The Switchers Open Eco-Innovation platform is already active with the creation of innovative challenges seeking green and circular solutions. The aim of the platform is to help match companies and public institutions in search of green and circular business solutions with entrepreneur providers, using an open innovation approach.

STAND Up!, the EU-funded project under the ENI CBC Med Programme that is behind the creation of the platform, and Switchmed Programme, seek to help meet the sustainable innovation challenges faced by private and public companies across the textile and fashion sector and provide Business Support Organizations (BSO) the tools they need to facilitate connections between solution seekers and entrepreneur providers.

The winning start-up with the best solution will be rewarded with a voucher of 18.000€ to develop and implement it and to be spent on prototyping (all the info about what the voucher includes can be found inside the challenges). The Prato Textile Museum Foundation is the enabler facilitating these challenges in Italy

Find below the current challenges and basic information in Italy:

1. Circular and Innovative Reuse of the textile waste produced by the Prato district

Goal: To find a sustainable and circular as well as innovative solution to the problem of the huge amount of textile waste produced by the Prato district, which, if it’s not properly addressed, causes serious environmental damage to the area.

Companies: The Municipality of Prato

Start-ups participation: The challenge is addressed to early and growth stage ventures or independent entrepreneurs in the textile and clothing sector that are legally constituted in one of the eligible areas from the ENI CBC Med Programme in Italy (Toscana, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Lazio, Liguria, Puglia, Sardegna e Sicilia). All selected ventures must be led by women (no age limit) and/or youth (up to 35 years old).

Deadline to submit your solution: 10th of August 2022

Status: CLOSED