NEO2024 Innovation Award: Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is looking for pioneering solutions in the circular economy
Submission deadline until June 4
This year's Innovation Award of the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion is all about the circular economy. In view of the pressing global challenges such as climate change, energy transition, sustainability and resource scarcity, the promotion of innovative approaches to closing product and raw material cycles is of crucial importance. These solutions play a key role in making the economy more sustainable and enabling it to compete internationally.
"Activities that help to avoid waste and improve efficiency in the use of resources may be worthy of an award. This can include reducing material consumption, extending product lifetimes, reusing, recycling and reusing products and materials," explains Jochen Ehlgötz, Managing Director of TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GmbH.
The NEO innovation prize is awarded both nationally and across borders in Alsace, France. Companies, start-ups, research institutions and individuals are invited to submit their pioneering ideas and projects that contribute to the development and implementation of the circular economy.
"Companies today are faced with the challenge of not only being economically successful, but also taking responsibility for our environment. The circular economy is not a trend, but a necessity. It is an opportunity for companies to promote innovation and at the same time make a positive contribution to our world," emphasizes Dr. Frank Mentrup, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe GmbH and Lord Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe.
The competition takes place in two stages: Participants apply with a short description in German or English via the TRK website by June 4, 2024. A high-caliber expert jury with representatives from science, business and politics will make a pre-selection and request further elaborations from a maximum of ten projects. From these, it then nominates up to five submissions for the award ceremony. The finalists present their idea to the audience on the day of the award ceremony before the NEO2024 winners are announced. In addition to the jury prize of 20,000 euros, an audience prize donated by Nussbaum Meduen will once again be awarded. The award ceremony will take place on December 5 in the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion.
Further information on the application and the conditions of participation can be found at trk.de/neo2024