European Social Innovation Competition 2018

European Social Innovation Competition 2018

What was the European Social Innovation Competition 2018?

‘Re:think Local’ called for the most innovative products, services, business models and collaborations that empower young people to participate fully in a changing economy, up-skilling them for new employment opportunities. Ideas led by young people and those that addressed local challenges or created value at community level were particularly encouraged. It was funded by the European Commission.

Impact of the Competition

  • 70% of semi-finalists agreed that the Competition allowed them to form new partnerships
  • 27 of the 30 semi-finalist teams indicated that they had made use of the Social Innovation Toolkit
  • 29 of the semi-finalist teams included end-users in testing their solutions
  • 97% of semi-finalists felt supported by being part of a peer-to-peer network of social innovators in Europe
  • 80% of semi-finalists agreed that the Competition gave exposure to their project

This challenge was funded by

  • European Commission logo

The winners

Two people stand in front of a sign for the European Social Innovation Competition

Career Bus

Career Bus (Romania) brings career orientation to young people living in rural areas by combining innovative technologies and a face-to-face interaction. Travelling to remote places, Career Bus will boost the employability and career knowledge of young residents.

A person in a blue shirt and beige trousers stands with a microphone in front of a green wall

HeritageLab

HeritageLab (Slovenia) teaches established innovation incubation methods to young people in small towns, supporting them in the launch of new businesses and services based on local cultural heritage that deserves appreciation.

Ulisse logo - viaggi in lingua dei segni internazionale

Ulisse

Ulisse (Italy) is the first ever European digital platform that creates, markets and promotes local travel experiences and full holiday bundles designed by deaf people for deaf people.

Impact Prize Winner

In 2018, an Impact Prize was also awarded to the 2017 semi-finalist able to demonstrate clear social impact:

The 2018 Impact Prize winner was Mouse4all, a social micro-enterprise based in Madrid, Spain: The world is becoming mobile, but millions of people are being left out of this technological revolution. Persons with motor disabilities cannot use or have difficulty using a touch screen, the physical interface of most mobile devices. Mouse4all has created a product to enable users to access Android tablets and smartphones with alternative input devices: switches, adapted mice, trackballs and joysticks. Mouse4all is boosting the independence and autonomy of people by increasing accessibility to their Android device.

The finalists

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

700 entries…

were put forward for the 2018 European Social Innovation Competition, demonstrating a wide breadth of amazing ideas

In a first for EUSIC…

the Awards Ceremony featured a Funders’ Fair, where all finalists and semi-finalists were given the opportunity to meet and network with investors

20 different nations…

across Europe were represented in the 2018 edition of the competition

Who were the Challenge Judges?

Other editions of the Competition

What is the European Social Innovation Competition?

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 8th 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 is based around a different issue facing Europe.

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