Karachi: Ericsson has launched its annual Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) 2021, a global competition with a grand prize of €25,000 that offers university students around the world the chance to develop new, innovative ideas with support from Ericsson experts. Pakistani University level students can also participate in this competition to win 25,000 Euros and gain international exposure. The theme in 2021 is “Bridge the Digital Divide”. The digital revolution has transformed the world, enriching lives in countless ways yet half the planet lives without access to the tools, information, and resources that many of us rely on every day. Ericsson Innovation Awards is open to students currently enrolled in University studies. Students from around the world are invited to enter the competition and are encouraged to form diverse teams of two to four members. Teams must register and submit their ideas by August 5th at 11 AM GMT and the first 50 submissions will receive extra guidance for refining their ideas. Innovations come in all sizes, from simple changes in code that could redefine the networks of the future to complex technological advances that will advance humanitarian efforts across the world. We believe that young people drive innovation and development when it comes to current pressing issues. That’s why, with innovation at the heart of Ericsson, we want to invite young talents to register for Ericsson Innovation Awards 2021, said a statement. Each of the seven regional winners will receive €1,000 cash prize and in some cases, additional special recognition and prizes offered within respective regions. All 14 Semi-finalists – including the seven regional winners – will receive Seven weeks of mentorship from Ericsson experts in innovation and business, recognition on Ericsson social and digital media, the possibility of Ericsson recruiter interviews (if any suitable positions are available at the time) and certificate of achievement. All three finalist teams will receive Grand Prize Winner: €25,000, 2nd Place: €15,000, 3rd Place: €5,000, Bonus: Social Media Prize: €2,000, an invitation to the Ericsson Innovation Awards Grand Final, an additional four weeks of mentorship and recognition across Ericsson social media and digital channels. All three Finalists will have their entries uploaded onto the Instagram page of @ericssoncareers, and for the 24 hours before the Grand Final, anyone can vote on this page. The team who receives the most votes will win an additional €2,000.