Arctic Innovation Competition awards creative thinking

Andrea Miller
907-474-5942
April 7, 2022

The ��ķ��Ƶ College of Business and Security Management will award over $40,000 in cash prizes and scholarships Saturday, April 16, after the final round of presentations in the 2022 UAF .

The competition, presented by Usibelli Coal Mine, is now in its 13th year. Competitors propose new, feasible and potentially profitable ideas for solving real-life problems and challenges. Ideas do not have to be Arctic themed but often are, given our geographic location.

Cash awards in the main division include a $10,000 grand prize and three $2,000 specialty Kicker prizes. The prizes recognize the best ideas in the categories of “Arctic,” “Sustainability” and, new this year, “Climate Adaptation.” Competitors from the junior and cub divisions, sponsored by Kinross Fort Knox, will share almost $4,000 in cash prizes, as well as $14,000 in awards from Alaska 529 to start or add to an educational savings account. Other event sponsors include GCI, Northrim Bank, Design Alaska, Fairbanks Economic Development Corp. and the Alaska National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

The schedule of events for AIC 2022 is below:

Monday, April 11, 5:30-7:30 p.m. — Cub Division Semifinals
Tuesday, April 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m. — Junior Division Semifinals
Wednesday, April 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. — Main Division Semifinals Session No. 1
Thursday, April 14, 5:30-7:30 p.m. — Main Division Semifinals Session No. 2
Saturday, April 16, 1-2:30 p.m. — AIC Award Ceremony

AIC rules stipulate that multiple entries from one competitor are allowed. One 2022 cub division competitor, 11-year-old Brooks Pinney, is a past AIC winner who this year submitted eight ideas. Those included Community Co-op Shops, Heated Shovels, Red Tide Detector App and Reverse Osmosis Water Bottles, all four of which made it to the semifinals.

”I think about ideas a lot and often write them down when we are driving,” Brooks said. “I came up with the heated shovel after having to break up ice on our driveway this winter. With the prize money, I will save some and donate the rest to the poor.”

Some intriguing entries in the main division include Harmony Turbines Decentralizing Power Generation, Prismatext, Phire Charger and Drive Up Winter Plug-In. See the complete list of the semifinalists.

Members of the public are invited to vote for their favorite ideas. One idea in each division will win a Chris Marok Allstate Fan Favorite Lego trophy and cash award. Fan Favorite voting will take place online from Thursday, April 7, through Thursday, April 14.

If you have questions about the competition, contact AIC staff at 907-474-6518 or aic@arcticinno.com.

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