Building start-ups that promote European energy autonomy.
Europe is embarking on an initiative to accelerate its green and digital transition. The Green Alternatives for European Autonomy (GAEA) Challenge has launched on Wednesday 20th of March, encompassing a series of regional and interregional innovation competitions across eight (8) countries: Greece, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.
Why is GAEA Challenge important?
In a world facing critical environmental challenges and the imperative of sustainable development, Europe aims to take a leading role. GAEA aims to generate and accelerate innovative solutions that can tackle contemporary challenges related to the European Green Deal and the aftermath implications of the Russia-Ukraine war. By creating respective innovation competitions in eight (8) countries GAEA aims to enhance its span across Europe and enable the whole process from idea generation to startup creation.
Program Benefits
- Be among the top 3 teams and get access to the winning reward of €3,000.
- Startup services worth up to €30,000.
- Digital certificate from a top European green innovation initiative.
- Networking with industry leaders, successful entrepreneurs, and leading organizations across Europe.
The Initiative in Detail
The GAEA Challenge is an Open Innovation Program designed to engage students, innovators, idea holders and researchers in a collaborative effort to generate and accelerate green solutions. Through regional and interregional innovation competitions, participants will have the opportunity to propose ideas that contribute to Europe’s green transition and enhance its autonomy in critical areas such as energy and raw materials.
Timeline
Phase 1: Regional Innovation Competitions (March-June 2024)
Phase 2: Incubation & Interregional Innovation Competition (July-October 2024)
Phase 3: Acceleration & Startup Establishment (November 2024 – September 2025)
Apply here: gaeachallenge.eu
Phase 1 deadline: June 2024
Green Alternatives for European Autonomy (GAEA) is a project funded by the European Commission and the Horizon Programme. It involves a series of regional and inter-regional innovation competitions in 8 countries: Greece, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
The Innovation Enabler and organizer of the GAEA Challenge is Mantis Beyond Innovation, in collaboration with leading organizations including the UNESCO Chair on Green Innovation and Circular Economy of the National Technical University of Athens, EIT Raw Materials, PASEPPE and Sustainability InnoCenter, the GAEA Challenge seeks to enhance innovation and entrepreneurship in response to the urgent environmental challenges and the pursuit of European autonomy.
source: DEX-IC, GAEA
