10 of the best ideas from across Europe on Challenging Plastic Waste

The Finalists of the 2019 European Social Innovation Competition are announced

Launched in memory of social innovation pioneer Diogo Vasconcelos, the European Social Innovation Competition is a challenge prize run by the European Commission across all EU Member States and Horizon 2020 associated countries. Now in its 7th year, the Competition acts as a beacon for social innovators in Europe, employing a proven methodology for supporting early-stage ideas and facilitating a network of radical innovators shaping society for the better. Each year the Competition addresses a different issue facing Europe. This year the focus is: Challenging Plastic Waste. The ten Challenging Plastic Waste Finalists are now competing for three 50,000€ prizes.

Apaga (Armenia)
A recycling reward programme based on a digital platform to foster community, education and commitment.

Empower (Norway)
A digital plastic waste collection system, through which plastic waste can be deposited for a financial reward.

LAM’ON (Bulgaria)
A 100% biodegradable laminating film made from renewable resources to seal and preserve printed materials.

Luft parcel (United Kingdom)
A returnable parcel enabling online retailers to eliminate single use plastic and other packaging materials for postal deliveries to customers.

MIWA (Czech Republic)
An innovative, financially sustainable circular distribution and sale system for food and non-food products with reusable packaging.

ReciclaGaMe (Italy)
A bio-conversion, self-sufficient system that converts plastic into a sustainable silk material.

ReFeel Good (Portugal)
A delivery refill system for laundry & home care products.

RIS (Slovenia)
Water-soluble shampoo marbles made with natural ingredients.

SpraySafe (Portugal)
An edible spray used on the surface of foods to preserve them, reducing the need for plastic wraps and containers.

VEnvirotech (Spain)
A biotechnological start-up that transforms organic waste into biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) bioplastics using bacteria.

The 2019 Finalists were selected by an expert Judging Panel from a group of 30 Semi-Finalists who, in turn, had been chosen from a total of 543 applicants from across Europe. All Semi-Finalists participated in the European Social Innovation Competition Academy over the summer; an intensive training and coaching programme designed to develop their initiatives.

Meet the winners at the Awards Ceremony

The Awards Ceremony will take place on 24 October 2019 at the Albert Hall Complex in Brussels. Registrations are now open for an afternoon dedicated to celebrating great social innovation projects that challenge plastic waste, alongside the Competition’s Finalists and experts from across Europe. If you are interested in attending, you can register here.

If you have been inspired please note that Our Playbook for Social Innovation is accessible to everybody. Download it here for advice and tips on starting and developing your own social venture. For updates on the Competition, including the opening of the 2020 edition follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our newsletter.  

The European Social Innovation Competition, launched in memory of Diogo Vasconcelos, is a competition run by the European Commission, now in its seventh year. The competition is open to applicants from EU member states and countries associated to Horizon 2020. The competition is delivered by a consortium of partners including Nesta, Kennisland, Ashoka, ENoLL and Scholz & Friends.