Around 20 people came together on and offline in Cornwall last weekend to compete against other teams across the world in a 48 hour design challenge.
Managed by Penryn-based Sea Communications and held at the Pool Innovation Centre, the team took part in the Global Service Jam, which gives participants just two days to design a new service based around a shared theme.
Starting at 6pm on Friday (March 11) the group had until 3pm Sunday (March 13) to come up with a challenge and solution based on the theme ‘Super Heroes’.
Sea Communications director, Robert Woolf, who managed the project, said: “It was a very exciting and creative 48 hours. The theme came in just 15 minutes before the project kicked off.
“It was one that created a great deal of debate, especially how we can link an issue in Cornwall around heroes.”
Working in small groups the team spent time defining the challenge by mixing facts and figures, as well as going to locations around Cornwall to explore the issue in more detail.
The eventual challenge the group settled on was: ‘How can we take advantage of Cornwall’s super powers to grow the economy?’
Woolf said: “Imagine if Cornwall was a worldwide superbrand.
“Where Cornwall’s economy grew as a result of a unique mandate and where ‘collaborative consumption’ removed the grief from growth, to deliver global advantages.
“So we created Oyster – a bank of everything, except money, that invests the best of our resources to help our pearls shine brighter.
“We created Oyster to be owned by people, powered by Cornwall and loved by the world.”
The project was posted on the Global Service Jam website where it will unofficially compete against challenges from around the world.
The Cornwall Development Company and UK Trade and Investment are seeking professional services companies to make up a preferred suppliers list for investor services. If you have demonstrated experience dealing with international clients, please contact Kathryn Lister on 01872 322951 or email: kathryn@investincornwall.com for further details.
