The European Commission, the European Innovation Council and SME Executive Agency (EISMEA) are today announcing the 10 finalists in this year’s European Social Innovation Competition Skills for Tomorrow – Shaping a green and digital future. After a thorough review, the Competition’s Judging Panel has selected 10 finalists from among the 30 teams that made it through to the semi-final round of the Competition. 

The 10 Finalists all take an innovative approach to developing the skills needed to support Europe’s green and digital transition. The Finalists will now receive a support package to help them finalise their projects and prepare their pitches for the Awards event on 8 December, after which EISMEA will announce the three winning projects. The three winners will be awarded €50,000 each.

And so, without further ado, the 10 Finalists in this year’s European Social Innovation Competition are:

⮚    Circuteria - Germany
⮚    Eco-Friendly digital manufacturing marketplace - Romania
⮚    Edumus - Estonia
⮚    Forward43 - Netherlands
⮚    Happening - United Kingdom
⮚    Shaping Horizons - United Kingdom
⮚    SkillLab - Netherlands
⮚    Snowball Effect – Austria
⮚    Summitto - Netherlands 
⮚    Zekki - What's up? – Finland

For more information on this year’s finalists, click here!

“After careful deliberation, our expert Jury has narrowed down the 30 semi-finalists to the final 10 teams in this year’s Competition. It was not an easy task, as all the teams had put forward exciting and innovative visions for developing the skills we need to create a greener and more digital Europe,” said Ms. Valentina Superti Director at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW).

“This year’s 10 finalists embody the spirit of the European Social Innovation Competition. They look at societal needs and take innovative and exciting approaches to address the challenges that we face and make our world a better place. All the teams are worthy finalists and the Jury is now faced with the difficult task of selecting the final three winners,” said Jean-David Malo, Director of the Executive Agency for EIC and SMEs (EISMEA).

What happens now?
 
The Finalists will now receive further support over the coming weeks, with additional one-on-one expert coaching to provide them with additional knowledge and skills, helping them to prepare their projects for the Awards event.
 
In total, the finalists will receive an additional ten hours of personalised coaching per team across the finalist phase, allowing them to fine-tune their pitches for the final event on 8 December. All of the finalists and semi-finalists will be invited to attend the Award Ceremony along with the winner of the 2021 Impact Prize.
More about the European Social Innovation Competition
 
Launched in memory of social innovation pioneer Diogo Vasconcelos, the European Social Innovation Competition: The Challenge Prize is a competition run by the European Commission, with support from the EIC across all EU Member States and Horizon Europe associated countries. Now in its 9th 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, three €50,000 prizes are awarded for the best socially innovative projects designed to improve the world. The Competition supports the development of early-stage ideas through business accelerator support such as mentoring and coaching and the facilitation of a peer network of social innovators. 

Each year the Competition addresses a different issue facing Europe and our societies. This year the focus is on Skills for Tomorrow – Shaping a green and digital future and is specifically looking to incentivise, support and reward social innovations that will help people and organisations to identify, develop and strengthen the skills they will need to adapt and thrive in a changing world.

If you have questions, please contact us
For information on earlier editions and winning projects, go here or here. 
Follow the Competition on Twitter: @EUSocialInnov @EUeic #diogochallenge
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