Synapse Florida is living up to its name and expanding its efforts across the state, most recently to Orlando with a $40,000 innovation challenge.
The organization that aims to connect the startup and innovation community throughout the state is teaming up with GuideWell Innovation for an upcoming challenge, where members of the community are asked to submit innovative solutions for a business or organization. GuideWell and Synapse have its eyes set on ending food insecurity and the winner will receive a $40,000 prize.
Potential participants interested in solving food insecurity in their own communities can submit their ideas for the challenge, which addresses four different areas of the problem. Solutions can help with availability, access, utilization or "resilience" which helps families recover from an unexpected incident.
Applications are due Aug. 15 and can be found here. There will then be four regional pitch events, in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami, respectively. The top three ideas from each region will then go to a showcase on Oct. 16 at GuideWell Innovation Center in Orlando.
"There are many factors that cause a family or senior to become food insecure such as underemployment, lack of access to healthy foods within a community, limited transportation options or unexpected financial burdens," Kirstie McCool, executive director of GuideWell Innovation, said in a statement. "Florida is filled with creative innovators, entrepreneurs, community leaders and passionate citizens. We are issuing the food insecurity challenge to tap into their innovative minds to find the best solutions to make every Florida community food secure."
