The Valencian Institute of Business Competitiveness (IVACE), in collaboration with the Metalworking, Furniture, Wood, Packing and Similar Technologic Institute (AIDIMME) and theNetwork of Technologic Institutes of the Valencian Community (REDIT), has launched the “Accelerathon Water Challenges” initiative; an open innovation competition on wastewater challenges: treatments, waterreuse, energy and war materials with the institutional support of the European Commission’s StartupEurope.
The competition is open to Start-ups, universities, technological institutes, business associations, town halls, industrial parks, SMEs and entrepreneurs. Among all the challenges and solutions presented, the best proposal will be selected and then accelerated for presentation to the next LIFE Programme call.
Minister of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Work, Rafa Climent has remarked “theacknowledged role Ivace has in Europe and its activity in line with the objectives of sustainabledevelopment of the UN”. In this regard, Climent has shown that “Accelerathon Water Challenges” responds to the 6th United Nations Sustainable Development Goal which points to the need to have clean water, residue-free and that can reuseand recovered”.
On the other hand, Fernando Saludes, president of REDIT and AIDIMME has said that “these initiativesare really interesting as they allow us, on the basis of certain defined challenges, to propose creative solutions and provide different approaches that will enable us to make progress in improving a process as important as water treatment”.
WEBINAR ON THURSDAY, MAY 28TH
In order to explain all the details, IVACE has organized a Webinar presentation next Thursday, May 28that 18:00 (CET). The competition aims to identify innovative solutions and environmental sub challenges on water defined by companies, town halls and entities.
From there, several multidisciplinary teams will be formed to design projects on advanced treatments, water, energy and raw materials recovery from wastewater, giving possible solutions to the global challenge launched at the Accelerathon.
It is organized by IVACE and Startup Europe Accelerator of the Finnova Foundation, in collaboration with SEIMED, REDIT and AIDIMME with the institutional support of the European Commission within the framework of the Water Startup Europe Awards.
WATER ACCELERATHON
This is an innovation competition in which entrepreneurs, universities, technological institutes, business associations, town halls, industrial parks, SMEs, and public and private entities from all over the world, committed to water challenges, can participate.
The competition of the different teams will be carried out with e-learning tools and with the LIFE methodology a joint work will be made to obtain optimal solutions that provide innovation in the Valencian Community.
The Water Challenges Accelerathon IVACE programme will last two months and as reward you will be eligible for an European acceleration ticket to access EU funds, go international or access to funding of up to 2 million euros form the European LIFE Environment and Resources Programme with the presentation of the project to the call on July 14th.
Spain is a leader in the LIFE programme in which a total of 495 projects have been approved. This activity has meant a contribution of more than 550 million euros for our country. The Valencian Community has contributed with a total of 78 projects, which has meant 60 million euros in return.