It’s almost time for our Singularity University trip and both Andrew and I are getting more and more excited. I recently happened upon the blog post I had written when we had been shortlisted, all the way back in August, and ended up reminiscing on how we got here.
For those of you who haven’t been following us, our journey started in July 2013, when the Isle of Man Department of Economic Development (DED) and Pokerstars announced something they called the Isle of Man Grand Challenge. It was a call for individuals looking to be catalysts for change in the local economy with the aim of finding 2 people to send to Singularity University to participate on their Executive Programme.
Andrew and I were among 16 people who put ourselves forward for this opportunity. We eventually made it down to a shortlist and ended up in an interview with a panel comprising of representatives from local industry, the sponsor and Singularity University. I used my slot to talk about issues I saw the Isle of Man will be facing in the future and to talk about ways I believe these can be addressed, through the twin pillars of innovation and education. A few days later, Andrew and I got the call: we had made it through the selection process and would be jetting off to Silicon Valley in December!
Well, December if finally upon us and our flights leave next week! There are still some final details to sort out, but we’re getting all our ducks in a row and are looking forward to learning about all the wonders Singularity has in store for us. I’m hoping we can bring ideas and contacts back to the Isle of Man to help us make a difference.
This post was originally posted on our Grand Challenge Blog which we’ll be using to post photos, updates and snippets along the way, so feel free to subscribe to our feed and join your journey!