The RealVNC Raspberry Pi Prize
Rules of Contest

1. Overview

The RealVNC Raspberry Pi Prize celebrates the world’s most innovative combined use of the Raspberry Pi computer and RealVNC Connect software.

The competition is administered and organized by RealVNC, the company founded by the original creators of VNC®.

2. Eligibility to enter

The competition is open to anyone worldwide with an exciting innovation that uses both a Raspberry Pi and RealVNC Connect software, except for residents of the following countries and regions:

• Russia
• Belarus
• The portions of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia currently under Russian occupation
• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
• Eritrea
• Syria
• Cuba
• Iran
• Sudan
• South Sudan
• Venezuela

The competition is open to individuals or small teams of four people or less but not to organizations. Any entry which does not include the name and contact details of a specific responsible individual (or small group of individuals) will not be considered.

The competition is not open to RealVNC employees, contractors,or their immediate families.

3. Costs and intellectual property

The competition is free to enter.

Please note: the cost of designing or demonstrating an innovation is the entrant’s responsibility.

All intellectual property included in any innovation submitted to the competition will remain the property of the person or persons entering.

Please note: RealVNC reserves the right to share information submitted as part of an entry for publicity purposes. Entries should not contain any confidential information (including trade secrets).

4. Requirement of originality and non-commercialization

Entries must be original ideas from the applicants. This can include new or improved ways to implement existing solutions, combine them, or adapt them to a different context or target group, but it cannot be an exact copy.

Entries MUST include solutions that are either for non-commercial use or solutions which are not yet in commercial use.

Entries MUST NOT:

1. Include solutions over five years old.
2. Include solutions that are currently in commercial use
3. Include solutions that are primarily designed for military applications. If unsure, please contact the competition for a ruling.

Entries that are not determined by the judges to be based on original ideas or are judged to already be in widespread use will not be considered nor be eligible for any prizes.

5. Prizes

RealVNC will reward the First-Place winner with $1,000, the Second-Place winner with a prize of $500, and the Third-Place winner with a prize of $250.

Additional prizes may be added to the competition over time.

All monetary prizes are expressed in US Dollars. RealVNC reserves the right to pay an equivalent amount in any other currency if necessary.

The winners are responsible for providing bank account details or other means for RealVNC to pay the prize in a single payment.

Prizes will not be paid in cash or any form of digital currency.

RealVNC will award the first 100 entries (minimum) that meet the minimum quality threshold (see below) with a contribution gift. This will be distributed via Printful, which cannot deliver to the following countries: Russia, Belarus, the portions of Ukraine currently under Russian occupation, Ecuador, Cuba, Iran, Syria, and North Korea. Entries submitted from these locations will not be eligible for a contribution gift.

6. Media exposure

All entries named in the shortlist (see below) will receive coverage on the RealVNC website and social media and will be mentioned in a general media press release.

The winner and the runner-up winners will receive additional similar coverage.

Please note: by entering the competition, entrants agree to be profiled in RealVNC-produced content, and by the wider media.

7. Contact between entrants and RealVNC

Anyone with questions about the competition is welcome to contact the competition administrators using the competition contact form.

RealVNC will make a good faith effort to reply to all emails and answer any questions to the best of its ability but cannot guarantee responses or any particular outcome to a question.

8. How to enter the competition

1. Complete the entry form (including a link to an explanatory video or slide deck).
2. Submit the entry form before the entry period closes (see below).

9. Entry requirements

Entrants must:

1. Agree to the rules of the competition.
2. Agree to participate in any media coverage of the competition.
3. Provide sufficient written detail of their innovative solution to convince the judges it meets the minimum quality threshold.
4. Provide a short video or slide deck with audio descriptions demonstrating the innovation is genuine and works as claimed.
5. Unless prior agreement is made with the competition administrators, entries must be in standard English.
6. Enter a maximum of five entries. Any additional entries will not be considered.

Please note: the judging panel reserves the right not to consider incomplete entries.

10. Minimum quality threshold

To be considered valid for judging, all entries must meet the minimum quality threshold:

1. The solution must feature the use of at least one Raspberry Pi device used in a significant way.
2. The solution must include the significant use of RealVNC Connect software.
3. The solution must solve a real problem with real-world implications.
4. The solution must be reasonably practical to implement.
5. The problem the solution addresses must apply to a significant number of people.
6. The solution must be demonstrated using real equipment, and not merely be a theoretical application of technology.
7. The solution must be safe and legal to implement.

Please note: the requirements to use a Raspberry Pi device and RealVNC Connect software cannot be fulfilled using technology other than a genuine Raspberry Pi and RealVNC Connect.

Any entry that the judges determine to be frivolous, demeaning to any individual or social group, or harmful to the reputation of RealVNC or Raspberry Pi will not be considered nor be eligible for any prizes.

11. Competition dates

• 5 July 2023 – Entries open.
• 18 September 2023 (extended) – Entries close.
• 25 September 2023 – Shortlist announce.
• 6 November 2023 – Winner and runners-up announced.

Please note: RealVNC reserves the right to adjust any date to help with the administration of the competition. Updates will be provided on the competition home page.

12. Deviating from rules

Entries deviating from the requirements of the contest will be rejected and will not be further evaluated.

13. Judging criteria

Originality and level of innovation – 45 points

The entry will be assessed based on how much it differs from similar innovations already developed and implemented.

Quality of design – 25 points

The entry will be assessed for practicality, workability, versatility, and durability.

Potential impact – 15 points

The entry will be assessed for how many and/or how much end users could benefit from the solution (either directly or indirectly).

Use of RealVNC Connect – 15 points

The entry will be assessed for how well RealVNC Connect is used in the solution and how central RealVNC Connect is to the solution’s performance.

100 points total.

14. Feedback and scores

Judging scores will not be published at any point during or after the competition.

Feedback from individual judges will not be provided for any entry.

General feedback from the entire judging panel will only be provided to entries named in the shortlist.

15. The shortlist

Before naming the winner and runners-up of the competition, RealVNC will release a shortlist of finalists. Entries on the shortlist will receive media coverage and the competition entry prize. The number of entries named to the shortlist will be decided by the judges.

16. Judges

The judging panel includes the judges named on the competition home page, assisted by employees of RealVNC (who will help vet entries to ensure they meet the minimum quality threshold).

The judges’ decisions are final, and no correspondence will be entered into by RealVNC or the judges concerning decisions.

17. Acceptance of terms and conditions

Submission of an entry implies acceptance of the terms and conditions set out in the contest documents and, where appropriate, waiver of the entrant’s own general or specific terms and conditions. It is binding on the entrant to whom any prize is awarded.

18. Protection of data

If processing your entry to this competition involves the recording and processing of personal data (such as your name, address, or work history), such data will be processed by RealVNC in accordance with UK law. Unless indicated otherwise, personal data will be processed by RealVNC solely for evaluation purposes under the rules of competition.

19. Liability

Neither RealVNC nor anyone else associated with this administration of this competition may be held responsible for any claim relating to the activities carried out in the framework of the competition by the entrant. Neither RealVNC nor anyone else associated with this administration of this competition shall be held liable for any damage caused or sustained by any of the participants, including any damage caused to third parties as a consequence of, or during the implementation of the activities related to the competition.

20. Applicable law

The contest is governed by the applicable law of England.

21. Confidentiality of entries

RealVNC cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any non-personal information related to the solution included in any competition entry. Entrants are strongly discouraged from including any trade secrets or confidential information.