"Telekom Challenge" is looking for scientists and experts with innovative ideas on the home network of the future

• Deutsche Telekom launches international science competition
• Total prize money of over 700,000 euros. Winner receives up to 150,000 euros 
• Wanted: Innovative ideas on data distribution in home networks and its security

Deutsche Telekom's research and development unit, T-Labs, is launching its international science competition Telekom Challenge. 

“We are excited about innovative approaches for future and secure data distribution in home networks. From modern textiles to new routers or alternative wireless technologies - we can imagine a lot. With the Telekom Challenge, we are targeting the brightest minds in the national and international research community, whether at universities, research centers or in the corporate and startup environment,” said Claudia Nemat, Deutsche Telekom Board member for Technology and Innovation.

The Telekom Challenge will be launched on January 15 and comprises two tasks for which scientists and experts from around the world can submit solutions:

1. In the "research stream", T-Labs is looking for scientific papers with ideas on the next generation of data distribution in home networks – what could be an alternative to Wi-Fi?
2. The "development stream" is looking for measurable improvements in the form of a technical proof of concept (PoC) tackling the question: How can secure data distribution be ensured in home networks?

The jury, headed up by Alexander Lautz, Head of T-Labs, boasts expertise from a variety of disciplines with both external members like for example Prof. Dr. Claudia Eckert, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC) and Chair for "IT Security" at the Faculty of Informatics at the Technical University of Munich, as well as representatives from Telekom.

"As the level of digitization increases, the security of one's own data and the protection of privacy are becoming more and more important. But protection against manipulated data that leads to misconduct and thus allows hackers access to systems, for example, is also becoming increasingly important. However, especially in home networks, both aspects are often still greatly underestimated by users. That's why I very much welcome the Telekom Challenge's call for innovative solutions and architectures that will help protect users in their home environment in the long term. I look forward to hopefully many exciting and innovative proposals," explains Prof. Dr. Claudia Eckert.

Anyone interested can submit their application as a short proposal by March 15 at www.telekom-challenge.com. Ten finalists will be selected for each stream from the solutions put forward.

It's worth taking part

The 20 finalists chosen will have from April to the end of August to elaborate on their ideas. They will be given a subsidy for taking part totaling 25,000 euros in the development stream and 2,000 euros in the research stream. 

The award ceremony will take place in September. The winner of the development stream will be awarded 150,000 euros and the winner of the research stream 75,000 euros.

All information about the Telekom Challenge can be found at www.telekom-challenge.com. Participation in the challenge is free.

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