Marisa Garcia In a publicity stunt that proves Sweden totally owns its Silicon Valley of the Nordics status, IT company, Consid, is offering people a stipend to travel the world hunting Pokémon and catch ‘em all.
The firm explains its decision to create the world’s first (perhaps only) Pokémon GO Scholarship to the huge popularity of Niantic’s and Nintendo’s gift to summer.
The Pokémon GO Scholarship is for SEK 30,000, about EUR 3165, and will fund a Pokémon GO trip during which “the fellow will be given the opportunity to travel to any location worldwide and catch his or her desired Pokémon”.
Fellow-scholarship even.
“The game has created an international community like no other. It generates a new context for millions of people globally. We cannot see any reason not to support this”, says the Brand Manager of the company, Beatrice Carpvik.
The fellow can use the funds to travel to any destination around the world and catch Pokémon in a new place they’ve always wanted to visit. The scope of the grant includes funding to rise in rank in the game by purchasing Pokéballs or Lure models. (You need your tools if you’re going to get ahead in life).
Of course, there have to be limits to any scholarship and in this case the limit is that you must be an active Pokémon GO player living in Sweden.
Applicants must complete a Pokémon GO CV on Consid’s Website and submit it by September 30.
You can not only catch ‘em all. You can tell your friends you have an official Pokémon GO CV! This will really get you ahead in life. For sure.
Beatrice Carpvik, Brand Manager at Consid, “is exalted by the company’s decision to raise the Pokémon GO Scholarship and hopes for many applicants” the firm states.
“It does not matter where you go – the Pokémon GO players are everywhere, hence the scholarship should be of great interest,” Carpvik emphasises.
She also highlights the many benefits of the game for growth and personal development:
“There is an incredible number of advantages generated from Pokémon GO – the aspect of the digital revolution triggered by the game, the social aspect and also the fact that Pokémon GO makes people move and activate. It is very positive,” she says.
Consid believes Pokémon GO is “a game that creates contexts – and belonging” adding that they “can see clear connections between the influence Pokémon GO has on the world and their company’s own vision.” Which is a lovely sentiment.
“Our vision is to create context in the world through the solutions we develop for our customers. What Niantic, The Pokémon Company and Nintendo have created through Pokémon GO goes in line with this. The game has created an international community like nothing else. It generates a new context for millions of people around world and enable people, that without the game probably never would have met to meet and feel a belonging. I am convinced the game adds a tremendous joy and probably cured a lot of loneliness around the world. Moreover, Pokémon GO has an incredibly progressive technology and illustrate a unique opportunity to make use of an application outdoors. As an IT company in the forefront of digitalization, we see no reason not to support this,” says Carpvik.
Consid even has a Pokémon GO scholarship Q&A, because it’s a complicated scholarship to wrap your head around. (Listed here verbatim).
What is the purpose of the scholarship?
– The aim is to recognize an individual who stand out a little extra in his or her playing. We want to pay attention to someone who in some way made themselves particularly well deserving of a scholarship like this.
How can I use the scholarship?
– The scholarship intends to fund a Pokémon GO trip where the fellow will be given the opportunity to travel to any destination worldwide and catch Pokémon in a new, coveted environment. The chance is also given to, within the scope of the grant, evolve in the game by for instance the purchase of Pokéballs or Lure models.
Why a Pokémon GO scholarship?
– We can see a clear connection between the game and the values we have as a company. Hence, it felt natural to create a Pokémon GO Scholarship.
Who can apply for the Pokémon GO Scholarship?
– It is available for any applicate playing Pokémon GO. The application is completed by filling out their very own Pokémon GO CV on Consid ́s Website and submit it by September 30. You have to be a Swedish citizen for this Scholarship, although Consid ́s intention is to establish an international Scholarship for anyone to apply if great interest is shown.
Who appoints the fellow?
– The winner is determined by one of Consid appointed jury.
Who is Consid?
Consid is a fast growing IT and management consulting company with offices in jönköping, Stockholm, Uppsala, Örebro, Norrköping, Linköping, Göteborg, Malmö, Ljungby, Sundsvall, Storebro, Värnamo och Växjö. The company was founded in Vetlanda in 2000 by Peter Hellgren and Henrik Sandell. In 2015 Consid had a turnover of SEK 361 million and made SEK 33 million in profits. The company estimated sales of SEK 450 million for 2016. The headquarter moved to Jönköping in 2005 and in the last years the company has gradually increased to today ́s 325 employees.
What the Heck, GO!
This may be quite an obvious reach by an IT company to be part of the buzz around Pokémon GO, but it’s also a golden ticket for a would-be-world-trotting Swede to get out and see the world on someone else’s kronor.
I know if I were a young Swede I would already have submitted my made-up CV.
