spectrum of areas, including neuroscience, nanotechnology, biotechnology,
and drug discovery.
About HSIEC - Regional Host Institution
HSIEC delivers specialized business development assistance in homeland
security as part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network through a joint
effort between Northwestern University and the Illinois Department of
Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The Center launched in October
2005. For more information visit http://www.hsiec.org.
About Underwriters Laboratories - Regional Event Sponsor
Underwriters Laboratories® is an independent product safety certification
organization that has been testing products and writing standards for
safety for more than a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of
products, components, materials and systems annually with 21 billion UL
Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers' products each year. UL's worldwide
family of companies and network of service providers includes 62
laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 99
countries.
About the Global Security Challenge Competition - Event Founder
Global Security Challenge LLP (GSC) is a central hub for security
innovators, startups and investors. GSC runs the leading international
business plan competition to find and select the most promising security
technology startups in the world. It was established in 2006 by London
Business School students to empower entrepreneurs in the homeland security
technology space. The mission of the GSC is to stimulate technological
innovations that make airports, cities and enterprises safer without
encroaching on civil liberties. The GSC is supported by Accenture, BAE
Systems, ONR Global, PegasusBridge Fund Management, Smiths Detection, TSWG,
and the US Department of Homeland Security, amongst others. For any further
questions regarding the GSC or its events please email:
advice@globalsecuritychallenge.com.