Status of the call: Closed.
Call for the regional challenge for the prevention and reduction of single-use plastic packaging in the food and beverage sector in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro.
We’re looking for you!
We welcome you to join us on this big challenge, to unwrap the future of food and beverage! It is estimated that around 278.000 tons of F&B plastic packaging is used in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro (WB3) every year, the F&B sector is key in the national economies and offers great opportunities, including exports. The situation calls for action at different levels and offers entrepreneurship possibilities.
The ‘Unwrap’ challenge invites entrepreneurs, individuals, organisations or SMEs to identify and commercialize existing and new solutions to packaging needs of the F&B sector in WB3. We are seeking solutions that use less plastic in packaging, use alternatives, less harmful materials or that simply avoid packaging. We think that new business models may reduce the impact generated by plastic packaging waste.
The ‘Unwrap’ challenge is promoted by SCP/RAC and Innovation Nest (INN), a dynamic Business Support Organization in the Balkans region.
We invite you to download the “Guidelines for applicants” containing all the details.
Impact
The challenge addresses directly the food & beverage industry, packaging solutions and business models for tackling plastic packaging value chains in a circular economy, and will reduce negative effects of plastic leakage into the environment as a main contribution, while keeping the plastic material in a closed loop. Emerging businesses will receive support to develop further their products and drive F&B industry to a more sustainable development. The market of WB3 involved in this important challenge will increase the knowledge and innovation capability, allowing for greater modernization and larger markets outreach. We strongly believe that the challenge-award approach promotes critical and creative thinking skills that are key in finding solutions.
Besides the tailored incubation process, the Innovation Festival, taking place on October 24&25th in Tirana will allow candidates to exhibit their initiatives, hence gathering attention from buyers and financial institutions.
The Grant
- INN will provide a tailored 4-month incubation process integrating 2 main modules with specific technical assistance and mentorship for Start-Up development and with Circular Economy experts.
- The winner will be provided with seed funding of 3.000 euros to invest in the selected solution, upon the completion of the incubation process.
- The selected awardee will have the chance to work with professional consultants and trainers from INN.
- The winner will hold a privilege position at the Innovation Fest, providing for access to markets and financing.
- As an added value to the process, the awardee will have the opportunity to benefit from Innovation Nest boot camp which are more than 5 mentors and speakers, professionals from across sectors that, although do not offer direct technical training they provide knowledge and hands-on expertise in supportive sectors that aid business development through increased capacities, visibility and outreach.
Who is eligible ?
The challenge is open to everybody, be it an individual, a university, a governmental, regional or local organization, presenting an initiative or business idea that tackles the issue of plastic packaging by applying the circular economy principles, including prevention and reduction of plastic consumption and production in Albania, B&H and/or Montenegro.
For further details, please check the “Guidelines for applicants”.
How to apply?
The registration must be done in English via the online application form that can be found here: http://innovationnest.org/open-call/
The form needs to be submitted with all the information required in the guidelines, summary of the project or business idea and a profile or bio of the company or the business developer. Registrations that are not fully completed will not be considered. Participants shall provide a technical overview of their solution. Please do not submit confidential information as part of your application to the Unwrap Challenge. Submissions will not be considered confidential. Innovation Nest and SCP/RAC, will not retain intellectual property rights of the proposals submitted.
Applications will be accepted until: September 10th, 2019, at 12PM.
