PatriotFest 2023

Are you passionate about space exploration or artificial intelligence, or do you have another innovative idea that you think can be used in the field of national defense and security?

If your idea is ready to at least as a working prototype, then we invite you to enter PatriotFest 2023!

You can register as an individual person (if you are a Romanian citizen, regardless of your country of residence) or as a legal representative (if the company is registered in a NATO/EU member country and has a majority Romanian shareholding).

The themes proposed this year are the following:

„Space” Category

If you are passionate about the aerospace field and your idea can contribute to the deepening of space exploration, then we recommend you to sign up for the „Space” competition category. We will be especially happy if your working prototype addresses challenges such as:

  • Communications – Equipment and Algorithms,
  • Building satellites – cube, small, satellite components, etc.,
  • Satellite launchers,
  • Software applications – detection of positions/orientations/trajectories, image interpretation, etc., but not only these.

„Artificial intelligence” Category

If your working prototype is based on artificial intelligence algorithms, regardless of whether the algorithm is developed by you or if you used existing algorithms in an innovative way, and you believe that your project can be used to create a safer and more prosperous country, then we recommend you to sign up for the „Artificial Intelligence” competition section.

„Creativity” Category 

If you have a functional prototype in areas such as autonomy, human-machine interfaces, extension of human capabilities, information analysis and security, or any other area that can contribute to the improvement of national defense and security, then we recommend that you register for the „Creativity for security”.

CALENDAR

Opening of registration
01st September 2023

Deadline for registration
 30th November 2023

Presentations (in front of a jury)
08th December 2023

PatriotFest Gala
16th January 2024* (or to be decided)

All participants whose functional prototypes or tech developed products will reach the final stage of the competition will have a unique opportunity to interact directly with specialists in the fields of national defense and security.

These experts will closely analyze the innovative technologies and solutions included in the finalist projects, so as to fully understand how they can contribute to increasing country’s security level.

Participants will benefit from detailed evaluation and constructive feedback from practitioners experienced in using similar technologies for defense and public safety purposes. They will be able to clarify any concerns and receive valuable recommendations for improving the prototypes.

This direct exchange of knowledge between inventors and real-world experts will contribute to the development of practical solutions that meet the needs identified by specialists protecting national interests.

The participants will thus benefit from a valuable opportunity to learn and perfect their projects, with a positive impact on the security of Romanian citizens in the future.

INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS

         

MEDIA PARTNERS

    Trustul de Presă al MApN

 

Interviews

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Community

Organizer

Sigla STS 2021

F&Q

Because we want to be prepared for future challenges and that is why PatriotFest’s mission is to identify creative people and innovative solutions. It is vital that the field of national security closely follows technological developments, identifies risks and threats, but at the same time is concerned of the on going innovation.

Institutions in the field of national security – the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Special Telecommunications Service, the Protection and Guard Service. They decided to cooperate in the realization of this project that encourages innovation.

The New Strategy Center association, which proposed the idea for the competition, is a partner in its organization of PatriotFest.

The jury will be composed of experts with competence in the specialized field of the demonstrated prototype. The final composition of the jury will depend on the projects entered in the competition.

PatriotFest aims to better prepare national security for upcoming challenges while also providing an opportunity for innovators to work in Romania and for Romania.

The objectives of PatriotFest are:

  • Encouraging innovative talent in the field of national security, by offering opportunities in Romania;
  • Encouraging private and academic innovation projects by capitalizing on the results in Romania;
  • Increasing the degree of adaptation of private and academic innovation to the requirements of institutions in the field of national security;
  • Increasing the degree of transfer of innovation from the private and academic fields to national security;
  • Strengthening the partnership between citizens and the institutions that defend Romania.

The functional prototype must comply with the following conditions:

  • It must be as close as possible to the version that would go into production;
  • It must be functional to be tested.

No, any Romanian citizen can participate. We welcome everyone who loves Romania.

Employees of MApN, MAI, SRI, STS, SPP, nor employees / members of NSC cannot participate in the contest. The members of the jury who will be selected at the end of the prototype submission stage will submit a declaration on their own responsibility according to which there are no relatives up to the third degree among the registered competitors, otherwise they will recuse themselves. The prototypes must be original, competitors having the obligation to specify this fact in the registration form, bearing all legal responsibility in case of infringement of intellectual property rights.

All costs related to the prize fund, promotion and organization of PatriotFest will be covered by private sponsorships. There are several media partners who have decided to support the PatriotFest contest for free.

All participants will retain their intellectual property rights to the presented prototypes. The organizers of PatriotFest will be able to use the name of the competitors, the name and the image of the prototypes only for advertising purposes in order to increase the notoriety of the competition and to promote the people and prototypes that particularly attracted the attention of the organizers.

Institutions in the field of national security will analyze the possibility of internally integrating the prototypes, depending on the demonstrated needs and the efficiency of the prototype. In this way, the winner will benefit from intellectual property rights and will be able to contribute to strengthening Romania’s security.

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