Deadline: 27 April 2018
The European Commission is seeking applications for its European Social Innovation Competition that is a challenge prize run by the European Commission across all Horizon 2020 associated countries.
The Competition aims at stimulating social innovation’s potential to provide solutions to societal challenges and foster sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe. It will directly support some ideas best illustrating that potential. It will engage citizens, businesses (including start-ups) in a large range of sectors, as well as universities, business and engineering schools, thereby creating new connections, sources of growth and job opportunities.
The 2018 Competition, RE:THINK LOCAL, calls for the most innovative products, services, business models and collaborations that empower young people to participate fully in a changing economy. Such ideas should address local challenges or be based on the creation of opportunities, impact and value locally or at community level.
The 2018 European Social Innovation Competition is looking for ideas including, but not limited to:
- Initiatives that use new technologies and ways of working to provide opportunities for youth within their local communities
- Ideas that assist young people who wouldn’t otherwise have become innovators to create their own opportunities in their local environment
- Ideas co-created with young people to respond to requirements in their local community for skills, experiences and opportunities
- Solutions to improve the quality of life and financial security of young people in irregular work
- Innovations that provide information, advice and guidance to young people so they can navigate their options in the new economy
- Programmes that equip the next generation of workers with skills that allow young people to harness technological change
Prize Amount
The Competition will support the winning solutions with cash prizes awarded in two steps:
- In 2018, it will award 3 challenge prizes of 50,000 euros each to the best 3 ideas, from those selected as ‘semi-finalists’ (i.e. indicatively 30 entries selected for the second phase);
- In 2019, it is expected to award 1 impact prize of 50,000 euros to the project which has achieved most results amongst the above-mentioned 2018 semi-finalists (subject to the allocation of the required budget appropriations).
Eligibility Criteria
- The competition is open to any legal entity (including natural persons) or group of legal entities, except public administrations, established in EU Member States or Associated countries to Horizon 2020.
- Ideas and proposals from all sources, sectors and all types of organisations including for-profit, non-for-profit, or private companies are welcome.
- Applications involving several organisations and/or from various countries are possible.
- Eligibility criteria must be complied with for the entire duration of the competition. If the United Kingdom withdraws from the EU during the competition period without concluding an agreement with the EU ensuring in particular that British applicants continue to be eligible, applicant’s application will be rejected.
- Please also be aware that participants that have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via given website.
Eligible Countries: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Israel, Moldova, Switzerland, Faroe Islands , Ukraine, Tunisia, Georgia, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom
For more information, please visit European Social Innovation Competition.