Brooks Running has launched a contest to reward innovative ideas generated by enterprising individuals from the amateur running community. The sponsor believes running can help elicit new ideas through the mindfulness runners enjoy, sometimes referred to as ‘runfulness’.

Through the Run Fund, runners are encouraged to put forward their ideas for a chance to receive funds to help turn them into reality. Proposals inspired by runfulness may include inventions, new business ventures or initiatives that could impact society.

Entrants will be required to summarise their idea in a short essay, backed up by a video pitch, which will be reviewed by a panel of judges who will narrow down contestants to a group of semi-finalists. Then, a community vote will ultimately determine a grand prize winner.

The overall prize fund is US $200,000 (approx. £144,000). Four runners will receive US $25,000 (approx. £18,000) from the Run Fund, and one grand prize winner will receive US $100,000 (approx. £72,000).

Entries are open to enterprising individuals who run and are aged 18 and over from the United Kingdom, the USA, Germany, Netherlands, France and Spain. Entries must be original, ie the entrant’s own IP.

The deadline for entries is 31 March 2021 (23:59 Pacific Time).

Applications are made online at the programme website.

More details can be accessed here