Keysight Technologies, Inc. has announced the Keysight Innovation Challenge 2021.

This year's Keysight Innovation Challenge focuses on undergraduate engineering and pre-engineering students enrolled in a historically black college or university (HBCU) to innovate new business opportunities and create videos that demonstrate electronics measurement techniques. HBCUs are institutions of higher education in the U.S. that were established before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 with the intention of primarily serving the African American community. There are currently 101 HBCUs in the U.S., including both public and private institutions.

This year's Keysight competition is an opportunity for these students attending an HBCU to share innovative ideas with the world and to inspire future generations of Black engineers.

"This is one of the many ways Keysight is inspiring a strong and sustainable pool of global leaders who will continue to push technology to new heights and bring positive change in the world with rich and diverse perspectives. We are proud and committed to enable this new generation of innovators," said Ee Huei Sin, senior vice president, Keysight Technologies and president of Keysight's Electronic Industrial Solutions Group.
Students can submit design ideas via online written and video submissions in one or both of two tracks.

Track 1: Innovate Next Business Challenge
•    Students will develop and submit a business plan in electrical engineering that features an electronic invention, innovation or advancement in the electronics design, development, test or manufacturing process

Track 2: Upskill Your Peers Video Challenge
•    Students will create a video that teaches their peers an innovative measurement technique or showcases an advanced measurement technique using test and measurement instruments

Entries for Keysight's Innovation Challenge will be accepted starting April 5, 2021. All entries must be submitted by May 24, 2021. Finalists from Track 1 will be announced on June 24, 2021. They will go on to compete in a live virtual event in September 2021.

Three winners will also be selected by the judges from the videos submitted via Track 2. Winners will be announced June 24, 2021.

First place winners will receive a $2,500 cash prize and Keysight test equipment, as well as an opportunity to interview at Keysight for a full time or summer internship position. The winning team's college or university will also receive Keysight test equipment valued at $15,000. There will also be cash prizes, interview opportunities and Keysight test equipment for second ($1,500 cash plus $10,000 in equipment) and third place winners ($1,000 cash plus $5,000 in equipment).

The Judges for Keysight's Innovation Challenge
Keysight also announced a world class panel of judges for the Innovation Challenge, which includes:
•    Jamaal Abdul-Alim: a longtime education journalist who serves as education editor at The Conversation
•    Nona Cheeks: former Chief of the Strategic Partnerships Office at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center where she leads a team of scientists, engineers, and business professionals in a broad range of functions pertaining to understanding technology trends and priorities and identifying targets of collaboration
•    Luke Lawal:  CEO and founder of HBCU Buzz, a promotional and progressive brand created to generate awareness of collegiate culture
•    Brian Ware: co-director of the National Society of Black Engineers Entrepreneur Special Interest Group, where he is creating and leading programming for over 20,000 members
•    Ee Huei Sin: senior vice president, Keysight Technologies and president of Keysight's Electronic Industrial Solutions Group which addresses the automotive, energy, general electronics, manufacturing, education and semiconductor businesses
•    Marie Hattar: senior vice president and chief marketing officer responsible for Keysight's brand and global marketing efforts, including corporate positioning, messaging and communications to both internal and external audiences
•    Chris Cain: vice president of Keysight's Electronic Industrial Solutions Group, works to develop, deliver and sustain a broad range of electronic industrial products ranging from bench measurement to Industry 4.0 analytics
•    Jeff Harris: vice president of corporate and portfolio marketing for Keysight leads marketing efforts, including product and industry/solutions positioning and education programs for the company's most advanced offerings