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# 5 Most Common Mistakes Innovators Make When Submitting To Innovation Competitions? S12 Ep29
- URL: https://www.philmckinney.com/mistakes-innovation-competitions/
- Published: 2016-10-18T14:30:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-05T19:19:31.000Z
- Author: Phil McKinney
- Tags: Past Shows, Studio Sessions, Chicago Innovation Awards, Idea Connection, innovation awards, innovation competitions, Tom Kuczmarski, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-03-26 05:08

Download [5\_Most\_Common\_Mistakes\_Innovators\_Make\_When\_Submitting\_To\_Innovation\_Competitions\_S12\_Ep29.mp3](http://traffic.libsyn.com/philmckinney/5%5FMost%5FCommon%5FMistakes%5FInnovators%5FMake%5FWhen%5FSubmitting%5FTo%5FInnovation%5FCompetitions%5FS12%5FEp29.mp3?ref=philmckinney.com)

Winning innovation competitions or innovation awards can be a major achievement and proof of you and your teams ability to innovate. Which innovation competitions or awards should you submit to? Are there any downsides to submitting and winning a competiton or an award?

In this weeks show, we discuss the structures and thinking behind innovation competitions and innovations awards and I share the 5 most common mistakes I've experienced as a judge.

## Innovation Awards

- A special guest, [Tom Kuczmarski](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-3-things-that-every-organization-should-do-to-be-truly-innovative/), shared an update on the [Chicago Innovation Awards](http://www.chicagoinnovationawards.com/?ref=philmckinney.com).
- This award is now in its 15th year.
- Of the \~200 awards given in the past, 100% of the companies and organizations are still around.
- This year they will give out 10 awards including some new ones such as; [Social Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/be-unreasonable-and-change-the-world-s11-ep19/), Peoples Choice Awards and Neighborhood Awards.
- Criteria they use to select the winner of the Chicago Innovation Award?  
  - What was the customer need the innovation addressed?
  - What was the impact from the innovation?
  - Was their a competitive response? (indication of impact since others attempt to copy)
  - Did the innovation create a new category?

## Innovation Competitions

- What are the different type of innovation competitions?  
  - Solution search like [Idea Connection](https://www.ideaconnection.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)
  - Broad new ideas
  - Narrow/focused new ideas
- Approaches to applying to a competition  
  - Forward approach: Read the competition and solve for the ask proposed in competition material
  - Backward approach: Take an idea you already have and find a competition where it can be applied

## 5 Most Common Mistakes

1. Not doing sufficient research on the space to fully understand the problem/ask beyond what was presented in the competition material.
2. Not fully reading/understand the ask. Make sure you don't inject assumptions and bias into crafting your solution to a misunderstood ask.
3. Not following the guidelines on submissions. Understand what/how/format of the submission.
4. Submitting an weak/shallow submission. Apply some deep thinking ([go beyond the obvious](http://beyondtheobvious.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)) and [create a killer presentation/pitch](https://www.philmckinney.com/7-parts-to-an-innovation-pitch-for-your-idea-s11-ep50/). Don't short change it.
5. Not understanding the IP (intellectual property) rules for the competition.

## Show Links:

- [Idea Connection](https://www.ideaconnection.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)
- [Chicago Innovation Awards](http://www.chicagoinnovationawards.com/?ref=philmckinney.com)
- [Tom Kuczmarski interview on a previous episode of Killer Innovation](https://www.philmckinney.com/what-are-the-3-things-that-every-organization-should-do-to-be-truly-innovative/)