• The award ceremony took place on Wednesday, September 25th, as part of the Greencities & S-Moving Fair at FYCMA, Málaga Trade Fair and Congress Center.
• This edition awarded entrepreneurs with innovative solutions to challenges in the field of circular economy for the development of smart and green cities (Greencities SEUA) and sustainable mobility (S-Moving SEUA).
On September 25th, the Finnova Foundation hosted the recognition ceremony for the winners of the Greencities & S-Moving Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) 2024, during the Greencities & S-Moving Fair at the Málaga Trade Fair and Congress Center (FYCMA). These awards, part of an open innovation methodology managed by Finnova and supported by the European Commission and Startup Europe, have become a key platform for fostering innovation in green technologies and solutions for sustainability and smart mobility for the cities of the future. This event continues to position Málaga as a hub for cutting-edge technologies aimed at transforming tomorrow’s cities.
In this edition, more than 35 startups presented their proposals, which were evaluated by a jury of experts from the public and private sectors. The judges highlighted the high quality of the projects and their potential applicability in urban areas. Juanma Revuelta, CEO of Finnova, led the award ceremony alongside members of the jury.
The winners will receive comprehensive support, including training and mentoring to access European funding, with the opportunity to turn their proposals into projects financed by programs like INTERREG NEXT MED, LIFE, and HORIZON, with potential grants of up to 2 million euros. In addition, they will receive an online course on European funds, helping them to grow and establish themselves in the international market.
Greencities SEUA 2024
Integra emerged as the winner of the Greencities SEUA 2024, thanks to its innovative solution, Sistem Ma-RS, a water regeneration system for irrigation from high-salinity wastewater treatment plants (EDAR). The Ma-RS system uses reversible reverse osmosis to treat wastewater, producing low-conductivity water ideal for agriculture and golf courses. This technology not only reduces energy costs (0.36 kWh/m³) but also extends the equipment’s lifespan, promoting the reuse of recycled water and reducing the use of potable water. Prudencio Rodríguez, CEO of Integra, accepted the award.
Second and third place were also recognized: IMATECK NANOTECHNOLOGIES SL took second place with an innovative solution to eliminate emerging contaminants in water using a patented material that is more effective than conventional technologies. Enerlind secured third place with a revolutionary system that integrates solar panels into window blinds, allowing urban homes to generate renewable energy efficiently.
The jury for this edition included Félix Infante – Head of CEM (Confederation of Businessmen of Málaga), Peter Hodgson – Manager of Club Euronova, Carles Ruiz – President of Red Innpulso, and Massimiliano Dragoni – Policy Officer at DG CONNECT of the European Commission.
S-Moving SEUA 2024
In the S-Moving SEUA 2024 category, the winning company was BLOWIND, with a project focused on improving infrastructure for sustainable mobility, particularly for electric trucks. Their solution increases charging power to 3MW, reducing charging time to 20 minutes and enabling the use of lighter batteries, optimizing transport on long routes without mileage limitations. This also facilitates regular breaks and an efficient driver change system, improving the viability and costs of electric transport. María Gutiérrez González accepted the award on behalf of the Blowind team.
Second place was awarded to GEOCyL Consultoría, S.L. for their “Bicimetro” project, developed for the city of Valladolid. This innovative system calculates safe cycling routes, using bike lanes and presenting them on a metro-style map with 7 “virtual lines.” Third place went to Electric Car Tour, recognized for promoting the “Go Green” philosophy through guided tours in electric cars in Málaga. Participants drive electric vehicles such as the Citroën Ami or Renault Twizy, accompanied by local guides in a lead vehicle.
The jury for the S-Moving SEUA was composed of Iñigo Bilbao Ubillos – Director of the Vitoria-Gasteiz Mobility Lab Foundation, Eduardo Medina – CEO and Co-founder of Activacar, María Martha Barroso – Chemical Engineering Projects Advisor, and Eli Kessler – Vice President of Finnova for the USA.
The ceremony concluded with a heartfelt speech by Miguel Briones Artacho, Territorial Delegate for Educational Development, Vocational Training, Universities, Research, and Innovation in Málaga. Briones congratulated the winners and emphasized the importance of initiatives that promote the circular economy and their positive impact on the transition towards a more sustainable urban model.
Challenges for Circular Economy and Sustainable Mobility in Cities
This year, the Greencities & S-Moving Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) addressed a series of key challenges to promote innovation in sustainable cities. The highlighted challenges included the reuse of treated wastewater in urban areas, the prevention of microplastics and emerging contaminants in wastewater, waste valorization, and energy innovation and urban decarbonization. These areas are essential for advancing towards a more efficient and sustainable city model.
In terms of sustainable mobility, the S-Moving SEUA proposed challenges focused on urban electric mobility, the use of biogas and biofuels for public transport, and solutions for sustainable mobility in the tourism sector, all aimed at reducing the carbon footprint and improving air quality in cities.
Colombia: Guest Country at Greencities & S-Moving 2024
This edition featured Colombia as the guest of honor, an initiative of Finnova, with a delegation of 20 distinguished representatives, including mayors, officials, and entrepreneurs from the Cundinamarca and Antioquia regions. The presence of this delegation at Greencities & S-Moving 2024 sought to explore innovative solutions for municipal management in critical areas such as water management, waste treatment, sustainability, the circular economy, and urban mobility, within the framework of the COP 16 Colombia Peace with Nature strategy.
During their visit, networking opportunities were promoted with the winning projects, and joint collaborations were fostered, with the potential to benefit from European funding through programs like Horizon Europe, Erasmus, and AL-INVEST Verde, thus strengthening cooperation between Europe and Colombia in innovation and sustainability.
About the Startup Europe Awards (SEUA)
The Startup Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative of the European Commission, organized by Finnova and supported by StartUp Europe. It is an open innovation tool designed to identify and promote talented startups capable of addressing today’s challenges across multiple sectors. The SEUA’s objective is to support startups and scaleups on their path to efficiency, innovation, and success, facilitating knowledge exchange, business growth, and their positioning in the global market.
Finnova would like to express its sincere gratitude to all participants, juries, and attendees for making this event possible. Congratulations to the winners, and see you at the next edition!
Contact: manuela.granada@finnova.eu