Categoria: Notícias pt

23.10.2020. Last Wednesday, october 21st, 2020,  the last webinar of the Iberian Center for Research and Fight Against Forest Fires (CILIFO) was held within the framework of #EUGreenWeek and the only ‘side event’ of the project at #EURegionsWeek . The event, which dealt with European Union funding for innovative projects to combat forest fires and the protection of biodiversity, was organized by the Finnova Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Córdoba (CILIFO beneficiary entities) and the Provincial Council of Córdoba, collaborating entity.

During the event several topics were discussed: in the first block, some project beneficiaries talked about prevention, extinction of forest fires and protection of biodiversity; and the second block revolved around entrepreneurship, financing and community training. In the next block, a conference was held with the press, in which various media specializing in the environment, sustainability and climate change explained how they collaborate to protect, restore and promote sustainability and how they collaborate to fight against climate change. The day ended with the last block, which focused on the transfer of good practices, some of the companies annexed to the Firefighting Open Innovation Lab – CILIFO accelerator presented themselves.

According to the data collected, it is estimated a total of 87 people were able to view the CILIFO webinar in the framework of #EUGreenWeek and #EURegionsWeek  (67 people registered to access Zoom and 20 people watched the event live on YouTube) . On this occasion, 27 speakers participated: 3.7% from Mexico; 29.6% from Portugal; and 66.7% from Spain.

You can watch the webinar again at the following link: https://youtu.be/0qC_KJnju5E

Below, you can read some of the statements of the speakers who participated in the third CILIFO webinar in the framework of #EUGreenWeek and #EURegionsWeek:

Maria de Lurdes Carvalho , Director of Regional Development Services at the Algarve Regional Development and Coordination Commission (CCDR), spoke about the Algarve fire research group.

“The mission of CCDR Algarve, in its geographic area, is to implement policies for the environment, urban and spatial planning, regional development and incentives for social communication and to provide technical support to local authorities and their associations.

Inmaculada Vázquez , from the Andalusian Environment and Water Agency (AMAYA) of the Junta de Andalucía, presented the CILIFO project.

“Among the results of the Project, we mainly highlight the creation of the Iberian Center for Research and Fight against Forest Fires (CILIFO), the design of a training plan, through which skills are acquired and the operations that make up will be accredited. those extinguishing devices both in the area of ​​Spain and Portugal; the design of a joint awareness plan on forest fires; and the launch of a joint investigation in the fight against forest fires ”.

Download the presentation here

Víctor Manuel Montoro Caba , deputy for European Programs and Electronic Administration of the Diputación de Córdoba, said that one of their objectives is for Córdoba to become the first province with 100% sustainable electric mobility.

“We are in a position to be the first province in Spain in which we can have an infrastructure network of electric vehicle recharging points in which at least each of the municipalities that make up the province of Córdoba has at least a charging point of municipal public ownership. “

Francisco Rodríguez y Silva, head of the Forest Fire Defense Laboratory ETS of Agronomic and Forest Engineering at the University of Córdoba, explained some of the lines of research that they are dealing with.

“One of the most recent achievements has been to know the possibility of graduating the extinction difficulty index, that is, a tool designed to be able to make an evaluation before and during the time of the emergency. In context with the CILIFO Project, we are working to make a version along the same lines, to know in the provinces that are the object of the project how we can have a dynamic knowledge of the danger in terms of energy behavior, which means the difficulty to be able to work extinction ”.

Nuno Guiomar, researcher at the University of Évora at the Mediterranean Institute of Agriculture, Environment and Development spoke about the evolution of the work carried out by the University of Évora for CILIFO and the tools such as Copernicus to fight fires from the scientific-academic sphere.

“The evaluation of the severity of the fire is a fundamental instrument in the paradigm shift: initially we only considered the determination of the classical spectral indicators (dNBR and RdNBR), at this moment we add more of them (BAI2 and RBR). Regarding the RBR, we have introduced an innovation in compensation proposed by Sean Parks. We are considering including temporal variations in the combined Ludar / Radar data… ”.

Pedro Arala Chaves, florestal technician in the Algarve Intermunicipal Community (AMAL), made his presentation on the creation of forest brigades and forest technical cabinets to combat forest fires.

“The Intermunicipal Forestry Technical Cabinet (GTFI) and the Sapadores Florestais Brigade (bSF) have the purpose of increasing the resilience of the territory by promoting a new intervention logic in the forest territory, through the creation of forest brigades and technical forest offices between municipalities ”.

Margarida Jesus, technician of the Cabinet of Candidacies for Community Functions of the Municipal Chamber of Tavira, explained the management of aerial means for fire prevention in the Cachopo area and how it helps prevent forest fires.

“The Tavira Air Media Center will provide support in the event of a disaster, not only in this area, but also throughout the Algarve, Alentejo and Andalusia, also serving as a strategic base for the development of specific awareness and training campaigns for the Civil Protection agents and for the general population ”.

Download the presentation here

Victor Rosa, councilor of the Municipal Chamber of Castro Marim, explained that they have a project for a school to fight and fight forest fires on the Guadiana border.

“The municipality intends to participate in a joint strategy for the prevention and fight against forest fires, one of the great challenges of the Iberian Peninsula.”

José Chaparro, councilor of the Municipal Chamber of Monchique, spoke about the projects they had in the field of forest fire prevention in the municipality.

“Monchique has several competences at the level of civil protection and the defense of the forest against forest fires, there is a small municipal heliport in the municipality with the aim of hosting aerial means of combat and first intervention of forest fires”

Víctor Salgado, technician of the CILIFO Project at Fundación ONCE, gave a presentation on attention to diversity in the prevention and extinction of forest fires.

“In the development and innovation department we are improving a progressive web application, we will create accessible fire alerts in Portuguese and Spanish with shortcuts to ICT applications of accessible contact with 112 and as well as reporting other low-impact hazards such as rockfall , tree falls, flooded paths, etc. ”.

Juan Viesca , director of European Funds at the Finnova Foundation, presented some of the European calls open in the forestry field.

“Within the H2020 program, specifically within the Green Deal, the fight and prevention against forest fires is mentioned, this type of calls finances 100% non-profit organizations such as public administrations, which can allow collaboration with other countries such as the United States , Canada, and many others. “

Beatriz Camacho Ávila, Director of Ecosystems of the Southern Europe Regional Innovation Plan – EIT Climate-KIC.

“EIT Climate-KIC is a European community of knowledge and innovation that works to achieve a prosperous, inclusive and resilient community to climate change, based on a circular economy of zero emissions.”

Download the presentation here

Beatriz Toro , head of the Institutional Relations Department, presented the EuroAAA Bulletin of the Junta de Andalucía.

“The Euroregion newsletter is bilingual, digital and designed to report on news of cross-border cooperation, European initiatives, territorial cooperation in the Euroregion, place the AAA Euroregion cooperation agent in the CTE, cross-border cooperation projects are managed with partners From both sides”.

Download the presentation here

Antonio Villarreal , journalist for El Confidencial.

“I want to invite the CILIFO consortium and its collaborators to send me the progress that is being developed in the project to try to inform the community in a much more direct, easy and clear way about current or historical cases of incidents with fire.”

Gustavo Gómez , CEO of Acento Comunicación.

“We have begun to hold a congress of shepherds that has had a lot of impact and that we have begun to organize together with another foundation, the Mil Caminos Foundation, and its objective is that the rural world serves as a job destination for many young people.”

Download the presentation here

Ismael Muñoz , director of OSBO Digital.

“The objectives we have are; connect the various actors involved in the fight against fires, share knowledge, experience and good practices; and disseminate to society the problem of forest fires, the existence of qualified professionals who avoid and fight them and generate a change of consciousness that helps prevent fires ”.

Download the presentation here

Pedro Pablo García , attached to the management of EFFE Verde

“EFE Verde is a global platform for news and environmental journalism of the EFE Agency, the project was presented in November 2019 and officially started on March 21, 2010 with the launch of the website www.efeverde.es . It is an informative reference but also a meeting point for companies, NGOs, institutions and all those entities and people interested in Spain in everything related to green information. “

Download the presentation here

Lola Bordás , Marketing Director at the Finnova Foundation, presented the 2nd edition – Firefighting StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA-CILIFO) 2020.

StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA) are a highly useful open innovation tool to promote the exchange of experiences, add value to the business ecosystem and help start-ups to grow and position themselves in the market. The Finnova Foundation – beneficiary entity of the CILIFO Project – supported by the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission, specifically by the Directorate General for Communication and New Technologies (DG CONNECT), has already held and successfully launched several editions of these awards; and is organizing the 2nd Edition Firefighting StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA-CILIFO). “StartUp Europe Awards, since 2016 is an initiative promoted by the European Commission and implemented by Finnova, supporting entrepreneurship throughout Europe. The prize is an acceleration ticket for the winning project.

Download the presentation here

Alexander Pereda Rodríguez , founder of La GIStería, exposed the Potential of GIS in the fight against fires.

“The real-time fire map was created in 2017 due to the increase in fires, and I was based on data provided by NASA from its VIIRS sensor, which captures high temperatures on the ground, but does not discriminate if those temperatures are forest fires or other reasons. This map meant a before and after since the burning of the Atlantic Corniche and after this disaster many maps similar to the one we had designed in La GIStería appeared ”.

Pedro Ruíz , Director of Innovation at Integrasys SA.

“We developed an application for tracking (positioning) and communication when facing fire, combining various technologies, such as the new European positioning system for the Galileo Satellite. We also mix new communication technologies to ensure that we always have communication at all times and in adverse situations. Thanks to these characteristics the firefighters will be able to face the fire as well informed and positioned as possible, without a doubt a great approach ”.

Download the presentation here

Leonardo Rico Fernández , CEO of Solid Rain.

“Solid rain is a technology that retains water up to 400 times its weight in water, and we place it at the root, thanks to this the plant will stay hydrated for weeks without the need for water or rain, after that period it returns to its original state of granulate and rehydrates with the next irrigation or rain, reducing the frequency of irrigations. As for the fight against fire, what we do is throw the already hydrated granules at a safe distance towards the fire, creating a stream of solid water, leaving the fire to extinguish itself, and after these fires it is reforested with solid water again and around 70% and 80% of the reforested areas can be saved ”.

Download the presentation here

Irene Carrasco Abad , Sustainable Innovation strategist and general director of Diagnosis Sistémica.

“Faced with the environmental problems of forest fires in Andalusia and the Algarve, we propose a holistic proposal.” This proposal is based on acting with a medium and long-term approach, focusing on prevention, early detection and regeneration, evaluating and optimizing applications on the ground where the implementation of know-how of specific parameters is key to achieving results. reliable.

Information of interest:

 #EURegionsWeek: 

 The European Week of Regions and Cities is the largest annual Brussels-based event dedicated to cohesion policy. The event has grown into a unique communication and networking platform, bringing together regions and cities from across Europe, including their political representatives, officials, experts and academics. Over the past 17 years, you have done a lot to promote policy learning and the exchange of good practices.

https://europa.eu/regions-and-cities

 #EUGreenWeek: 

EU Green Week 2020 will be held on October 19-22, 2020 and will address

on nature and biodiversity. Following the adoption of a new EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 in May, Green Week will highlight the contribution that biodiversity can make to society and the economy, and the role it can play in supporting and stimulating recovery in the world after the pandemic, creating jobs and sustainable development. The European Green Week is an event organized by the Directorate General of the European Commission.

https://www.eugreenweek.eu/es

2nd EDITION OF THE CILIFO – FIREFIGHTING STARTUP EUROPE Accelerathon (SEUA – CILIFO) 2020 

 StartUp Europe Awards (SEUA) is an initiative promoted by the European Commission, supported by the Committee of the Regions and the European Parliament; and implemented by the Finnova Foundation in collaboration with StartUp Europe.

It is an open innovation tool to identify innovative start-ups with potential, capable of solving current challenges in the area of ​​forest fire management. The objective is to locate those that offer products, services or methodologies that address the three phases in fire fighting 1) Prevention 2) Action 3) Regeneration. They must contribute to an improvement in the efficiency of resources in action against fires; Technological tools; social awareness; fire behavior; spatial and temporal patterns of fire; fire meteorology and fire hazard classification; fire fighting techniques; ground, air and space detection; restoration; etc.

Recipients: entrepreneurs and start-ups with ideas / projects related to fighting forest fires in the 3 areas of action framed in the CILIFO project: Prevention, Action and Regeneration. More information regarding these awards will be communicated shortly.

https://startupeuropeawards.eu/

Accelerathon: 

Accelerathon is an acceleration program for innovative projects promoted by the Finnova Foundation. This methodology of the Finnova Foundation aims to find solutions and funding, through an online system of applied open innovation that brings together the innovative ecosystem in the environmental sector, in which the European Commission works within the framework of the LIFE program.

http://accelerathon.eu/

THE CILIFO PROJECT 

The project ” Iberian Center for Research and Fight Against Forest Fires ” (CILIFO) focuses on the fight against forest fires and their consequences for the adaptation and mitigation of climate change; within a framework of cross-border cooperation for the prevention of risks and the improvement of the management of the natural resources of Spain and Portugal in the Alentejo – Algarve – Andalusia Euroregion area. CILIFO is part of the Thematic Objective 5 of the POCTEP Program: Promote adaptation to climate change in all sectors; and responds to the investment priority, with respect to the POCTEP Program, 5B: Promotion of investment to address specific risks and the guarantee of adaptation to disasters and development of disaster management systems.

With a duration of three years (2019 to 2021), it seeks, through the expected results of its activities, to establish itself as a permanent Center for the promotion and development of training, awareness, development and innovation, and cooperation interregional in the fight against forest fires. CILIFO is being developed thanks to the collaboration of a public-private partnership, led by the Junta de Andalucía and made up of public research organizations, non-profit public interest entities, and public administrations; and all with the common goal of fighting forest fires.

FINNOVA FOUNDATION

FINNOVA is a European non-profit foundation, with headquarters in Belgium-Brussels, and offices and antennas in Spain (Seville, Valencia, Tenerife, Madrid and Vitoria), whose main purpose is to search for international financing related to the transfer of new technology, modernization, training, innovation for regional or local public administrations. Its main objective is to promote international and interregional cooperation through networks and events, its main fields of work being the environment, energy, climate change, innovation and improvement of the quality of life.

www.finnova.eu

CONTACT:

Beatriz Martínez Muñoz
European projects and communication officer at the Finnova Foundation
Beatriz.martinez@finnova.eu

Brussels, July 15, 2020 – The EXIT project – MicroplasTic extraction, winner of the first edition of the Accelerathon WATER Startup Europe Awards, ends its journey through this open innovation competition with the presentation of its project to the LIFE programme on Environment of the European Commission, with which you can opt to up to 2 million euros of financing per project. During the last fifteen days, the members of the project, promoted by Global Omnium and Bioferric Ink, from the Miguel Hernández University (UMH), have received the training of experts in European funds from the Finnova Foundation with the aim of refining the proposal and multiplying your chances of winning it.

‘During our history, we have managed to get 35 innovation projects to receive European funding thanks to the support of our team of experts in European funds’, says Juanma Revuelta, CEO of the Finnova Foundation and adds: ‘At Finnova we believe that it is vitally important to help to entrepreneurs who cannot receive other lines of financing but who do meet the requirements of the European Commission to start their projects. We are committed to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda to which we contribute by promoting innovation through multidisciplinary solutions to problems such as wastewater treatment.’

‘Our technology is based on the use of magnetic particles. The objective is to separate the microplastics (MPs) and reuse these particles.’ says Álvaro Mas, CEO of Bioferric, ‘Our project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using magnetic particles for the removal and recovery of PMs present in wastewater, both urban and industrial, avoiding their discharge into the environment and contributing, through their subsequent recovery, to the model of circular economy powered by the European Union (COM (2018) 28 final). The proposed technology has already been validated in a laboratory, effectively achieving the elimination of MPs greater than 99%, using real residual water for this’ says Mr Mas.

During the Accelerathon Water Startup Europe Awards, organized by IVACE, in collaboration with Seimed, Redit, Aidimme and the ADR Forum, and implemented by Finnova, which started on May 28, the twelve teams that started the competition have had access to the e-Learning platform that Finnova has developed together with Play & Go and Prisma, two Valencian startups dedicated to creating innovative tools with game elements (gamification) for the digital transformation of organizations. The gamification educational platform provides, through an interactive training system, the knowledge necessary to understand and access European funding programs.

The program has the institutional support of the DG CONNECT of the European Commission and is aimed at officials and policy makers of municipalities, companies and public corporations, business associations, technological institutes, universities, innovative companies with patents or corporations with environmental challenges that can be resolved with the financial and technological boost of the LIFE program. In addition, it follows the indications of the following United Nations SDGs with the firm purpose of supporting its visibility and objectives:

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

SDG 13: Climate Action

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

What is SEIMED?

SEIMED is the node in the Valencian Community of the network of European business service centres Entreprise Europe Network (EEN). It was launched by the European Commission and is part of the world’s largest network of services for SMEs. It is a network of European services led by IVACE for the innovation and internationalization of companies. In it, the Valencian Community Chambers of Commerce, REDIT Innovation Network, CEV, University of Alicante and CEEI Valencia participate.

About Finnovaregio

European Foundation for the financing of innovation. Its objectives are to promote private public cooperation through the technology transfer of low-cost solutions among the best technologies available to address social challenges such as employment, entrepreneurship, the United Nations SDGs, the circular economy, waste recovery, tourism sustainable, the fight against climate change.

What is Startup Europe?

Startup Europe is an initiative of the European Commission to connect high-tech startups, scaleups, investors, accelerators, corporate networks, universities and the media.

What is Startup Europe Accelerator?

It is the European accelerator created by the Finnova Foundation in 2011. This EU accelerator of incubators, incubators and vertical, regional and national entrepreneurship programs seeks that startups and scaleups access the opportunities of the EU to receive education and training, internationalize their project and access the market through European projects, obtain subsidies, network, receive legal advice and develop international marketing strategies.

What is Startup Europe Awards (SEUA)?

It is an initiative of the DG CONNECT of the European Commission implemented by the Finnova Foundation that has traditionally had the institutional support of the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee since 2016.

SEUAs are an open innovation tool to identify disruptive startups that promote public-private collaboration and raise awareness of the importance of self-entrepreneurship as a driving force for employment. In addition to generating alliances that help to fulfil the SDGs of the United Nations and the actions of the European Green Pact, thus contributing to the circular economy, the fight against climate change and sustainable tourism.

Information of interest:

Official Webpage for Accelerathon

Video for Accelerathon Ivace Water Startup Europe Awards

(Brussels, 10th July 2020)  –  FINNOVA FOUNDATION Its name is intended to evoke the drive of innovative initiatives (Innova) through the appropriate European financial instruments.

In this sense, Finnova offers a structured and integrated dialogue in strategic information systems, training, dissemination of results at global and local level and the exchange of information and communication between entities as diverse as international financial institutions, technological institutes, universities, private sector companies and public administrations with the aim of publicizing the different ways of financing by the European Union in the areas of environment, water, health, public works, energy efficiency, sustainable tourism, ICT and entrepreneurship.

Both parties decided to join their efforts by signing a Partnership agreement with the aim to create a better awareness of all Finnova’s Foundation initiatives within the Worldwide Diplomatic Community and beyond.   

Juan Manuel Revuelta, CEO Foundation of Finnova said “It is an honor for Finnova and especially myself to be here today partnering with the Diplomatic World Institute. By doing so, we will reinforce the strategies of economic diplomacy that Finnova and I have been working on for more than 20 years in the framework of circular economy, creation of green jobs, sustainable development, and private public partnership. Together we intend on supporting the talented and promising world of European startups through a series of tools such as e-learning platforms, roundtables, and networks, all of which will allow young Europeans to learn from experts and better understand the concepts of innovation, sustainability, and entrepreneurship, as well as the role that the EU institutions play in funding at the local, regional, and international level. Additionally, I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to extend an invitation to all embassies to encourage their nationals under 30 years old to participate in a 3-month training program in Brussels that includes a course in Management of European Funds. Finnova has already had the pleasure to host students through cooperation with the Embassies of Chile and Panama.

Barbara Dietrich, owner and CEO of Diplomatic World & Jean Aznar, Public Relations of Diplomatic World said “Finnova’s Foundation expertises in guiding and structuring innovative start-ups with the support of European Financial instruments is very important to create prosperity, welfare and peace for all next and future generations to come within any country worldwide.”  

FINNOVA FOUNDATION is the European Foundation that works for the constant bet of the business innovation and the excellence of the applied knowledge through the development of the talent and its international and interregional connection. To this end, it promotes multiple networks and high-level events with the purpose of seeking resources and European funding related to technological transfer, modernization and competitive development of public and private entities at all levels at international, regional and local. Its head office is located in the heart of Brussels (Belgium) a short distance from the Institutions of the European Union.

FINNOVA FOUNDATION

www.finnovaregio.org

www.accelerathon.eu

www.startupeuropeawards.eu

www.startupeuropeawardsmexico.org

Juan Manuel Revuelta,   juanmarevuelta@finnova.eu                    + 32 475 97 42 77

For more info about the training program: direccion@finnova.eu

A new e-learning platform for the participants of the Accelerathon programme.

Considered one of the most innovative tools for training related to EU programmes. 

Brussels, 8 July 2020 – Finnova Foundation and Play&go, a Valencian startup dedicated to the design and development of gamified guides, promotional campaigns and geolocalised games, have developed an educational gamification platform to provide through an interactive training system the necessary knowledge regarding the access to European funding programmes. Gamification is a learning technique that transfers the mechanics of games to the educational and professional field in order to achieve better results.

“Understanding how European funding programmes work is key to increasing the possibilities of accessing European funds for innovation” explains Juan Viesca, Director of European Funds at Finnova Foundation. “In our commitment to innovation, we have developed a new gamification tool. We are convinced that it will allow entrepreneurs who want to present a project, but do not have the necessary knowledge, to receive more thorough training, which will gradually strengthen their skills and allow them to become familiar with the often complex mechanisms of the European Commission.”, he added.

“Our society is changing faster than ever. It is essential that organisations care about training and adopt digital tools that allow them to be encouraged and retain knowledge in an innovative way adapted to new times and with the latest technologies”, explains Jordi Díaz, CEO of Play&go experience. “This collaboration with Finnova, within the framework of the recently signed MARCO agreement, is key to our internationalization strategy; it allows the implementation of a first big project in collaboration with our partner Prisma”, he claimed.

Developed in close collaboration with Finnova Foundation’s European funding experts, this tool has a full course on the LIFE programme of the European Commission that shows participants how to write a draft proposal successfully. As the training progresses, they go through the various interactive modules that include minigames, quizzes and an interactive map of Europe. Its design fosters the involvement of participants, who challenge each other and manage to strengthen their knowledge.

This virtual learning platform is already being used to as a support for the training of participants in the Accelerathon programme organised by Finnova Foundation. The Accelerathon is an open innovation competition whose objective is to develop multidisciplinary solutions to challenges such as wastewater treatment, rice straw or waste-to-energy. Jordi Díaz explained during his participation in the Accelerathon Waste2Energy how the platform work (watch it here).

What is Play&go?

Play&go is a company run by Jordi Díaz that is dedicated to the design and development of gamified guides, promotional campaigns and geolocalised games. It offers a different experience to the user; it promotes the mobility of players; and it connects the physical and the digital world. Aggregate user behaviour data is obtained from the game to be later transformed into knowledge thanks to artificial intelligence-based algorithms and business intelligence tools. This way it helps to improve the product and to assist in the decision-making process.

Play&go began its acceleration process with the support of Finnova and received the Seal of Excellence from the European Commission in 2018, a high-quality label awarded to projects submitted to the SME Instrument in Phase 1 (concept and feasibility assessment) of Horizon 2020. This is a recognition that only receives between the 3 % and the 6 % of the candidates who apply. In addition, Play&go received the VI Ateneo European Accelerator Award in the Valencian Community category in 2019. It is a prize from the Innovation and Business Club of the Ateneo Mercantil in collaboration with Finnova Foundation awarded within the framework of the Startup Europe Awards (SEUA).

What is Finnova?

Finnova is the European foundation for innovation funding. Its main goal is to promote the cooperation between public and private sectors through the best low-cost, technological solutions, in order to address social challenges such as employment, entrepreneurship, the SDG of the United Nations, circular economy, waste recovery, sustainable tourism, and the fight against climate change.

Finnova Foundation promotes green employment, economic recovery, and training and employment for the youth.

What is Startup Europe?

Startup Europe is an initiative of the European Commission that connects high-tech startups to scaleups, investors, accelerator, corporative networks, universities and the media.

What is Startup Europe Accelerator?

It is a European accelerator created by Finnova Foundation in 2011. It accelerates accelerators, incubators, and vertical, regional and national entrepreneurship programmes. Its main purpose is to grant startups and scaleups access to EU opportunities for training, mentoring, internationalisation, break into the market through European projects, getting funding, networking, legal advice and international marketing.

Play&go is one of the enterprises accelerated by Finnova Foundation’s Startup Europe Accelerator.

What is Startup Europe Awards (SEUA)?

It is an initiative from the European Commission’s DG CONNECT implemented by Finnova that counts with the institutional support from the European Parliament, the European Committee of the Regions and the European Economic and Social Committee since 2016.

SEUA is an open innovation tool for the identification of disruptive startups, the promotion of public-private cooperation, and also for raising awareness about the importance of entrepreneurship as a generator of employment. Apart from generating alliances for the consecution of the SDGs of the United Nations and the actions goals of the European Green Deal regarding circular economy, the fight against climate change and sustainable tourism.

Useful links

Jordi Díaz talks about the platform: https://youtu.be/NeRsUcA0M_Y

Contact details:

Jordi Díaz Maiquez

CEO of Play&go experience

jordi.diaz@playgoxp.com – (+34) 626325661

Press contact:

Lola Bordás

CMO at Finnova Foundation

cmo@finnova.eu – (+34) 619110266

Finnova experts will help the winner write a project plan to submit it to the LIFE programme call, which will give the team the opportunity to be eligible for a grant of up to €2 million

The project “Methanol production from ELVs (end-of-life vehicles) waste in scrap-yards” conceived by Graphene Solutions, a company led by Eugenio Martí, has been declared winner of the Waste2Energy Startup Europe Accelerathon. The competition was organized by Finnova and boosted by the Municipality of Vilamarxant (Valencia), in connection with the Centre d’Emprenedoria i Innovació del Túria (CEI Túria).

“Thank you very much for launching this call, in which I believe many synergies will be created”, Eugenio Martí, member of the winning team, declared. Eugenio has been working hard on his challenge during the last week. His aim is to recycle ELVs waste (currently non-recyclable waste) into methanol to generate green energy and reduce pollution. “The innovative solutions suggested to use energy from waste are essential for the promotion of circular economy, since sustainable, environmentally responsible products are searched more and more every day”, Susana Solís, the Eurodeputy and member of the EU regional development commission, has claimed.

This Thursday, July 2, the final of the Waste2Energy Startup Europe Accelerathon was held online. A jury and the six finalist teams took part in it, accompanied by more than 2,000 people who were live on Facebook. Throughout the live streaming ceremony held on a webinar and on Facebook Live, each team presented its project during an elevator pitch and undertook a double assessment. On one hand, a jury formed by 16 experts from Panama, Brussels and Spain analysed the proposals of each team; their assessment signified the 80 % of the overall scoring. On the other hand, the votes of the audience, which were more than 1,000, corresponded to the remaining 20 %.

Below, you will find the participants in the opening event:

· Xavier Jorge Cerdá, Councillor for Innovation (Municipality of Vilamarxant).

· Chris Hoornaert, Ambassador of the European Union in Panama.

· Susana Solís, Eurodeputy and member of the Committee on Regional Development at the European Parliament.

· Alfonso Young Hassan, Chargé d’Affaires in the embassy of Panama in Brussels.

· Esteban Pelayo, Director of the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA).

· Francisco José Gutiérrez, Councillor for Economic Growth and Employment (Municipality of Coria del Río).

After the jury’s verdict, the winning team obtained a European accelerator ticket awarded by the Startup Europe Accelerator. This ticket allows them to present the project, in July 14, to the Life programme of the DG ENVIRONMENT of the European Commission. In addition, the winners will be able to network in Brussels during the European Week of Regions and Cities, which will be held from October 12 to 15, 2020. Finally, the winning team will also take part in the Startup Europe Awards 2020 edition.

GT2- Methanol production from ELVs (end-of-life vehicles) waste in scrap-yards

During the last week, the participants of the programme have worked in different multidisciplinary proposals concerning the Waste2Energy challenge. The goal was to recycle waste into energy. The teams have been mentored by the Finnova Foundation experts on European funds.

The Team 2: Methanol production from ELVs (end-of-life vehicles) waste in scrap-yards, explained that the problematic wastes are the foam and fabric of carpets, mats and seating furniture. Some of the packaging of fabrics is made of plastic, which makes it difficult to remove the plastic from them, since they are attached to it. It is also essential to consider the plastics used to make the fabrics; their composition is remarkably diverse depending on the manufacturer. Then, while the exterior plastics tend to be standardized, such as bumpers, the interior ones are not subject to any regulation. It is for this reason that the winners propose a plasma photocatalytic hydrogasification treatment. This technology has already been presented to a LIFE programme subsidized by the UE. The project consisted in building a pilot plant that produces a chemical compound to be mixed with the fuel called ECOMETHYLAL (2016-2020).

THE AWARD: TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR A LIFE PROGRAMME OF UP TO €2 MILLION

Thanks to these innovative projects boosted by Finnova Foundation together with the Municipality of Vilamarxant, in connection with the CEI Túria and held back by the DG CONNECT of the European Commission through the Startup Europe Awards, the winning project will be qualified for a grant of up to €2 million. The grant would make it possible to develop the innovative project during a period of 3-5 years. The aim is to start the transition towards a greener, low-carbon, circular economy in harmony with the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations.

From this Friday, July 3, to next Tuesday, July 14, the Finnova Foundation experts on European funds will mentor the winning team to write the project plan aiming to submit it to the LIFE programme 2020call for proposals, specifically to the Environment sub-programme. “Our goal is to enhance entrepreneurship, green employment, education of young people and to help absorb better European funds. This methodology has been proved to be a total success”, Finnova’s CEO Juan Manuel Revuelta has declared.

The programme counts on the institutional backup of the DG CONNECT of the European Commission and it is aimed at civil servants and political leaders of municipalities, companies and public corporations, employers’ associations, institutes of technology, universities, innovative enterprises holding patents, or corporations proposing environmental challenges which can be fought off from the financial and technological boost offered by the LIFE programme. Aiming to support the visibility and objectives of the 2030 Agenda, the Finnova Foundation initiative follows the directions of the SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, declared the SDG of the month of July, and also the following ones:

· SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

· SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

· SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

· SDG 13: Climate Action

· SDG 17: Partnerships