Sikorsky Innovations, the technology development organization of US-based helicopter maker Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, itself a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp, launched on 30 July its fourth Entrepreneurial Challenge, a competition to accelerate companies and individuals with applications in the vertical flight market. Winning teams, upon completion of the year, are subject to an investment evaluation by Sikorsky.
Laurence Vigeant-Langlois, director of business development for Sikorsky Innovations, said: “The Sikorsky Entrepreneurial Challenge has been successful in expanding the contact and in exploring synergies between agile and innovative businesses and Sikorsky. There is value in expanding our reach to larger and more mature small companies as well as to business ventures already associated with Sikorsky.”
The scope of the Entrepreneurial Challenge has been modified such that qualified applicants are any small business between 1 and 100 employees with no annual revenue cap. Applications are due by 1 November.
Chris Van Buiten, Vice President of Sikorsky Innovations. “Sikorsky Aircraft is celebrating its ninetieth anniversary, a milestone it has reached because it is a company that constantly innovates. Creating strategic relationships with innovative entrepreneurs is an important dimension of the innovation process that will enable us to continue being the leader in vertical flight solutions.”