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Call for Applications for the ISC3 Innovation Challenge in Sustainable Chemistry and Waste Prevention, Valorization & Management

The International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Centre (ISC3) launched the ISC3 Innovation Challenge in Sustainable Chemistry and Waste: Prevention, Valorisation & Management. Contest applications will be accepted until April 19, 2022. The winner of the Innovation Challenge 2021/2022 will be awarded a monetary prize of 15,000 EUR.

The ISC3 Innovation Challenge is organized annually and focusses on a specific topic that follows the respective focus topic of the ISC3.The current third Innovation Challenge addresses innovators from around the world developing solutions in the following thematic areas:

Waste Prevention:

• Avoiding and reducing environmental impact
• Durability and resilience
• Closing material, molecule, and energy cycles
• Waste reduction/avoidance by resource-efficient chemical and biotechnological production
• Substitution of critical product ingredients preventing recycling
• Product design for longevity and better recyclability

Waste Valorisation:

• Recovery and reuse of waste streams: plastic and other materials waste, electronic waste, agricultural and food waste, construction waste, production waste, wastewater and other waste streams
• Recycling, beneficial reuse, value recovery
• Waste reclamation
• Energy and scarce element recovery
• Business models facilitating waste collection and valorisation

Waste Management:

• Safe and sound management of waste
• Waste and waste-water treatment
• Harmful substances in materials and products
• Collection, transport, treatment, disposal, monitoring and regulation

ISC3 2022 special focus topic:

• Waste management related to renewable energy supply (e.g. recycling/recyclability of batteries, wind power plant blades, PV materials)

Proposals submitted by innovators and entrepreneurs from developing countries and proposals that are tackling challenges in developing countries are particularly encouraged, as are proposals coming from female entrepreneurs.

After the proposal evaluation period (June 16 – July 11, 2022), five finalists will be officially announced after July 15, 2022. They will receive access to ISC3 Global Start-up Service’s customized support, as well as pitch training, networking possibilities and visibility via the ISC3 communication channels. The winners of the Innovation Challenge 2021/2022 will be awarded in the frame of the November-held Investor Forum 2022. In addition to the main prize of 15.000 EUR, the winners of two further categories, namely “Best Social Impact” and “Best Regional Impact”, will receive monetary prizes of 5.000 EUR each. All three winners will also gain digital award credentials including a blockchain-based certificate and badge.

The ISC3 Innovation Challenge aims to engage, award, and promote sustainable chemistry innovators and their original solutions, since the transformation of the chemical sector plays a crucial role towards achieving most of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

For more information and to submit your application, please visit: ISC3 Innovation Challenge 2022 

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