Stockholm Hosts 12th European Investment Bank Social Innovation Tournament

Stockholm Hosts 12th European Investment Bank Social Innovation Tournament

(IN BRIEF) Fifteen of Europe’s leading social innovators are set to compete in the 12th European Investment Bank Institute Social Innovation Tournament in Stockholm on September 28. These innovators from ten countries have developed projects with remarkable social, ethical, or environmental impacts. Notable projects include an AI-powered dementia test, an AI-driven housing marketplace, and innovative home solar solutions. The competition offers prizes totaling €150,000 and focuses on sustainable solutions for cities and communities. The event rotates through different EU capitals, with winners selected by a panel of experts. The tournament has a history of helping impact entrepreneurs scale their projects through additional funding.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 21-Sep-2023 — /EuropaWire/ — The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, announces that Europe’s most promising social innovators are gearing up for the grand finale of the 12th European Investment Bank Institute Social Innovation Tournament. This prestigious event, held under the auspices of EIB Vice-President Thomas Östros, is scheduled to take place on 28 September in the vibrant city of Stockholm.

The annual Social Innovation Tournament provides a platform for finalists to showcase their groundbreaking ideas that are driving positive social, ethical, or environmental change. This year’s cohort of innovators hails from ten countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.

Among the finalists are standout projects like BRAINTRIP (Malta), which is pioneering an AI-powered dementia test; HUSMUS (Sweden), an AI-powered marketplace striving to democratize access to housing; and WE DO SOLAR (Germany), which is revolutionizing home energy solutions with its innovative balcony and garden fence solar installations. Scroll down to see the full list of this year’s 15 finalists.

The competition is fierce as these innovative ventures compete for five prestigious prizes: General Category and Special Category 1st and 2nd Prizes of €100,000 and €40,000, respectively, as well as an Audience Choice Award of €10,000. Notably, this year’s Special Category Prizes will be awarded to projects dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for cities and communities.

The Social Innovation Tournament has a rich tradition of rotating through different EU capitals, with prizes conferred by a panel of experts from academia and the business world. Selected in May from an impressive pool of nearly 300 applicants, the finalists undergo a tailor-made training program before presenting their projects to a jury of social innovation specialists, defending their vision for a better world.

Mark your calendars for the Spark Moments event, where finalists will passionately pitch their projects to the public, and the Awards Dinner, both happening on 28 September at Fotografiska in Stockholm, the Contemporary Museum of Photography, Art, and Culture. Be sure to stay tuned for the announcement of this year’s winners, and register here to attend the tournament and award ceremony in person in Stockholm or virtually.

Launched in Luxembourg in 2012, the Social Innovation Tournament has been a catalyst for numerous impact entrepreneurs across Europe, helping them scale their influence, often through additional EU and private investor funding.

Background information

The EIB Institute was set up within the EIB Group (European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund) to promote and support social, cultural and academic initiatives with European stakeholders and the public at large. It is a key pillar of the EIB Group’s community and citizenship engagement.

Annex: Projects Selected for EIB Institute Social Innovation Tournament Final

AIDROLYST by C2Cat — Aidrolyst is a global breakthrough in enabling green hydrogen. It develops high-performance, custom-made catalysts for hydrogen production and storage. (Netherlands)

BETTAF!SH – BettaF!sh — tastes like tuna, made from seaweed. Who knew saving the sea could be so yummy! (Germany)

BRAINTRIP — Braintrip is a non-invasive, electroencephalogram-based, AI-powered dementia test worthy of the 21st century. (Malta)

DIAMENS — One in ten women suffers from endometriosis. Diamens is the world’s first at-home test kit for easy, pain-free diagnosis of endometriosis. Identify your pain. Period. (Austria)

GRIBOUILLI — Gribouilli is the first professional association of babysitters and nannies. It is empowering a largely invisible community of immigrant women whose employment is precarious. (France)

HUSMUS — Husmus is an AI-powered marketplace that drives fairer access to homes. We create and provide customisable, affordable insurance that enables all renters to access homes without financial barriers. (Sweden)

MONUMENTI APERTI by Imago Mundi — Since 1997, Monumenti Aperti has offered global expertise to communities ready to enhance their cultural heritage, helping them to raise awareness to foster their local growth. (Italy)

MUNEVO — Munevo DRIVE is a control system for power wheelchairs based on smart glasses. It allows people without hand function to become independently mobile using simple head movements. (Germany)

SMART FIBER by FIBSEN — Ending water scarcity with smart sensing to secure our future. (Spain)

SOCIALCARD — With SocialCard, you can donate the cash value of unused loyalty points directly to people experiencing homelessness. Turn your cashback into “cashforward” and go from pocket change to real change! (Austria)

SOPHIA CHATBOT — “Sophia” is a 24/7 digital companion helping survivors of domestic violence remain confident and aware as they take action to save their own lives. (Switzerland)

STUTTER STARS (formerly FLUENCY FRIENDS) by SAY IT Labs — Stutter Stars is the world’s first interactive video game for people who stutter. Helping improve communication — anytime, anywhere. (Belgium)

SUMM AI — SUMM AI is the “Google Translate for easy language”: Our tool makes complex text easy to understand for everyone at the click of a button. (Germany)

VEMOTION by Reactive Robotics — VEMOTION is a robotic assistance system for mobilisation in intensive care units. It helps speed up patient recovery, reduce stress on nurses, and alleviate the problems of understaffing. Because YOU care! (Germany)

WE DO SOLAR — We Do Solar offers an at-home solar solution that’s easy to install on balconies or garden fences. It generates green energy to power your household devices, reducing your energy bills by up to 25% — all while helping the planet by saving CO₂. (Germany)

Media contacts:

Anna Johansson
a.johansson@ext.eib.org
+352 4379 – 70884

Press Office

press@eib.org
+352 4379 – 21000

SOURCE: European Investment Bank