Our Client, the National Centre for Research and Development, has launched an innovative project entitled “Grand Challenge: Energy”. This is the first Polish initiative in a unique formula modelled upon DARPA Grand Challenge competitions. The legal aspects of the project are handled by one of our lawyers, Mateusz Stańczyk.
‘Our Client took up the challenge to implement a procedure that has not been used in Poland before. The role of our firm has been to adapt the competition format to Polish and European legal framework’, explains Mateusz Stańczyk, responsible for coordinating SMM Legal’s work related to this task. ‘We have also prepared the documentation for the project (Grand Challenge Manual) and provide advisory in its roll-out’, adds Mr. Stańczyk.
The concept behind grand research challenges is to engage the widest group of innovators possible in the search for a technological solution to the pertinent social problem involving the individual use of renewable energy sources.
The competition task is to develop a compact device for individual consumers that would transform wind energy into electricity and then ensure its effective storage. The DARPA Grand Challenge formula opens the field for participation to all inventors, not only researchers or students, but also dedicated amateurs. The winner will receive the prize of one million zlotys.
‘It’s not the first time that we have supported our clients applying our expertise and skills in order to help them creatively develop their activity’, says Przemysław Maciak, Managing Partner at SMM Legal. ‘We are the right partner for business trailblazers. Importantly, our work also contributes to solving important social problems’, adds Mr. Maciak.
On Thursday, May 7, an online conference was held to reveal further details of the project to participants.
