The Innovation Challenge returns in 2022
You are a company or a local authority that has a technical/technological innovation in the field of water and you wish to promote it? Take part in the Innovation Challenge in Rennes on January 26 and 27.
The Union of Water and Environment Industries and Companies (UIE), the water competitiveness cluster France Water Team and idealCo are the initiators of this event, which will take place at the Carrefour des Gestions Locales de l’Eau (Local Water Management Forum).
Within the framework of this challenge, the definition retained for an “innovation”, is a technique/technology which seeks to improve the existing, with reproducible character, which can be immediately implemented and makes it possible to have a competitive advantage or to improve the competitiveness of the entity which carries it.
One laureate will be rewarded per theme, after having been previously selected and having distinguished himself/herself at the end of the presentations in Rennes, by the jury gathered on site.
Three categories are open for application:
- Community Water Management Innovation Award.
For local authorities. - Innovation prize for water management in companies.
For companies (open to all types of companies, from very small to large). - Circular Economy Award.
For local authorities and companies, but also for entities such as associations.
The proposed applications are exclusively related to a technical/technological innovation in the field of water and must fall within one of the 3 categories above, constituting the challenge.
The 3rd category aims to reward an innovation which contributes to a concrete response to the challenges posed by the adaptation to current issues related to respect for the environment in the broadest sense: biodiversity, climate challenge, waste, etc.
The organizers reserve the right to redirect entries to the award category they feel is most appropriate.
How to take part in the Innovation Challenge?
Participation in the Innovation Challenge is reserved for companies exhibiting at the Carrefour des Gestions Locales de l’Eau. The call for applications will be closed on Friday, December 6.
The application form is the medium for presenting the innovation presented by the candidates. Filling it out and submitting it is therefore a prerequisite for any participation in the innovation challenge. Incomplete forms will not be considered. To obtain the link, contact your contact at France Water Team, UIE or Ideal Connaissances. To obtain it, contact your interlocutor at France Water Team, UIE or IdealCo.
Participation in the competition is free. However, the costs related to the logistical organization and to the visit of each nominee in Rennes at the Carrefour de l’Eau are to be borne by the candidates.
A selection committee of the received applications will determine the nominees to pitch at the Carrefour de l’Eau in Rennes on January 26. You will be contacted in mid-December.
D-Day
The second prerequisite for any application is therefore to pitch on Wednesday 26 January between 3 and 4:30 PM, and stay on site, if you are designated winner, to receive the award at 11:30 AM on Thursday 27 January.
To pitch:
- Each candidate will have 4 minutes.
- The projection of images is possible (please inform us in advance).
- The pitches will take place one after the other, on the UIE stand/village in hall 8, in front of a jury made up of 7 experts and personalities in the field of water from various backgrounds: companies, engineers, elected officials, associations, competitiveness clusters, etc.
The jury will pay particular attention to the following criteria:
- The clarity and precision of the explanation concerning the innovation implemented
- The reproducibility
- The ease of implementation
- The associated budget
- Possible partners
- Feedback or results of test phases
