CRE8® - A COMPETITION IN CREATIVITY

CRE8® is a fast-paced method for competing in creative problem solving, with an emphasis on innovation. Three to four interdisciplinary teams of students test their problem-solving abilities and pitched their solutions to a jury. The teams are given real cases from researchers, companies and the public sector. The objective is to train the students in solving real-life problems and to collaborate in teams – a useful experience for their future careers.

HOW THE COMPETITION WORKS

The competition is preceded by a course in pitching ideas of about one hour, organised by Drivhuset. The course is adapted to the actual case, without revealing what the case is. The commissioning parties are usually kept secret until the day of CRE8®.

After the course in pitching ideas has been completed, the competition part begins with practical information and a presentation of the commissioning party. The students are divided into teams and the competition coordinator then puts them to work. The teams are only allowed to use pen and paper/whiteboard. No online devices are permitted. The teams have three hours to prepare for the pitch.

The teams pitch their ideas to the jury in groups. This is done individually, that is, the teams are not allowed to see each other’s pitch as part of the rules of the competition. After the pitches, the jury deliberates and selects a winning team which is presented when everyone is gathered again and the winners receive an award.

Students do not have to prepare to take part in CRE8® and there is no follow-up work. Come as you are, leave as someone else!

FOR EMPLOYERS

Do you have a case that might suit our students? A case needs to be focused on developing innovative solutions. It should not be about administrative duties or basic day to day operations – the idea is to use the students’ creative abilities. A good case has a clear description, but leaves a lot of room to find solutions. If a case that is too detailed it may inhibit creativity, and if it is too vague it can be difficult to define a problem. We can assist you in drafting the case description to strike a good balance.

FOR STUDENTS

Do you want to take part in an exciting and educational challenge that will boost your entrepreneurial skills and give you valuable career contacts? CRE8® helps you develop your problem-solving abilities together with other students. You get to work with a real case assigned directly by a researcher, a company or an actor in the public sector, allowing for a variety of solutions. Keep an eye out for upcoming competition rounds on this page. In the meantime, you can always contact us if you want to work on your entrepreneurial skills.

PREVIOUS CRE8® COMPETITIONS

CRE8® was held for the first time in 2017, and has included Löfbergs, Karlstad Energi, OK Värmland and OKQ8 Scandinavia, Mundati, Karlstad Municipality, Säffle Municipality, COWI, Sandvik, SSAB, Outokumpu, Uddeholm, Moelven, Region Värmland, Stora Enso and Klara Sol in collaboration with Valmet, to mention a few examples.

We have held CRE8® at Jernkontoret in Stockholm four years in a row. During this spinn-off competition known as CRE8® the Future, Jernkontoret awards a scholarship of SEK 400,000. The aim is to attract innovative employees to the steel industry and encourage creativity that promotes the Swedish steel industry. The competition includes eight competing teams from different universities all over Sweden. The commissioning party in 2019 was one of Jernkontoret’s member companies, Höganäs AB. Watch the video here!

CRE8® PART OF THE ARIES4 PROJECT

Learn more about our international project ARIES4, where CRE8® is included.

ARIES4

UPCOMING CRE8®

The next CRE8® will be held on 24 October 2024. Sign up today.

Name, course/degree programme and year, telephone, email and any special diet requests cre8@kau.se

The commissioning party has the right to continue working with solutions/ideas that the students present at CRE8® - preferably in collaboration with the students if there is an interest to do so. If the students want to further an idea, they need consent from the commissioning party.

When you sign up for CRE8®, you approve that Karlstad University saves your personal data for the purpose of contacting and informing you about the CRE8® competition for which you have registered.