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maggio 03, 2016 - Green Alley Award

Start-up competition Green Alley Award 2016 kicks off

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European Circular Economy competition with focus on FinlandFor the third time in a row the Berlin Investment GmbH #green Alley is calling young entrepreneurs to apply for Europe’s only start-up prize for circular economy. All innovative business models related to resource preservation, resource recovery, circular economy and recycling can be submitted by 27th July. The final of the #green Alley Award is going to take place in Berlin at the end of October. Apply now online and with only a few klicks at www.green-alley-award.com.

 This year’s #green Alley Award is showing particular interest in the Nordics, by focusing on Finland. While the European Union still discusses a fitting circular economy package, Finland is already a step ahead: investments to promote the circular economy are top priority on Finland’s agenda. Finland not only serves as a role model regarding circular economy, but is known for its thriving start-up scene. On the search for suitable partners, #green Alley is proud to announce the European Recycling Platform (ERP) Finland as lead-partner to endorse the award in the Nordic countries. As last year, #green Alley will be supported by Germany’s crowdfunding-pioneer Seedmatch and the British accelerator-programme Bethnal #green Ventures.

“We want to encourage young entrepreneurs across Europe to rethink existing patterns of consumerism and waste habits. We see Finland as a maverick of the circular economy. Finnish start-ups prove themselves time and again through their technical know-how and are never shying away from revolutionizing established industries. This has been proven by the Finish start-up RePack, which won the #green Alley Award 2014 for presenting the idea of reusable packaging. This year we are happy to continue the spirit of Helsinki and, at the same time, mixing it with Berlin’s start-up euphoria”, says Jan Patrick Schulz, CEO of the #green Alley Investment GmbH.

Connecting #green ideas: Berlin, London and Helsinki

In 2015, the #green Alley Award already received 100 applications from all over Europe, including ideas from Germany, Israel, Bulgaria, Ireland, and the UK, but also as far away as from South America and Canada. The winner of the final pitch was the British start-up Adaptavate with its product “Breathaboard”, an alternative wall paneling, made out of 75% agricultural bio composite and therefore entirely decomposable. With this year’s focus on Finland as a #green economy role model and start-up nation, #green Alley hopes to inspire young entrepreneurs all over Europe.

Finland has its primary focus on resource efficiency. Finnish households have already started to collect used electronic equipment for many years. As a consequence, they are ranked among the top countries in the European comparison of waste management. Furthermore Finland continuously develops new models of “Rent, Repair, Recycle and Reuse” concepts. “Finnish entrepreneurs seem to have plenty of fresh ideas. This is exactly where #green Alley aims to dock on – the dynamics of innovation – a very “fertile ground” for young start-ups in Finland. We are excited about taking business models with potential to the next level and helping young people, with good ideas, to succeed.”, says Olli Alanen, Country Manager of ERP Finland.

Jens-Uwe Sauer, founder and CEO of Seedmatch also shares this excitement: “We have been partners with #green Alley since the very beginning. In the last rounds, young entrepreneurs showed us that the circular economy lies close to their heart. And all of them approached the topic entirely different. That kind of variety of ideas is exactly what we wish to see again. We are looking forward to the third year of the award and many applications from all over Europe.”

The most persuasive applicants will be invited to our pitch in Berlin at the end of October 2016. All our finalists will receive valuable advice on how to establish successful business models and how to enter the market through individual workshops with experts of the circular economy. As last year, the chosen start-ups will present their ideas in a live-pitch to a broad audience of industry specialists. The final winner of the #green Alley Award 2016 will be selected by a jury of experts from the start-up and circular economy sector and will receive a prize package of cash and services worth up to 30,000 €. In addition, the winner will have the opportunity to raise funds through crowdfunding or investments and to participate in an accelerator-programme. For more details on the competition, please go to www.green-alley-award.com

About the #green Alley Award

The #green Alley Award is given once a year to entrepreneurs and start-ups of the circular economy, organized by a network of partners in the Circular Economy and European entrepreneurial scene. #green Alley, the initiator and circular economy investor, has been working with Seedmatch, Germany’s crowdfunding pioneer, since 2014. Additional partners include the London accelerator Bethnal #green Ventures for technology driven start-ups in environmental and social areas. This year’s lead partner is the European Recycling Platform (ERP) Finland, a recycling supplier for electrical and electronic equipment as well as batteries.

Photos: #green Alley Award 2015