Make to Care 2017 Contest Calls for Projects, Finalists to Attend Maker Faire Rome

While the Make to Care contest is one that instills a sense of healthy competition in young creators around the world—as well as inspiring them to innovate—it is also one that brings forth inventions capable of changing the lives of individuals in need. Last year, the Make to Care initiative called for entrants to design assistive devices. The winners created a kit that allows those with disabilities to seek out new opportunities, as well as an open source electronic glove that helps the deaf and blind expand their level of communication and live more independently.

Make to Care 2017 is gearing up now, with a call for projects to be submitted by September 15 via Call for Makers at the European Maker Faire. The assessment committee for the projects will be headed by Giuseppe Novelli, Rector of the University of Rome Tor Vergata. The committee will choose initiatives ‘most innovative and original in proposing concrete solutions to improve the daily lives of people living with any form of disability, and of those caring for them.’

The contest finalists will be asked to attend an event on November 29, leading up to the start of the fifth Maker Faire Rome. On that evening, finalists will be able to give a five-minute presentation. All finalists will be also be welcomed as guests at the Maker Faire, being held from December 1-3 at Fiera di Roma.

“I am glad to be able to repeat my participation in Make to Care as chairman of the Assessment Committee,” says Professor Novelli. “This project has the merit of bringing out Italian excellence and the talents coming out of our universities that can grasp a tangible need linked to the patients’ daily life, and commit their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to providing effective responses. The experience of the first edition was an exciting one, and I’m sure we’ll find interesting and ambitious designs again this year.”

The contest was created by Sanofi Genzyme, the specialty care division for Sanofi, headquartered in Italy. The Make to Care competition is in its second year, as it continues to encourage makers to create devices and solutions that will meet the needs of those who are disabled. (Make to Care defines a disability as a marked decrease in quality of life due to pathologies or traumatic events.)

“Participation in the contest, as well as being specifically addressed to the Maker community, is free and open to anyone (Italian or foreign individuals, companies, organizations, associations, foundations, and / or other legal entities with residence or Italy or other European Union countries), in line with the Maker community philosophy,” states Make to Care.

Last year’s 13 Make to Care finalists with Enrico Piccinini (General Manager Sanofi Genzyme Italy), Paolo Bonaretti (ASTER) and Giuseppe Novelli (Tor Vergata University) [Image: Sanofi Genzyme]

• Download the rules
• Read the Application Guide
• Find out how to upload your project directly to the Maker Faire site

The top two winners will be offered a trip to Silicon Valley, and they will also be able to visit numerous companies and startups engaged in 3D printing and prototyping, seeking to make an impact in the health and wellness industry.

The winners will have access to fab labs, incubators, and co-working spaces as inventors of today work to create new devices and opportunities for the disabled. This opportunity is managed by Aster, headquartered in the Emilia Romagna region, but with offices in the US. Winners last year enjoyed a substantial itinerary, visiting San Francisco State University, Stanford, Berkeley, and much more.

You can also find out more about the contest from Maker Faire here, and more information about the winners’ visit to California here. Discuss in the Make to Care forum at 3DPB.com.