Last September SocialChallenges.eu selected the 13 solutions granted with €30K each! It was the third and last round that awarded the last 390.000 EURO. As for the previous rounds, this call was a great success with 110 entrepreneurs from 19 different countries applying to solve 16 pressing social and environmental challenges in Europe.

The selection jury panel was made up by 7 experts and the organisations who promoted the challenges, among them three coming from the EBN ecosystem (Dario Mazzella, META Group; Krystel Khalil, Berytech; Robert Sanders, EBN). Selecting the final 13 solutions was not easy, as the 110 solutions were high quality.

Over two years, SocialChallenges.eu has granted 2.430.000€ to 81 entrepreneurs willing to make an impact and bring a solution to a challenge presented by cities, companies and NGOs.

Did U know that @sochange_eu hosted 83 social challenges from 18 #EU countries? #Italy was the country with more challenges launched over 3 EC funded rounds. We’ll tell you more tomorrow at #EURegionsWeek! #sochange @EU_CoR @EU_EASME @EU_Growth @META_Group @impacthub @EUBIC pic.twitter.com/7En9m5iE36

— sochange.eu (@sochange_eu) 10 de octubre de 2018

EBN Members have been supporting the initiative with great enthusiasm. As an example, past 18 October RETIS, the French network of Business Support Organisations, and TVT Innovation organised in Toulon (France) a public session to announce to the local community the results of the challenge “Entrepreneurship Boost for youngsters”, one of the challenges granted with a solution (from Spain) at the first call.

EBN Members with the support of Bridge for Billions (the selected solution provider) organised a Flash Hackathon to facilitate and foster entrepreneurial and innovation mindsets among youngsters and job seekers from urban and rural areas. Concretely, the event facilitated the networking of the participants (90 students) giving them the opportunity to get to know peers from other schools, create a relaxed atmosphere and a collective emulation. Between impromptu discussions, musical performances and reflex games, the students had the opportunity to pitch their business projects to the rest of the participants.

This is just one of the 81 stories you can discover on www.socialchallenges.eu, stories of European entrepreneurs who are making a social and/or environmental impact with their business solutions!

Stay tuned for further updates!