ACCELERATHON SPAIN – PORTUGAL
Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía
CHALLENGE: innovation and cooperation against climate change
CHALLENGE: fight against Covid-19 – Euro Digital Green Pass
Climate change and Covid-19 are two major challenges for the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion (Euroregion AAA). Fires are a clear example of an environmental and social problem, with Spain and Portugal being two of the countries most affected by this phenomenon in Europe. There are also other problems such as the loss or degradation of biodiversity, in addition to all the damage caused by the pandemic. For all these reasons, this Accelerathon has been promoted, an open innovation programme to promote cooperation and innovation as a solution to the challenges posed.
ADVICE FOR THE SEARCH OF EUROPEAN FINANCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.
EUROPEAN UNION MENTORIZATION OF THE WINNING TEAM IN NETWORKING, LEGISLATION AND COMMUNICATION.
18 PUBLICATIONS
Of which we highlight:
Juan Ignacio Zoido, Member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development
13 PUBLICATIONS
Of which we highlight:
Embassy of Estonia in Spain
21 PUBLICATIONS
Of which we highlight:
Embassy of Estonia in Spain
Final Ceremony
Spanish-Portuguese Accelerathon 2021
Open Innovation Programme against Covid-19 and climate change in the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia
Thursday, 6 May 2021
CHALLENGE:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Winning entry:
KRATTWORKS
CHALLENGE:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Finalist proposal:
BIOAGRO TECH
CHALLENGE:
COVID-19
Winning proposal:
HI + CARD
CHALLENGE:
COVID-19
Finalist proposal:
LOCKEEP
On Thursday 6 May 2021, at 17:00 h CEST (Brussels time) the final ceremony of the Spain-Portugal Accelerathon: innovation and cooperation against COVID-19 and climate change took place. Through this open innovation system, an initiative implemented by the Finnova Foundation and co-financed on this occasion by the Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior of the Andalusian Regional Government, the aim was to promote innovative technologies for the challenges of the fight against COVID-19 and climate change in the AAA Euroregion (Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia).
The Startup Europe Accelerathon methodology follows the indications of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), contributing from each challenge to the seventeen proposed SDGs – in this case, SDG 13: take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects. Accelerathon is part of the Startup Europe Awards, a methodology of the European Commission’s DG CONNECT, which was launched by DG Research, Development and Innovation in 2020 with the pan-European Hackthevirus campaign.
The closing ceremony on Thursday 6 May 2021 was attended by José Enrique Millo Rocher, Secretary General for External Action of the Ministry of the Presidency, Public Administration and Interior of the Regional Government of Andalusia, in charge of the opening and closing of the event as the body that co-funds this initiative. Massimiliano Dragoni, representing DG Connect of the European Commission, also participated in the opening of the closing day. On this occasion, 81 people registered (15 from Belgium, 2 from Estonia, 2 from Latin America – Mexico and Argentina – and 2 from Portugal); however, the highest number of participants was 75.
In the «climate change» challenge, the winner was the proposal by Krattworks, which uses drones to obtain real-time information on targets and people in fire areas thanks to Artificial Intelligence. The second runner-up was BioAgro, a proposal that uses low-cost technology to collect information about crops in order to make water and fertiliser supply more effective.
In the challenge against COVID-19, the winning proposal was HiCard, an application that seeks to favour the mobility of people through a Universal Digital Health Card thanks to technologies such as blockchain, from which a database is created that enables citizens to carry their medical data with them at all times, in a secure way, so that they can be attended to beyond their borders. The second finalist in this challenge was LocKeep, a project that creates safe spaces against COVID-19 by using a device installed on the doors of rooms that uses a vacuum pump to isolate the air inside the room so that it does not come into contact with the outside air.
Terms and conditions of the call for proposals
Jury
Formed by a group of international experts who will value that the challenges posed are adapted to the requirements and conditions as well as the development of the challenge itself.
The main objective of this Accelerathon is to promote innovative initiatives based on cross-border collaboration between Spain and Portugal, specifically in the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion (EuroregionAAA), in order to solve challenges related to Covid-19 and climate change.
The target audience of the Accelerathon are entrepreneurs, research organisations, public and private entities, SMEs and start-ups, universities, etc. Groups already established with an initiative or individuals can register. The event organisers reserve the right to add individuals to established groups to enrich the exchange of ideas and the groups that register agree to allow those individuals to participate during the Accelerathon.
This Accelerathon focuses on global issues – Covid-19 and climate change – so the general public is the beneficiary. Both the private and public sector will also be present, with the participation of start-ups, universities, entrepreneurs, companies and public administrations. The focus is on the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia Euroregion, as the call promotes actions in this area.
Launching webinar:
Accelerathon Spain-Portugal 2021
Open Innovation Programme against Covid-19 and climate change in the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalusia
Tuesday, 9 March 2021
On Tuesday, March 9th, 2021, the call for startup Europe Accelerathon Spain-Portugal 2021 was officially launched for the search for innovative solutions for the challenge of combating Covid-19 and climate change in the Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía Euroregion (EUorregion AAA). The Accelerathon methodology follows the directions of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDS) contributing from each challenge to the proposed SDP objectives – this time, SDP 13: taking urgent action to combat climate change and its effects. It is a programme within the framework of the European Commission’s DG CONNECT Startup Europe Awards methodology that was born from DG Research, Development and Innovation in 2020 with the pan-European Hackthevirus campaign.
The webinar addressed the challenges of innovation and cooperation against climate change and discussed the already famous European health passport, the Euro Digital Green Pass (blockchain and Covid Free), challenges faced by both Spain and Portugal within the context of pandemics. The event co-financed by the Ministry of the Presidency, Public and Interior Administration of the Junta de Andalucía, served as a forum to encourage cooperation and encourage new talents to encourage and bet on their ideas on combating climate change and covid-19.
The day, attended by four representatives of European, Portuguese and Andalusian institutions, ten experts and five entrepreneurs , was the kick-off of this Accelerathon, an open innovation programme implemented by the Finnova Foundation, a foundation that facilitates access to the different European financing tools from a technological, disruptive, innovative and sustainable approach. On this occasion, innovative proposals have been sought to alleviate climate change and to adjust to the current health emergency, starting at all times from cross-border collaboration between the three regions that make up the AAAEuroregion .
You can sign up for the challenge at the following link: https://form.jotform.com/finnova/accelerathon-euro-aaa
You can see the event again at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkWTqFLy9jk
Organisations involved
Organised by:
Co-financed by
Initiative co-funded by the Consejería de la Presidencia, Administración Pública e Interior de la Junta de Andalucía, Servicio de Acción Exterior, in the framework of the promotion of cross-border cooperation in the Euroregion Alentejo-Algarve-Andalucía. [Order of 13 July 2020]
In colaboration with:
In support of
