Category: News

• In this edition will be held more than 7,700 to publicize the projects funded by this program.
• Finnova, as an entity committed to access to employment and youth, participates as a partner in 4 Erasmus + projects.

09/10/2023, Brussels. From yesterday, Monday October 9th until Saturday October 14th, the Erasmus Days 2023 will take place, six days that will highlight the cultural diversity of Europe and the numerous learning opportunities that this integrated program of the European Union for education, training, youth and sport offers. During these days, beneficiaries of the Erasmus+ program, European stakeholders and alumni organize events where they share their experience and disseminate the projects they are involved in for all those interested in this European program. This edition will feature 7,732 events open to everyone, even those who have not participated in an Erasmus+ project.

Erasmus Days are an excellent way to promote the richness of European mobility and the successes of the Erasmus+ program, showcasing the benefits of the learning experiences it offers. In addition, Erasmus Days 2023 falls within the framework of the European Year of Skills, a unique opportunity to recognize the importance of Europe’s cultural diversity and for participants to discover new cultures, strengthen their language and intercultural skills, develop their employability and embrace the European values of tolerance, respect and diversity.

With more than 35 years of history, Erasmus + offers mobility and cooperation opportunities in higher education and vocational training, adult education, youth and sport, and has an estimated budget of 26.2 billion euros for the period 2021-2027, which will be allocated to areas such as social inclusion, ecological and digital transitions, and promoting the participation of young people in democratic life.

The Finnova Foundation, which specializes in areas such as access to employment, training and youth, promotes innovation in these areas by being a partner in various projects funded by the Erasmus + program. Currently, Finnova is partner of 8 Erasmus + projects that promote inclusion and diversity in remote education, the improvement of the security preparedness of Civil Protection workers, the proposal of actions that apply artificial intelligence from an ethical point of view, the support of youth employment in the agricultural sector, the participation of young people in democracy or the inclusion of girls in careers.

The DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project responds to the challenge of raising the issues of diversity and tolerance within an online and distance learning environment, and aims to develop the skills and competencies of Vocational Training teachers, trainers and mentors in this area. The pandemic and the subsequent implementation of online education created the need for vocational educators and trainers, teachers and mentors to integrate the challenges of diversity and tolerance into online and digital learning programs.

The SETOFF project aims to improve the preparedness and job security of Civil Protection personnel, both public and private, for future crises and emergencies. The core of the project is the development of an innovative online training curriculum based on a proven and successfully applied simulation model, combined with the latest scientific knowledge as well as a comprehensive needs analysis.

LivAI proposes several ways to approach technology and data in particular from an ethical perspective, within a certification framework that guarantees standards for any kind of learning and work. The project aligns with the aforementioned Digital Education Action Plan, which aims to foster digital skills and competencies for all citizens and explore the impact of AI on education and training through pilot testing.

Finally, the Smart and Digital Agriculture (SDA Project) has as its main objective to promote and support youth employment in the agricultural sector through medicinal and aromatic plants with high value in agriculture. To achieve this objective it seeks to Raise awareness of unconscious agricultural practices, Support digitization in agriculture and Develop smart and virtual agricultural practices and a training program.

BETTER-EU aims to encourage the participation of young people in European political life and to make them aware of the functioning of the European institutions and their relationship with the rural environment. In this line, this promotion of the institutions encourages young people to be more participative in the democratic life of their municipality, proposing initiatives that they believe are necessary.

Girls4Tech and 100 Women Plus are initiatives in which Finnova is a participant in the field of female entrepreneurship. Girls4Tech is committed to support training, skills generation and the promotion of STEM careers, initiatives aimed at girls from 8 to 18 years old. 100 Women Plus aims to strengthen the presence of European and African women in the economic and business sectors by establishing new mechanisms for female participation, strengthening the ecosystem of women entrepreneurs in participating countries and creating networks and partnerships between institutions in Europe and Africa.

Related to the textile sector are the final mission of the MANUFACTURING 4.ALL project and TEXTIL4ALL. The mission of the first project is to create an educational and training model for young unemployed people with the aim of contributing to the municipal transformation towards a more digitalized business fabric and a greater entrepreneurial spirit among citizens. On the other hand, the TEXTIL4ALL project aims to provide training on the textile sector in terms of sustainability, as well as to promote the employability of people at risk of social exclusion in marginal neighborhoods or vulnerable situations, mostly women, in order to reduce the gender gap in these situations.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Based in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience in leading European project communication and dissemination activities is combined with a strong proven expertise in start-ups and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and ceremonial event selection and awarding.

• Funded with €4 million by the COSME program and with a duration of 36 months, Fu-Tourism seeks to establish a solid ecosystem that will provide a lasting impact on the tourism sector, promoting its resilience to future challenges and aligning with the objectives of the EU’s European Green Deal.

• An acceleration program will identify and support a total of 102 tourism SMEs from the six European countries that are part of the project: Spain, Greece, Croatia, Belgium, Austria, and Poland.

Supporting European tourism SMEs in their transition towards a green, digital and inclusive economy, while focusing on the application of the principles of the regenerative economy. This is the main objective of the European project “FU-TOURISM 5.0 – Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience” which has just started. Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and a duration of 36 months (3 years), the project involves eight partners from seven European countries.

Fu-TOURISM 5.0 will develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies and incubators and accelerators in the sector. To this end, it will launch an acceleration program that will identify and support a total of 102 SMEs.

During the acceleration program, 10 SMEs from each country will be selected in a transparent and open manner to receive a 5-month support and a grant of 20,000 euros. In addition, the Scaling Up program will select 42 SME consortia (7 per-country) to receive a grant of 30,000 euros and related business support.

Tourism SME Transition Living Labs

Coordinated by Eupolis (Croatia), the project has seven other partners: DUBROVNIK CITY (Croatia), Consell Insular de Menorca (Spain), Finnova (Belgium), Envolve (Greece), SYNYO (Austria), Vestbee (Poland) and Open Impact (Italy).

One of the main pillars of the FU-TOURISM 5.0 project is the development of a platform and a network of 4-Helix Collaborative Clusters, known as Living Labs for the Transition of Tourism SMEs.

These clusters will enable SMEs to be placed at the center of the tourism ecosystem, adopting a multi-stakeholder approach that takes into account the broader needs of the destination, visitors and local citizens.

In the context of the European Union, the COSME Program has proven to be a driver of development for businesses and SMEs in Europe. FU-TOURISM 5.0 is part of the list of projects funded by COSME between 2021 and 2027, standing out as a joint effort to boost economic growth, job creation and foster business competitiveness on the continent.

Unique opportunity to transform the tourism sector

FU-TOURISM 5.0 not only represents an opportunity for European tourism SMEs, but also for the unique UNESCO tourist destinations; the City of DUBROVNIK, a UNESCO Heritage City (listed in 1979), and the Island of MENORCA, Biosphere Reserve (listed in 1993); which will be part of the program’s pilot projects.

These destinations will test the overall Destination Management Organizations (DMO) strategy and support for tourism SMEs, supported by EUPOLIS, which will integrate the Tourism Impact Model (TIM) and the Digital Readiness Index (DRI) to measure and report on the sustainable and digital transition of SMEs and destinations.

The FU-TOURISM 5.0 project, aligned with the objectives of the European Green Pact and the EU Digital Single Market, presents a unique opportunity to transform the tourism sector towards a greener, more resilient and digitized model.

• The project seeks to generate a solid ecosystem that provides a lasting impact on the tourism sector, promoting its resilience to future challenges, aligning with the objectives of the EU’s European Green Pact.

• Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and with a duration of 36 months, its main objective is to support the transition of European small and medium-sized tourism enterprises towards a green and inclusive economy in tourism sustainability.

On International Tourism Day, September 27, 2023, the Valencia Exhibition Palace was the venue for the presentation of the European project “FU-TOURISM 5.0 – Future-Ready Business Support Ecosystem for Tourism SME Transition to Green and Digital Resilience”, which seeks to develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies, incubators and accelerators.

The presentation was part of The Tourism Innovation Day organized by Finnova, a day that brought together three events to promote the attraction of talent in the tourism sector, position Valencia as a laboratory of best practices in tourism in the framework of its distinction as European Green Capital 2024 and share funding opportunities for this industry through European funds.

Valencia, towards sustainable tourism with the FU-TOURISM 5.0 Project

The “Fu-Tourism 5.0” Forum presented the European COSME project, which emerges as a transcendental opportunity for the city of Valencia and its thriving tourism industry.

After a networking coffee, the event started with a first block in which Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova presented the “COSME Fu-Tourism 5.0 Project”, where he explained the main objectives of the project, among them, the acceleration program that will identify and support 102 tourism SMEs from six participating European countries: Spain, Greece, Croatia, Belgium, Austria and Poland through support services for sustainability, inclusive business models and direct financial assistance.

Revuelta assured that, “with the European Agenda for Tourism 2030, the competitiveness of the tourism sector must be consolidated, understood as an engine of sustainable growth, employment and social cohesion in the EU for the next decade as it must also be, above all sustainable, resilient, digital, global and social.” “At a crucial time when sustainability is imperative, this project offers strong support to local small and medium-sized tourism businesses to transition to a greener and more resilient approach.”, he concluded.

Paula Mª Llobet Vilarrasa, Deputy Mayor Valencia, offered the European Green Capital in 2024 as a municipal laboratory of good environmental and sustainability practices.

Likewise, Juan José Cortés Vélez, General Director of Innovation of the Regional Ministry of Innovation, Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Valencian Region; highlighted that European projects are an essential ally in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism, thus boosting economic growth, the preservation of the environment and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context. “Tourism has five challenges to face right now: the new consumer, sustainability, digital transformation, the use of data and governance,” Cortés concluded.

With the distinction of Valencia as European Green Capital 2024, FU-TOURISM 5.0 stands as an essential ally in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism, thus boosting economic growth, the preservation of the environment and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context.

This was confirmed by the different actors participating in the Table of Synergies and projects.

The next speaker was Juan José Cabrera, CEO of Alstenda, who focused his presentation on sustainability and the effect of digitalization on tourism. Cabrera remarked the relevance that digitalization must have when transforming the tourism industry towards a sustainable industry, as digitalization was a catalyst for other previous changes in the tourism industry in the 90s. In addition, Cabrera insisted that fighting tourismphobia is another of the industry’s current challenges. “It is important that the benefit generated by tourism stays in the tourist sites, in the businesses in those areas, since tourism phobia appears when the enclaves only suffer a negative impact from this activity,” Cabrera concluded.

Francisco Contreras, director of the Parador de El Saler, also insisted on the need for a paradigm shift, leading to a transformation of tourismphobia into tourismphilia. “We must take advantage of the synergies that can arise from tourism, and think that tourism is not only a source of economic value, but tourism also allows us to create intercultural ties,” concluded Contreras.

On the other hand, Contreras explained another of the structural changes that are taking place in the industry, which is moving away from agglomeration tourism to focus on more sustainable tourism, “a sustainability that is here to stay, as this is what the client is looking for”.

Alberto Galloso, head of the HOSBEC Valencia delegation, also insisted on the importance of sustainability and its connection with technology for a faster transformation. Galloso indicated the steps to be followed when working from a sustainable perspective: identifying aspects of sustainable tourism, providing healthy working environments, providing management tools, generating agreements and collaborations and communication.

The second block was closed by Juanma Romero, director and presenter of TVE’s “Emprende”, who stressed the importance of communication methodologies for entrepreneurship as an added value for European projects.

In short, this event has laid the foundations for the creation of a Laboratory of Best Practices through projects such as FU-TOURISM 5.0 as essential allies in the materialization of a vision of responsible tourism.

This Laboratory aims to promote economic growth, environmental preservation and the positioning of Valencia as a leading destination in the European context, laying the foundations for a resilient and prosperous tourism industry in the future.

Fu-Tourism 5.0

Funded with 4 million euros by the COSME program and a duration of 36 months (3 years), the Fu-Tourism project involves eight partners from seven European countries. To develop a support ecosystem for tourism SMEs, promoting greater cooperation in innovation between these companies and incubators and accelerators in the sector.

This project takes on special relevance in the EU scenario where the tourism sector, according to the latest European Parliament Factsheet, encompasses 2.3 million companies, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and employs some 12.3 million people.

ABOUT THE FINNOVA FOUNDATION

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian foundation based in Brussels and Spain (headquartered in Valencia), which works for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.

• The event served to check the progress made during these last 2 years
• Finnova celebrates the presentation of the online course platform that crystallizes the objectives of the project

26/09/2023, Brussels. The final meeting of the transnational project DESTINE was held in Berlin on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 September. The Erasmus + DESTINE (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) project aims to promote online vocational training that ensures support for diversity, inclusion and tolerance by providing the necessary tools for all professionals and students to adapt to the e-learning methodology. DESTINE focuses especially on those vocational training students who need a learning environment adapted to their needs.

The meeting allowed all the partners, including the Finnova Foundation, to discuss the results obtained during the project and the progress it has made in its two years of existence. Throughout the two days, the partners presented the progress made in the project, with the presentation of the online courses as the main highlight. They also updated the contributions they have made to the project and the objectives they intend to achieve at the end of the project, as DESTINE will close on November 1 after two years of activity.

The launch of the online platform was the main event of the day, a platform that crystallizes the objectives of DESTINE. Destine MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) is the name of the platform on which online courses and educational materials are delivered and made accessible to everyone. Destine MOOC contains video resources, reading material, assessments, quizzes and a discussion forum that make up the 7 modules into which the platform is divided.

The project aims to equip all professionals and students with the essential tools to effectively adapt to an e-learning approach. DESTINE specifically prioritizes the creation of a learning environment that is adapted to the needs of vocational training students.

In line with the project’s objectives, the platform contains material focused on methods for fostering tolerance and diversity in virtual spaces. The DESTINE project aims to address the challenge of raising the issues of inclusion, diversity and tolerance in the online and distance learning environment. In addition, DESTINE also targets vocational students, and in particular students with fewer opportunities, who need a diversity-friendly learning environment.

Finnova Foundation, as an entity committed to innovation, inclusion and diversity, celebrates the presentaion of the online courses platform that will allow to meet the objectives on which this project has pivoted. The work of Finnova and all the partners has allowed this project to achieve its goals, and the final meeting has allowed the partners to share their experiences in the project in situ. Finnova is a partner in this project together with Osengo (France), AKMI (Greece), BK CON (Germany), Centrul Pentru Promovarea Invatarii Permanente – CPIP (Romania), Symplexis (Greece) and Future in Perspective (Ireland), with a budget of €284,697.

About ERASMUS+

Erasmus+ 2021-2027 is the European Union’s renewed program in the fields of education and training, youth and sport, offering opportunities for all people and in all educational sectors (School Education, Vocational Education, Higher Education and Adult Education). This new Erasmus+ is more international, more inclusive, more digital and greener, supporting digital transformation, inclusion and diversity, as well as the environment and the fight against climate change. With a budget of over €28 billion, it will fund learning-related mobility and cross-border cooperation projects for 10 million people of all ages and backgrounds. “This project has been funded with the support of the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”

About DESTINE 

The Erasmus + DESTINE project (DivErSity and Tolerance IN E-Environment) was created with the aim of promoting an online professional training online vocational training that ensures support for diversity, inclusion, and tolerance, providing the necessary tools for all professionals and students to adapt to the e-learning methodology. students to adapt to the e-learning methodology. DESTINE focuses especially on those vocational students who need a learning environment adapted to their needs. learning environment adapted to their needs.

About FINNOVA

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.

• The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has conveyed a message of unity in the face of the challenges facing the EU.
• The topics covered in the speech are areas in which the Finnova Foundation works and aligns itself with the EU’s objectives.

13/09/2023, Brussels. Today, Wednesday 13 September 2023, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France) to give her speech in the debate on the State of the Union (SOTEU). The President of the European executive took stock of the actions carried out by the Union during the last year and presented to the MEPs the challenges that the 27 will have to face during the next year.

Von der Leyen began her speech by focusing on the next European elections, which will be held from June 6 to 9, 2024. In view of the elections, Von der Leyen encouraged young people to go to the polls, many of whom were born under the economic crisis of 2008, to contribute to the future of the EU they want. The Commission president stressed the importance of young people being able to share their concerns about issues that concern them, such as climate change, the influence of artificial intelligence, and the problems of access to housing and entry into the world of work.

On this last topic, Von der Leyen highlighted two current problems of the European labor market: the lack of labor and skilled workers and the number of young people who neither study nor work. “At present, there are 8 million young people who do not study, do not receive training, whose dreams are on hold causing them great distress,” concluded the German leader. To solve this problem, Von der Leyen defends the benefits of social dialogue, a tool that made it possible 4 decades ago to shape the Union of today, and has announced the holding of a social summit during the Belgian presidency of the Council.

Climate change

The ecological transition has taken up a large part of the speech, and has been present in all the topics mentioned by Von der Leyen. The president of the European Commission has put on the table the temperature records that have been recorded in the old continent during the summer and the fires and floods that have recently affected Spain and Greece as examples of the devastating effects of climate change. Von der Leyen stressed the work that has been done during the legislature, such as the approval of the European Climate Law, the zero emissions target for 2050 or the European Green Pact. “Europe has turned the climate agenda into its political agenda, providing this direction for investment and innovation”, concluded Von der Leyen. In this line, he stressed the need to provide industry with the necessary tools to carry out the ecological transformation, in turn strengthening the competitiveness of the European business fabric.

Gender equality

Equality was also a recurring theme during her speech. In this space, Von der Leyen highlighted the accession of the Union to the Istanbul Convention and the approval of the directive on the presence of women on boards of directors, a law that will oblige companies to have at least 40% of positions occupied by people of the least represented gender. In addition, she has also put on the table the difficulties that women have in terms of reconciliation and their entry into the labor market, pointing them out as challenges to be faced by the Union within the aforementioned social dialogue summit.

Artificial intelligence

Digital sovereignty was another of the pillars on which the speech hinged, and artificial intelligence was the star topic in this section. The president was pleased that Europe is working to become a world leader in this area, as regulations are being negotiated to establish obligations for providers and users depending on the level of risk of AI. Without questioning the benefits that AI can bring to the daily lives of Europeans (higher productivity, better healthcare, combating climate change, etc.), Von der Leyen proposed three lines of work to address the problems that can arise from the use of artificial intelligence: a legislative approach that puts people at the center, the development of a system of global governance that can provide a global vision (as is done with climate change) and the orientation of innovation from the point of view of responsibility.

In addition to the topics developed during the speech, Von der Leyen also had time to speak about the role of the EU in the world order, competitiveness and fairness in world markets, biodiversity, ongoing global conflicts and enlargement. After the speech, the leaders of the European Parliament’s political groups gave their views on the topics covered in the President’s speech.

Finnova, committed to European affairs

The Finnova Foundation has been working for more than 10 years to support innovation financing for companies, regions and municipalities, by promoting European funds that support the causes highlighted today at SOTEU. Finnova works in several of the areas mentioned this morning, demonstrating its commitment as an entity aligned with European values.

Finnova is committed to the promotion of young talent, with more than 550 young people trained at both the Brussels and Spanish sites. The LIFE projects of which Finnova is a partner (Ecodigestion 2.0, NextFUMIGREEN and COSTAdapta) promote the ecological transition that is shaping the economic and social agenda of the Union. The Woman4Tech project has initiatives that promote female entrepreneurship and advocate for a greater female presence in STEM careers, objectives related to the pursuit of equality that Von der Leyen mentioned in her speech. Finally, in the field of artificial intelligence, the LivAI project is aligned with the use of artificial intelligence from an ethical perspective.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities of European projects is combined with a solid proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.

• The winners of Innobus have visited the workspaces of the Foundation
• Our team has received a talk about the Innobus initiative

21/09/2023, Brussels. Today, Thursday September 21, the winners of Innobus 2023 have visited our offices in Brussels. Innobus is an initiative of the Agency for Innovation and Knowledge of Baix Llobregat and L’Hospitalet, which tests the skills of young people to propose innovative solutions and allows them to see the importance of entrepreneurship through experience.

The winning teams of Innobus 2023 have received as a prize a trip to Brussels to visit the European institutions and entities such as the Finnova Foundation, which are committed to innovation through European funds. Today, the Finnova team in Brussels accompanied the Innobus winners on their visits to the European institutions and shared experiences about what it means to work in the heart of the European Union.

The day started with a visit to the European Parliament where the winners of Innobus have known one of the most media spaces of the European Union. Then, the winners of Innobus 2023 visited our offices in Brussels and learned the details of the work carried out at our headquarters in Brussels. During the meeting, Juan Castilla and Laura Benítez, CEOs and Co-Founders of Talent Factory and Natàlia Mir, General Director of Innobaix, explained the basis of the Innobus initiative to our team.

Finnova, committed to the young talent

Finnova, as an entity committed to the promotion of young talent, is pleased to be a reference in this field and that young people continue to see the foundation as a reliable entity to start their professional careers. During the last 13 years, Finnova has hosted more than 550 young people who have been trained in our offices in Brussels and Spain, with the aim of addressing the lack of professionals in European affairs.

About Talent Factory

Talent Factory is an initiative that seeks to encourage entrepreneurship in a pedagogical way, helping young people to understand and prepare for the future of work. They create talent detection programs in the classroom, and, in the last 8 years, they have already trained more than 15,000 young people in entrepreneurial skills.

About Innobus

Innobus is an initiative of Innobaix (Agència per a la Innovació i el Coneixement del Baix Llobregat i L’Hospitalet) that promotes the importance of entrepreneurship through experience to help young people how to imagine a real scenario of job opportunities for their future.

About Finnova Foundation

Finnova is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Based in Brussels, it operates through collaborations and partnerships in all countries of the European Union. Finnova’s experience in leading European project communication and dissemination activities is combined with a strong proven expertise in start-ups and business support programs, such as accelerators, incubators and ceremonial event selection and awarding.

• The project took part in the event “Innovation in Green Cities through European Funds”, organised by Finnova
• During the event, the simulation game Serious Game and the project accelerator Accelerathon were presented

Brussels, 21/09/2023. Yesterday, Wednesday 20 September 2023, the RES4CITY project was presented at the event “Innovation in Green Cities through European Funds” organised by Finnova. This activity was part of the Greencities and S-Moving Fair held at the Trade Fairs and Congress Centre of Malaga and its main objective was to promote the development of renewable energy and fuel technologies in urban environments.

The event started with the welcome given by Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, and with the presentation of the project by Patricia Tejada, EU Project Officer at Finnova. Tejada stressed the importance of this project, a consortium of 18 partners from 9 countries that stands as a crucial initiative to promote sustainability and circularity in the urban environment. RES4CITY aims to implement an innovative educational programme, promoting the use of renewable energy sources and sustainable fuel technologies in cities.

Julio Andrade, director of the International Centre for Training of Authorities and Leaders CIFAL, then opened the round of presentations. Andrade sent a message of awareness about climate change, picking up on the latest UN warnings of a two-degree increase in global temperatures. “This warning worsens the already negative prediction of a 1.5 degree increase, so it is key that cities become sustainable spaces, in line with the eleventh Sustainable Development Goal,” Andrade concluded.

Next to take the floor was Cirlet Bando, representing Kunak Technologies. The aim of this company is to measure pollution in cities, creating greener and cleaner cities. Kunak Technologies uses a network of sensor stations to collect pollution data, allowing street-by-street monitoring, with real-time information and evaluation of the impact of the actions implemented by the institutions. “In addition, this system is able to identify patterns and hotspots, so we can offer new strategies in the fight to reduce pollution,” Bando concluded.

John David Babyack, Smart Cities Sales Manager at Libelium, focused his speech on the application of technologies that contribute to the environment in people’s daily lives. “Our intention is that the administration invests with knowledge, and we have the information that serves and should improve people’s quality of life,” said Babyack. Libelium, a company with 17 years of experience and with headquarters on all continents, has applied Smartcities technology in those places where it has a presence. Among the projects managed by the company from Zaragoza, the environmental corridor installed in Vizcaya stands out, a network of 20 air quality devices that sends information on pollution, the influx of cars and noise levels to a platform managed by the Provincial Council of Vizcaya.

To close the block of talks, Juanma Revuelta spoke about the synergies between European projects. To this end, Revuelta gave as an example the LIFE ECOdigestion 2.0 project, a consortium between Finnova, Global Omnium and Águas do Centro Litoral, which is committed to innovation aimed at ecological transformation, by focusing its scope of work on the production of biogas through efficient waste management.

After the presentations, Laura Velasco, EU Project Officer at Finnova, presented the Serious Game simulation, a role-playing game that simulates a specific business scenario related to renewable energy and fuel technologies. Playing the main character, the player must make decisions, organise work, manage information and solve problems related to sustainability, circular economy and renewable energies.

The event concluded with Patricia Tejada’s presentation of the Accelerathon, a methodology for accelerating innovative projects promoted by Finnova, which aims to find solutions and funding. It is carried out through an open and applied innovation competition that brings together the innovative ecosystem of the circular economy sector. The next call will be launched between November 2023 and January 2024.

Startup Europe Awards Greencities

With the organisation of this event, the Finnova Foundation reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development and the circular economy. The RES4CITY project, in which Finnova Foundation is a partner, is another example that confirms Finnova’s good work in this area.

About RES4CITY

The RES4CITY project, funded by Horizon Europe, aims to boost the development of sustainable renewable energy and fuel technologies in cities. This objective will be achieved through the promotion of sustainability and circularity, as well as through the implementation of an innovative educational programme designed in collaboration with stakeholders. This programme aims to train highly skilled professionals, enabling the replicability of results in various educational systems. The project is led by Maynooth University in a consortium of 18 organisations from the European Union and Switzerland, including Finnova.

About Startup Europe Awards

Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is the open innovation methodology of public-private collaboration that was created in 2016 with the support of the current Vice-President of the European Commission Mariya Gabriel and the Finnova Foundation and that promotes the identification of innovative solutions by entrepreneurs to SDG and EU challenges. The process fosters collaboration between the different actors in the entrepreneurial ecosystem and aims to accelerate companies through the tools and mechanisms offered by the EU: networking and access to investors, training in EU legislation and funds and mentoring to turn the idea into a real demonstration project such as Horizon Europe or Life, subsidised by the EU with up to 5 million euros per project. Startups awarded in other competitions have obtained subsidies for their internationalisation – up to 2.5 million through the EIC programme – or access to grants such as Erasmus entrepreneurs or registration of trademarks and patents. SEUA also creates a network of contacts that will inspire and give visibility to all local startups so that, through this network, they can scale their services and products globally. The Startup Europe Awards will accelerate the creation or consolidation and internationalisation of companies with funding from the European Union as well as offering legal advice, networking, and international communication, among other benefits.

About FINNOVA

Finnova is the Spanish-Belgian non-profit foundation based in Brussels and Spain, working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship in the EU. Finnova’s experience in leading communication and dissemination activities for European projects is combined with a proven track record in business creation and entrepreneurship support programmes, such as accelerators, incubators and events, as well as its commitment to training and employability of young people.