Calling All Makers: Esurance and Maker Faire Announce the "Road to Maker Faire Challenge Presented by Esurance"

SAN FRANCISCO, March 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal car insurance company, is pleased to announce the "Road to Maker Faire Challenge Presented by Esurance." This competition invites burgeoning "makers" to enter their do-it-yourself (DIY) projects suitable for exhibition at Maker Faire Bay Area. 

(Logo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111222/SF26836LOGO-b)

First launched in 2006, Maker Faire Bay Area is the premier annual event for grassroots American innovation. Tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, and others will show off their latest creations on May 19 and 20 at the San Mateo Events Center in San Mateo, California.

For those interested in the challenge, Esurance and the Maker Faire organizers will accept submissions at http://makezine.com/road-to-maker-faire-challenge/ from March 6 until April 5, 2012. Participants will compete for a chance to win cash and prizes related to the Maker Faire event. 

"As an innovation leader in the car insurance industry, Esurance is excited to support an event that honors the pioneering, DIY spirit," said Esurance Vice President of Marketing Darren Howard. "After all, Esurance was one of the first to bring car insurance online, making it possible for self-service consumers to easily buy and manage their policies, so it's only natural that we are partnering with Maker Faire to reward those creators whose resourcefulness and ingenuity can be an inspiration to us all."

Submissions may be conceptual or previously created, and may include a wide range of disciplines, such as robotics, textile arts, rockets, sustainability, electronics, electric vehicles, kites, bicycles, biology and chemistry, puppets, unusual tools or machines, how to fix or take things apart, music performance, and other forms of direct participation. Interactive projects highlighting the process of making things are particularly encouraged.

The grand prize winner will receive $2,000 to be used towards a trip to Maker Faire Bay Area 2012 to exhibit and present his or her project alongside the Esurance booth. Two runner-up prize winners will receive a Maker's Notebook, a one-year subscription to Make magazine, and two adult-weekend passes to Maker Faire Bay Area 2012.

Entries will be judged based on the following criteria:

(a)   Originality of the idea (40 percent)
(b)   Quality of documentation (30 percent)
(c)   Booth display proposal (20 percent)
(d)   Challenge to the maker (10 percent)

Winners will be notified by email on or around April 16, 2012.  Click here to view official rules.

About Maker Faire

Inaugurated in 2006 in the San Francisco Bay Area, Maker Faire is a two-day festival celebrating all things nifty, crafty, inventive, and DIY. Part science fair, part county fair, and all fun, Maker Faire gives creative people everywhere a chance to show what they've made and share how it's done.

The seventh annual festival happening this May 19 and 20 in San Mateo promises to deliver fresh inventions and a chance to check out everything from robotics to green tech to unusual tools and machines.

Maker Faire Bay Area
(also called Maker Faire San Francisco and Maker Faire San Mateo)
May 19 and 20, 2012
San Mateo Event Center, San Mateo, California

About Esurance®

Esurance, an Allstate company, provides personal auto insurance direct-to- consumers online and through select agents, including sister company Answer Financial. Esurance is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance. By combining the best of technology with industry know-how, Esurance is able to offer hassle-free coverage with 24/7 customer service and claims handling at competitive prices. For more information, visit www.esurance.com and www.answerfinancial.com.

Prizes: One (1) Grand Prize Winner, and Two (2) Runner-Up Winners will each receive the following:

Grand Prize Winner (1): Grand Prize Winner will receive $2,000 to be used towards a trip to Maker Faire Bay Area on May 19 and 20, 2012 in San Mateo, CA, for Grand Prize Winner to present and exhibit winning entry. Approximate retail value ("ARV") is $2,000.           

Runner-Up Prize Winners (2): Each Runner-Up Prize Winner will receive a Maker's Notebook, a one-year subscription to Make Magazine, and two adult-weekend passes to Maker Faire Bay Area 2012. ARV of Runner-Up Prize is $155.

SOURCE Esurance