FNB announces search for ‘next great innovator’

Reckon you’ve got the next great innocation up your sleeve? Then South African banking giant FNB wants to hear from you. The bank, which last year claimed the title of world’s most innovative bank at the BAI Finacle Global Banking Innovation Awards, today announced the launch of the “Ideas Can Help” competition.

The competition brief, says FNB, is to be creative, be original, while making a real difference to communities in South Africa.

The winner will receive R 500 000 to develop their idea plus a one year Business Development Programme / Incubation from the Vumela Enterprise Development Fund. The first and second runners up, it appears, will each receive R 175 000.

“Innovation, a word synonymous to FNB is a core value of all FNBers,” says FNB’s chief marketing office Bernice Samuels. “Help lives in everything we do, and the very act of innovation drives economic growth and sustainability. Through this campaign we want individuals outside of FNB to make a difference even in the smallest of ways to demonstrate how “help” can lead the way in growing and building our communities and country”.

The submissions that FNB receives will be reviewed, with FNB taking those that make it onto the shortlist and putting them on its blog. From there, the public will be able to vote for who they feel should ultimately take the prize.

Supporters of the various innovations will also stand a chance to win R 3000 per week until the 15th of October for showing support for the idea that they believe is the most helpful and innovative.